Page 46 (1/2)

Plague Michael Grant 14600K 2023-09-01

Sam said, "Okay, what is it?"

No answer

Sam leaned over Jack’s shoulders to look Pallet after pallet of heavy cartons Each carton was eo

"Computers?" Sam wondered "Or iPods?" Neither would be of any use

At last Jack moved He rushed to the nearest pallet, then hesitated He carefully wiped his hands on his pants Then he tore away the shrink-wrap and gently, cautiously, opened the first carton

It ith treers that he lifted out a white box On the box was a photo of a laptop

"That would be great if we had internet," Saed," Jack snapped, angry at Sa in church "It’s been so long butbut they e"

"Okay," Saames Let’s move on to the next--"

"No!" Jack cried, his voice souish and rapture "No I have toI have to see"

He spent five fullout Styrofoaile works of art

It was like watching soious ritual Sa He’d never seen Jack so emotional

He picked patiently at the small piece of tape that held the laptop’s thin foam sheath in place

And finally he held up the silver laptop as if holding a baby in his tre hands

He turned it over By now the suspense was even getting to Sa breath, turned the laptop over, and pressed the battery indicator light Two tiny green lights blazed

"Two!" Jack exulted "Two! I was afraid it’d be one blinking light" Then, in a whisper "Two That’s maybe an hour and a half Maybe two hours even"

"Dude Are you crying?"

Jack wiped his eyes "No Jeez"

"He’s lying, he’s crying," Toto called out unhelpfully

"You need some time?" Sam asked He doubted any power on earth could convince Jack to et the next one"

The eleventh container was more lawn furniture

The twelfth container was filled froht Sam and Dekka had ever seen in their lives

This time it was they who stood, awestruck Overcoo

"Can you put Pepsi in Cup-a-Noodles?" Dekka wondered

They leaped at the shrink-wrapped pallets and ripped cans free

Crack psst!