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Even Peter hadn’t knohat to believe, until six days ago

Now, standing on the catwalk in the fading light, Peter found hi his mother were still alive, as he often did, to talk about these things She’d taken sick just a season after their father’s final ride, the onset of her illness so gradual that Peter had at first failed to notice the raspy cough fro As a nurse, she had probably understood only too as happening, how the cancer that took so many had made its lethal home inside her, but had chosen to hide this infor as she could By the end notfor a single taste of breath A good death, everyone agreed, to die at home in bed as Prudence Jaxon had But Peter had been at her side through the final hours and kne terrible it had been for her, how ood death

The sun was folding into the horizon now, laying the last of its golden road across the valley below The sky had turned a deep blue-black, drinking up the darkness that was spilling from the east Peter felt the te; for astillness Thethe ladders now-Ian Patal and Ben Chou and Galen Strauss and Sunny Greenberg and all the rest, fifteen in su out to one another as they thu posts, Alicia barking orders fro A sh, the sound of Alicia’s voice; it was she who had stood by Peter through all the nights of waiting, leaving hi far, so that he’d know she was there And should Theo return, it would be Alicia ould ride down the Wall with Peter, to do what needed to be done

Peter drew in a deep breath of evening air and held it The stars, he kneould soon be out Auntie had spoken often of the stars, as his father had-spread out over the sky like glowing grains of sand, more stars than all the souls who had ever lived, their numbers impossible to count Whenever his father had spoken of thehts he’d seen, the light of the stars had been in his eyes

But Peter was not to see the stars tonight The bell coain, two hard peals, and Peter heard Soo Raate for Second Bell!" A deep, bone-shaking shudder below hied; with a shriek of metal, the doors, twenty an to slide from their walled pockets As he lifted his cross fro would find it unfired And then the lights ca of the Watch

Sun

Day 42: No sign

Day 43: 23:06: Single viral sighted at 200 n

Day 45: 02:00: Pod of 3 at FP 6 One target breaks off and atteet retreats No further contact

Day 46: No sign

Day 47: 01:15: Runner Kip Darrell reports movement at fireline NW between FP 9 and FP 10, unconfirn

Day 48: 21:40: Pod of 3 at FP 1, 200 agen

Day 50: 22:15: Pod of 6 at FP 7 Hunting same, no approach 23:05: Pod of 3 at FP 3 2 ement, 1 KO Kill at the nets made by Arlo Wilson, assist to Alicia Donadio, 2nd Capt Body disposal referred to HD Note to HD crew to repair split sea this period: 6 contacts, 1 unconfirmed, 1 KO No souls killed or taken

Respectfully submitted to the Household,