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“There was nothing you could have done, Sa that look on his friend’s face, knowing that gray, haggard look of guilt “It’s the FAYZ, man It’s just the FAYZ”

TWO

106 HOURS, 16 MINUTES

THE ROOF WAS on crooked The blistering bright sun stabbed a ray straight down into Caine’s eye through the gap between cru roof

Caine lay on his back, sweating into a pillow that had no case A dank sheet wrapped around his bare legs, twisted to cover half his naked torso He ake again, or at least he thought he was, believed he was

Hoped he was

It wasn’t his bed It belonged to an old roundskeeper for Coates Academy

Of course Mose was gone Gone with all the other adults And all the older kids Everyone…ale of fourteen Gone

Gone where?

No one knew

Just gone Beyond the barrier Out of the giant fishbowl called the FAYZ Maybe dead Maybe not But definitely gone

Diana opened the door with a kick She was carrying a tray and balanced on the tray was a bottle of water and a can of Goya brand garbanzo beans

“Are you decent?” Diana asked

He didn’t answer He didn’t understand the question

“Are you covered?” she asked, putting some irritation into her tone She set the tray on the side table