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It’s a flower

I pick it up, h I already knohat it is Two of the petals are grown together, a mutation, one in a million Unique Except that I’ve seen it before And that flower is gone--it was destroyed in the downpour, crushed against my skin I left the pieces behind where we camped by the river

How is it here now?

I cup the flower in ertip along the joined petals, and abruptly I see Tarver’s quiet save it toand strength co back tous, I realize that this is a gift, just as the canteen was I don’t knohat they intended, but I knohat it means to me

I’m not alone here Perhaps I never was, even in the depths of the dead-filled wreck These whispers, whoever, whatever they are, can see into hts They can see intoaway from the empty space at his side

Behind the camp looht and blotting out the stars The tomb The meat locker I force ain I know that if I do, I ht be the one where I fail, and fall down, and can’t get back up

I walk back into the tomb

"How did you divide up the labor?"

"What do you e?"

"Yes"

"She did most of it"

"Your sarcasm is uncalled for How did you divide up the labor?"

"According to our strengths, I suppose"

"What were Miss LaRoux’s strengths?"

"Hairstyling, eyea faux pas at fifty paces"

"Major Your lack of cooperation is being noted"

"She could fetch and carry, small tasks like that"

"And you?"

"I found that very helpful"

TWENTY-FIVE

TARVER

I KNOW IT’S STRANGE WHEN MY BROTHER Alec shows up beside me, but I can’t reme little itch I give up for now and letLilac before, but I think she’s gone now She keeps cos So s Where do they cos in it No things, no other people, no idea, no hope Just her

I really hope that when it comes down to it, she dies first It’ll be bad for her, if it’sbesideon his elbows the way he always did e lay outside on suhts

That doesn’t make it any less true What else should I hope for her?

"Don’t look at

Then it comes to , robbing me of breath You’re dead