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"I’ve got sos to see to Maybe I’ll come back later"

"We’ll be here"

Greer turned the truck around and drove away Once he was out of sight, he pulled to the side of the causeway, got out, placed a hand against the fender for balance, and threw up onto the gravel There wasn’tblobs For a couple of minutes he re more, he retrieved his canteen from the cab, rinsed his mouth, poured some water into his palm, and splashed his face The aloneness of it--that was the worst part Not sothe pain He wondered ould happen Would the world dissolve around hi like a dream, until he had no s and people of his life rising up before hi into the sun on a too-bright day, he was forced to look away?

He tipped his face to the sky The stars were subdued, veiled by a ht his thoughts to bear upon a single star, as he had learned to do, and closed his eyes Amy, can you hear me?

Silence Then: Yes, Lucius

A

47

A spring afternoon: Peter orking in the garden Rain had worked through in the night, but now the sky was clear Stripped to his shirtsleeves, he jabbed his hoe into the soft dirt Months of eating froood it would be, he thought, to have fresh vegetables again

"I brought you so, she held out a glass of water Peter took it and sipped It was ice cold against his teeth

"Why don’t you co in shadow, the last rays of light peeking over the ridge

"There’s a lot to be done," he said