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Confessions

"What?" David said

"Your taking the pills won’t prove anything, Tally," Maddy said "You don’t have the lesions"

"But I will have theht, and Dr Cable will give et ot your subject"

The three of them stood there in silence The words had poured out of Tally of their own accord She could hardly believe she’d uttered them

"Tally" David shook his head "That’s crazy"

"It’s not crazy You need a willing subject Soreesbefore they become pretty that they want to be cured, experimental or not It’s the only way"

"You can’t give yourself up!" David cried

Tally turned toward Maddy "You said you’re ninety-nine percent sure these pills ork, right?"

"Yes But the one percent could leave you a vegetable, Tally"

"One percent? Co into Special Circumstances, that’s a breeze"

"Tally, stop it" David took her shoulders "It’s too dangerous"

"Dangerous? David, you can get across into New Pretty Town no problerab me out of my mansion and stick me on a board I’ll come with you, just like Shay did Then you cure e your memory? Like they did my father’s?"

"They won’t," Maddy said

David stared at his mother in surprise

"They didn’t bother with Shay She remembers the Smoke just fine Az and I were the only ones they orried about Because we’d been focused on the brain lesions for half our lives, they figured we’d never shut up about them, even as pretties"

"Mo anywhere"

"And besides," Maddy continued, "Dr Cable wouldn’t do anything to hurt Tally"

"Stop talking like this is going to happen!"

Tally looked into Maddy’s eyes The woman nodded She knew

"David," Tally said "I have to do this"

"Why?"

"Because of Shay It’s the only way that Maddy will cure her Right?"

Maddy nodded

"You don’t have to save Shay," David said slowly and evenly "You’ve done enough for her You followed her to the Smoke, rescued her from Special Circumstances!"

"Yeah, I’ve done a lot for her" Tally took a breath "I’m the reason she’s like this, pretty and brainless"

David shook his head "What are you talking about?"