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It made her sick

“Okay, guys, we have thirty-two pieces,” Quinn said “How do you want to do this?”

Francis glanced at Mary, but she could not respond It was as if she were frozen in place

“Everyone starts with half a piece,” Francis decided Then he warned, “And anyone who gets grabby gets nothing”

“Mary, there’s enough for you and your workers to have some, too,” Quinn said

Mary nodded She couldn’t Not for herself For the others, yes Of course

“You okay?” Quinn asked her

Mary gritted her teeth and forced a shaky s this The children haven’t had…they need the protein…they…”

“Okay,” Quinn said, obviously nonplussed

“Save soed Francis “We’ll purée it in the blender”

The sounds of gobbling filled the room Many of these kids probably hated fish Back in the old days Even teeks ago they would have turned up their noses But now? No one would turn away protein They felt the need way down inside Their bodies were ordering them to eat

But Mary’s body was ordering her not to

It would be a sin, she told herself A sin to consume the fish only to vomit it back up later She couldn’t do that to the littles

Mary knew there was so She was surrounded by hunger that kids couldn’t avoid, and she alone was the cause of her own hunger A warning sounded, but distant, barely audible Like so to her from two blocks away

“Coed “It’s a”