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Sanjit quickly said, "But we’d rather just have you come back with us I mean, we’re kind of lonely"

Caine stared at Choo Choo stared back, then looked away "He doesn’t see Choo

Diana saw fear in the younger boy’s eyes

"Have theh was gone now Both boys had bright eyes The visible parts of them seemed healthy Their hair wasn’t brittle and broken like hers

"You heard her," Caine said

"No," Sanjit said "It’s not good for our leprosy to be exposed"

Caine took a deep breath "I’ to throw your little lying friend there straight into a tree Just like I did with this sheep"

"He’ll do it," Diana warned "Don’t believe he won’t"

Sanjit hung his head

"Sorry," Choo said "I screwed it up"

Sanjit began unwinding the gauze froot us So, allow me to welcome you to San Francisco de Sales Island"

"Thanks," Caine said dryly

"And yes, we do have some food Maybe you’d like to join us? Unless you want to stick with your sheep sushi"

Throughout theand early afternoon, the shell-shocked kids of Perdido Beach milled around, lost and confused

But Albert was neither lost nor confused Throughout the day kids came to his office in the McDonald’s He had a booth there, in a corner by theso he could look out on the plaza and see what passed by