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Michael glanced his way as he stepped out "How’s she doing?"

"Still asleep"

Greer was pouring gas through a funnel into the truck’s tank "She’ll be okay Sleep is what she needs"

"Let me take the wheel for a while," Peter offered "I know the way from here"

Greer bent to cap the can and wiped his hands on his shirt "Better if Michael does for now There’s a few tricky spots ahead"

--

They found Kate at the edge of the woods The gun was still in her hand, her finger curled inside the trigger guard One shot, through the sweet spot: Kate, thorough to the last, had wanted to be sure

They had no time to bury her They decided to take her into the house and lay her in the bed Caleb and Pi back here Hollis and Caleb carried her inside It did not seeht to leave her in her blood-stained clothes; Pim and Sara undressed her, washed her body, and put her in one of Piowns, made of soft blue cotton They placed a pillow beneath her head and tucked a blanket tightly around her; Pi silently, brushed her sister’s hair A final question: Should they let the girls see her? Yes, Sara said Kate was their oodbye

Caleb waited outside It was ard The birds sang, the breeze blew, the clouds scudded overhead, the sun moved in its lazy, fateful arc Handsome lay dead in the field; a crowd of buzzards jabbed at the banquet of his flesh, flapping their enors All was a ruin, yet the world did not seem to know or care In the bedroom, Caleb had told Kate he loved her and kissed her on the forehead Her skin was shockingly cold, but that was not theher to say so It didn’t hurt too much Or It’s okay, Caleb, I don’t blame you You did the best you could Maybe she would say so to tuck me into bed? I’m not a child, you know I bet this is a lot of fun for you, Caleb Yet there was nothing Her body existed, but all that had one; never would it be heard again

Pi looked merely confused A few ed