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She looked for Jackie at the break, but the worinding stations, searching for her friend The fore theiven up when she turned a corner to find Jackie sitting on the ground, her face damp with sweat, her kerchief balled to her ed "I just couldn’t stop coughing"

The cloth was stained with blood Sara kneas happening; she’d seen it before, the effects of years of dust in the lungs Onein it

"We have to get you out of here"

She pulled the woman to her feet just as the whistle blew One hand wrapped around Jackie’s waist, Sara steered her toward the exit Her goal was to get outside before anyone noticed; ould happen after that, Sara had no idea Vale was the col in charge Not the best, but not the worst, either More than once, Sara had caught hi her in a way thatpersonal, though he had never acted on it Perhaps noould be the tiht, yet she knew she was capable of it She would do what she had to

They had nearly reached the exit when a figure stepped into their path "Where do you think you’re going?"

Not Vale: Sod Backlit by the open door, he loomed before them Sara’s stomach dropped

"She just needs soht, old wo you?" With the butt of his stick he tapped the woh "Get back to work"

"It’s all right, Sara," Jackie wheezed, freeing herself from Sara’s arm "I’ll be fine"

"Jackie-"

"I , Don’t "She’s just a busybody, that’s all Thinking she knohat’s best for th of Sara’s body "Yeah, I heard that about you Think you’re some kind of doctor, do you?"

"I never said that"

"Sure you didn’t" With his free hand Sod cupped his crotch, rocking his hps forward "Hey, Doctor, I’ve got a pain right here What do you say you get a closer look at it?"

The ht of Eustace, in the truck The blood on his face, his shattered hands and teeth His broken s before Sod, she willed herself to say the words, to utter the curse that would unleash him upon her It was all so si in her er in Sod’s eyes, and then the crash of the stick These were the terms of her life, a thousand hu from her To accept the worst-no, to embrace it-that was the only resistance

"Sara, please" Jackie was staring at her Not like this Not forat her

"Okay," she said

She turned and walked away The space around her had grown strangely quiet All she could hear was her heart