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"Me? How could he have left them for me?"

"For whoever came back So they would knohat happened here"

He sat quietly, uncertain what to say Alicia had been right about one thing: all his life, since the day he had come out of the Sanctuary, he had wondered why the world hat it was But learning the truth had solved nothing

Amy’s stuffed rabbit was still on the table; he took it in his hand "Do you think she remembers it?"

"What they did to her? I do not know Perhaps she does"

"No, Ihuman"

"I think that she has always been human"

He waited for Lacey to say more, and when she didn’t, he put the rabbit aside

"What’s it like, living forever?"

She gave a sudden laugh "I do not think that I will live forever"

"But he gave you the virus You’re like her Like Aed "But if you are asking what it has been like for me all these years, since Jonas died, I will say that it has been very lonely It surprises me how retted saying this; a look of sadness swept over her face, like the shadow of a bird crossing a field

"I’m sorry, I didn’t ht that you should ask It is difficult to talk about hi But the answer is yes I doto be missed, the way that I low of the fire Peter wondered if Alicia was thinking about him, where she was now He had no idea if he would see her, or any of the, Lacey," he said finally "I don’t knohat to do with any of this"

"You found your way here That is so"

"What about Amy?"

"What about her, Peter?"

But he wasn’t sure what he was asking The question hat it was: What of Aaze away, toward the room where Aht"

"That you could defeat them? That you would find the answer here?"

"Yes" He returned his eyes to Lacey "I didn’t even knoas thinking it, until just now But yes"

Lacey appeared to be studying hi for, Peter couldn’t say He wondered if he was as crazy as he sounded Probably he was

"Tell me, Peter Do you know the story of Noah? Not Project NOAH Noah thehe knew "I don’t think so"

"It is an old story A true story I think it will be some help to you" Lacey rose a little in her chair, her face suddenly animated "So A reat ship This was long ago Why would I build a ship, Noah asked It is a sunny day, I have other things to do Because this world has groicked, God said to him, and it is my intention to send a flood of water to destroy it, and drown every living thing But you, Noah, are a eneration, and I will save you and your fa this ship to carry yourselves and every species of animal, two of every kind And do you knohat Noah did, Peter?"

"He built the ship?"

Her eyes widened "Of course he did! But not right away That, you see, is the interesting part of the story If Noah had si at all No He was afraid that people would make fun of him He was afraid he would build the ship and the flood wouldn’t co him, you see, to find out if there was anyone whoHe wanted to see if Noah was up to the job And in the end, he was He built the ship, and the heavens opened, and the world ashed away For a long time, Noah and his faotten, that a terrible joke had been played on them But after many days, God remembered Noah, and sent him a dove to lead theave her hands a quiet clap of satisfaction "There You see?"

He didn’t, not at all It reminded him of the fables Teacher had read to the animals that always ended in a lesson Pleasant to listen to, andfor children

"You do not believe ht One day you will"

"It’s not that I don’t believe you," Peter ed "I’m sorry It’s just thatit’s only a story"

"Perhaps" She shrugged "And perhaps someday someone will say those very words about you, Peter What do you say to that?"

He didn’t know It was late, or early; the night was alone Despite all he had learned, he felt un

"So, for the sake of argument," he said, "if I’m supposed to be Noah, then who’s Amy?"

Lacey’s face was incredulous She seeh "Peter, I aht"

"No, you told it fine," he assured her "I just don’t know"