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I went quietly to the door to the ht open

Then I heard Mario’s voice say, "Stop! No!"

But it was too late

I saas inside

Now he’s packing things I can hear hi all around, opening drawers A little while ago he was back here in the bunk area, taking clothes out of a drawer

He would have let us stay for a few more days, I just know it

He would have let us stay until Max could walk again

But I had to go looking in the machine room And I saw her body there

All wrapped up like a mummy

His wife It had to be

The shape of a body is the shape of a body You cannot pretend you didn’t see it or that you do not recognize it for what it is Even if you really, really want to

Mario scurried over and shut the door

"Nosy, nosy, nosy!" he whispered "You had to go poking around!"

"What’s going on?" ca?" said Sahalia

"Nothing," I said softly "I just opened the wrong door Everyone go back to sleep"

They were quiet after a estured for

Then he whispered, "I built this place for us to share,to stay here without her She couldn’t make me promise and I won’t do it!"

I tried to talk to him, to make him understand that I wouldn’t tell about … Judy

But he just pointed towardI saw he’d laid out all this stuff for us to take with us A set of clothes for each kid Three new backpacks that were loaded ater and these protein shakes you can drink with a built-in straw so Max and Niko can even drink them on the road

And he’d cleaned our boots andus leave

Niko took the news very well

He just nodded and said, "You gave us more than you said you would and we’re thankful"

While we all got ready, I saw Niko hand Mario a letter I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I bet the letter is for Josie I don’t kno Niko thinks that Mario would come across Josie Chances are better that she’d find us on the road But, I guess it can’t hurt to be prepared

After Mario showed Niko all the stuff he was giving us, Niko thanked hiain

"Do you have any rope?" Niko asked hiure out a way to rig up a carrier of soht I could tie hiot quiet

"Well, I was thinking … maybe Max should stay here with me"

It took us a roup recoil, like he’d puked or so

Ulysses cried out and Batiste shrieked no and Sahalia started yelling her head off

"I know you don’t want to leave him" Mario tried to speak over the loud protests but it was no good "SIMMER DOWN!" he shouted "I know you all don’t like the idea, but maybe Max would like to stay Why don’t we ask him?"

From the back, Max shouted weakly, "Not a chance in hell"

So Mario Scietto finally caroup you could divide

We walked

It was better than before For one thing, the road was pretty flat and straight Also, ere rested, well fed, and had new clothes Old boots but new clothes

Mario had told Niko which houses in the developood stroller, too A jogging stroller If Max felt e like a baby, he didn’t e Denver Broncos rain poncho Mario had given us

We alking on a road called Gun Club Road, which seemed sort of ominous, but the area there is flat and blah Just s or rest stops

Of course, there still were cars on and around the highway and cars were scary So in them, so we had to approach each one carefully Butwas quiet It was deserted

Gun Club Road runs fairly close to 470, so e’d get close to the highould see soe, but that was fine

We walked and walked and walked At first, I had thoughts in e of my feet on the road was so rhyth

All there as one foot in front of the other

We ht die But it see

After many hours, Ulysses asked Niko to tell a Mrs Wooly story

"I can’t," Niko said

"Why not?" Max asked

"Ita little from our pace "You think she’s dead"

"No!" Ulysses protested "Mrs Wooly?"

"Please, Niko, please? I’m so tired," Max coetting pushed in a stroller!"

"Aargh Okay, everyone, be quiet!" Niko said His voice sounded cold coh the trans to come down this road we’re on," he said

"What will she be driving?" Max asked

"A van"

"What kind of van?"

"Oha … a Kia Sportvan"

"Red?" asked Max "With a sunroof?"

"Red, with a sunroof And she’ll say, ‘I was just going to get you at Mr Scietto’s house I kneas taking care of you there while I got this van’"

"How’d she get the van, anyway?" Max asked

"Well, that’s the reason she’s taken so long"