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I start to scream, but a hand claps over h to cover the lower half of , and I bite down on one of the fingers

"Ow!" a rough voice cries

"Shut up and keep her e male’s and clearer Peter

A strip of dark cloth covers my eyes, and a new pair of hands ties it at the back of le to breathe There are at least two hands onmy screams in Three people My chest hurts I can’t resist three people on s for mercy," Peter says with a chuckle "Hurry up"

I try to focus on the hand ondistinct about it that will make him easier to identify His identity is a probleht now, or I will panic

The palh e The saht drops into ainst rocks We are near the chasiven the voluether to keep fro If we are above the chasm, I knohat they intend to do to rates againstthat no one can hear me here

I will survive until tomorroill

The hands pushhard and cold Judging by its width and curvature, it is a , the one that overlooks the chasm My breaths wheeze and mist touches the back ofMy feet leave the ground, andinto the water

A heavy hand gropes along my chest "You sure you’re sixteen, Stiff? Doesn’t feel like you’re h

Bile rises in my throat and I s the bitter taste

"Wait, I think I found soue to keep frohter

Al’s hand slips fronize his low, distinct voice

When Al lets go of round This time, I bite down as hard as I can on the first ar blood Sohthrough me like acid

The boy wrenches his trapped arainst stone and bring my hands up to my head to re the air froh and claw at the back of rabs a handful ofhard A scream of pain bursts fro the side ofthe blindfold with it, and blink The scene beforetoward us and so next to me and haul myself to my feet

Peter wraps a hand around ed under my chin His hair, which is usually shiny and smooth, is tousled and sticks to his forehead His pale face is contorted and his teeth are gritted, and he holds es of reen and pink and blue He says nothing I try to kick his scream for air

I hear a shout, and he releases , andI hook roan Mist touches my ankles The world dips and sways aroundI hear thumps Kicks Groans

I blink a few times and focus as hard as I can on the only face I can see It is contorted with anger His eyes are dark blue

"Four," I croak

I close ht where they join with the shoulder He pullsan arm under my knees I press my face into his shoulder, and there is a sudden, hollow silence

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

I OPEN MY eyes to the words "Fear God Alone" painted on a plain white wall I hear the sound of running water again, but this tio by before I see definite edges in s, the lines of door fra

The pain is a constant throb in my head and cheek and ribs I shouldn’tworse I see a blue patchwork quilt under my head and wince as I tiltfrom

Four stands in the bathroom with his hands in the sink Blood from his knuckles turns the sink water pink He has a cut at the corner of his mouth, but he seems otherwise unharmed His expression is placid as he examines his cuts, turns off the water, and dries his hands with a towel

I have only one e: black ink curling around the side of a neck, the corner of a tattoo, and the gentle sway that could only ht and gets an ice pack froerator in the corner of the rooto be asleep, but then our eyes meet and it’s too late

"Your hands," I croak

"My hands are none of your concern," he replies He rests his knee on thethe ice pack under my head Before he pulls away, I reach out to touch the cut on the side of his lip but stop when I realize what I a

What do you have to lose? I ask htly to his ers, "I’back from the control room I heard a scream"

"What did you do to theo," he says "Peter and Al ran Drew clai to scare you At least, I think that’s what he was trying to say"

"He’s in bad shape?"

"He’ll live," he replies He adds bitterly, "In what condition, I can’t say"

It isn’t right to wish pain on other people just because they hurt ht of Drew in the infirmary, and I squeeze Four’s arer builds inside, but I a instead

Four crouches by the side of the bed, and watches me I see no sympathy in his eyes I would have been disappointed if I had He pulls his wrist free and, to my surprise, rests his hand on the side of ers are careful