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The voice is stillsome distance away, in the direction of theotten how to coe

"I hear theister the fact that ed to care that he seesinside me, "please just tellup to curl his hand around

"Please"

He reaches up and brushes the hair back froesture As he drops his thumb to my cheek to brush away the dampness there, he o off on your own to investigate I want your word" There’s a command in his voice, soft as it is

I want to tell hiht now, butbut curl upht to be scandalized at his closeness, demand he keep his distance, but s I wish I could say His touch just feels right

"We’ll work it out," he says "There’s a reason for it Maybe when you hit your head in the pod--that was a beautiful shiner you gave yourself At least you don’t have the taste of dead rat in your ot that on Avon Couldn’t taste anything else for weeks after she s to cheer , and to keephe has to keepblood and copper at the back of e, su an even voice from God knohere, "if all she had to eat were those ration bars, maybe it’s best she couldn’t taste properly after all"

He laughs, the sound barely more than a quick exhalation byme a tiny squeeze that nonetheless robs me of what breath I have left

A thrill runs down my spine, the tiniest of sparks to re to get free, cloggingincredibly well," he continues "Really, you’re coping much better than half the soldiers I knoould in this situation We’re both still on our feet, we’re heading in the right direction We’re sticking together That’s e’ll be all right"

The lie is so blatant that it cracks

"I’m sorry," I whisper My cold lips fuainst h"You’ve got nothing to be sorry for"

"I do too" The dark of the night is like a shield of anonymity, despite the fact that we may well be the only two people on the planet Curled up in these blankets, I ht be in a confessional, and before I can stoparound inout

"I’ for o love for you to pick up" For a moment I’m choked by my own voice