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The coughing became more intense Her whole body shook with it Her li to her?

"Co to vo its place A sharp pain struck her chest, like the blow of a fist She doubled over, her body curling around the i water poured from her mouth

"Come back to me, Amy Come back to me…"

--

"Come back to me"

A out the compressions Fifteen Twenty Twenty-five

"Godda!"

"Don’t stop"

"It’s not working!"

Peter bent his face to hers onceclicked inside her Peter pulled away as her asp He rolled her over, slipped an arhtly, and pounded her on the back With a retching sound, water jetted from her mouth onto the deck

--

There was a face That was the first thing she becaue, and behind it only sky Where was she? What had occurred? Who was this person as looking at her, floating in the heavens? She blinked, trying to focus her eyes Slowly the i shape of ears A broad, slittered with tears Pure happiness filled her like a bursting star

"Oh, Peter," she said, raising a hand to his cheek "It is so good to see you"

56

All night long, the virals pounded

It happened in bursts Five ainst the door--a period of silence, then they would begin again

Eventually the intervals between the attacks grew longer The girls gave up their crying and slept, their heads buried in Pim’s lap More time passed with no sounds outside; finally, the virals did not return

Caleb waited When would dawn come? When would it be safe to open the door? Piht had exhausted all of theainst the wall and closed his eyes

He awoke to muffled voices outside; help had arrived Whoever it was had begun to knock

Pined a simple question mark

It’s people, he replied

Still, it ith some anxiety that he unbarred the door He pushed it just a little; a crack of daylight blasted his eyes He shoved the door open the rest of the way, blinking in the light