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Peter wondered howto have to have It was like leading people to the edge of a cliff, showing the them off

"I’m afraid so," he said

--

Alicia saw the first --three doround in the shade of a pecan tree Riding on, she came to the outermost farmstead She dismounted in the packed-dirt yard No sounds of life reached her from the house She stepped inside Furniture overturned, objects strewn about, a rifle on the floor, beds unmade The inhabitants had been infected as they’d slept; now they slept in the earth, beneath the pecan tree

She watered Soldier at the trough and continued on her way The rocky hills rose and fell Soon she saw more houses--some nestled discreetly in the folds of the land, others exposed on the flats, surrounded by hard-won fields of newly tilled soil There was no need to look more closely; the stillness told Alicia all she needed to know The sky see above her with an infinite weariness She had expected it to happen like this, at the outer edges first The first ones taken up, thenas it moved toward the city

The town itself was abandoned Alicia rode the length of the dusty main street, past the small stores and houses, soo, people had gone about their daily lives here: raised fas, gotten drunk, cheated at cards, argued, fought with their fists, reet their fellow citizens as they passed Had they knoas happening? Did the fact creep upon the, a curiosity barely re dawned--or had the virals swooped down in a rush, a single night of horror? At the southern edge of town, Alicia caan to count Twenty ave up counting

51

The day moved on Still Dory did not die

From the room where the woman lay, Caleb heard only s on the floor Kate or Piht appear briefly, to fetch some small implement or boil h he had no energy to amuse them His mind drifted to undone chores, but then another voice would speak to hi this place, all his proud hopes dashed

Kate caone down for a nap in the house

"So?" he asked