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"It got run over by a train That’s what et it?"

"I don’t know, I’ve just always had it" Danny dipped his head toward the boy’s open hand "Go ahead, you can keep it"

A moment’s hesitation, then Tim slipped the flattened penny into the pocket of his shorts It wasn’t , and there were ti could help As a for-instance: Moot bad, and the visits fro The roar of the Redbird’s big caterpillar diesel co over the bu as they shot fros like that Danny felt pleased with hi so he knew that ether in thesunshine, he detected, froe in the boy’s face, a kind of lightening; he ht have even s

They saw it first as a throbbing glow over the horizon It was the hour when the light had flattened They were approaching the city frole car was on the highway; all the buildings were dark A deeper,they’d seen so far-this was, or should have been, a city of nearly half a h the bus’s ventilation Kittridge told Danny to stop

"We have to get over the river somehow," Pastor Don said "Go south or north, look for a way across"

Kittridge looked up froas?"

They were down to an eighth of a tank; the jugs were empty Fifty more miles at the most They’d hoped to find ’s for sure," said Kittridge, "we can’t stay here"

They turned north The next crossing was at the town of Adair But the bridge was gone, blasted away, no part left standing Only the river, wide and dark, ceaselessly flowing The next opportunity would be Decatur, another thirty miles to the north

"We passed an elementary school aWe can look for fuel in thefor Kittridge’s answer

"Okay, let’s do it"

They backtracked into the heart of the little town All the lights were out, the streets e structure set back fron at the edge of the parking area read, in bold letters: GO LIONS! HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!

"Everybody wait here," Kittridge said

He ed He exchanged a quick look with Pastor Don, the two ht," Kittridge announced "Stay together, no wandering off The power’s out, but there’s running water, and food in the cafeteria If you need to use the facilities, go in pairs"

In the front foyer they were met by the telltale scents of an elementary school, of sweat and dirty socks, art supplies and waxed linoleum A trophy case stood by a door that led, presu on the painted cinder-block walls, iazine clippings Beside each of therade of its creator Wendy Mueller, Grade 2 Gavin Jackson, Grade 5 Florence Ratcliffe, Pre-K 4

"April, go with Wood and Don to find soarten rooms should have some"

In the pantry behind the cafeteria they found cans of beans and fruit cocktail, as well as bread and jaas to cook with, so they served the beans cold, dishing everything out on e distributed flashlights They spoke only in whispers, the consensus being that the virals ht hear thee left Don to keep watch on the first floor and cli a lantern Many of the doors were locked but not all; he selected the science lab, a large, open space with counters and glass cabinets full of beakers and other supplies The air smelled faintly of butane On the whiteboard at the front of the room ritten the words "Final review, chaps 8-12 Labs due Wednesday"

Kittridge stripped off his shirt and wiped himself down at the washbasin in the corner, then took a chair and rean just below his left knee, was constructed of a titanium alloy frame covered in silicone; a microprocessor-controlled hydraulic cylinder, powered by a tiny hydrogen cell, adjusted fifty tiular velocity of the ankle joint, iait It was the very latest in prosthetic lie didn’t doubt it had cost the Army a bundle He rolled up his trousers, peeled off thesock, and washed his stuh heavily callused, the skin at the contact point felt raw and tender after two days without care He dried the stuhly, allowed it a few minutes of fresh air, then fixed the prosthesis back in place and dren his pant leg

He was startled by a sound ofin the open doorway

"Sorry, I didn’t mean-"

He quickly drew on his shirt and rose to his feet How ht was dim, and he’d been partially concealed by one of the counters

"It’s no proble cleaned up a little"

"I couldn’t sleep"

"That’s okay," he said "You can come in if you want"

She advanced uncertainly into the rooe moved to the ith the AK He took a mo outside?" She was standing beside hiht He’s tougher than he looks Tougher than I am, anyway"

"I doubt that You see"

April frowned "You shouldn’t This calm exterior is what you’d call an act To tell you the truth, I’ anyth of the roo her back against the frae did the same They were face-to-face now A stillness, expectant but not unco, yet he sensed a core of resilience in her It was the kind of thing you either had or you didn’t

"So, do you have a boyfriend?"

"Are you auditioning?"

Kittridge laughed, felt his face groaruess Are you like this with everybody?"

"Only the people I like"

Another et the name April?" It was all he could think to say "Is that your birthday?"

"It’s fro, she raised her eyebrows dubiously "It’s a poee had heard the naot to that one How’s it go?"

She let her gaze flow past hian to speak, her voice was full of a rich feeling Kittridge couldn’t identify, happy and sad and full of/ Lilacs out of the dead land,rain