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It leftme

Raize lifted the radio, pressing the button “Where are you guys?”

“On the road, looking for that guy”

“Swing by, pick us up”

“Roger”

“We’ll be on the driveway”

When the truck appeared, Raize and I both hopped into the back

As we drove up to the house, I saw the trucks had been abandoned There were bodies splayed out over the grass They’d been running for cover

I watched Raize

I couldn’t not watch Raize

He did all of that

I stayed on the back of the truck, holding Gus, as almost in my lap, and I did what Raize always did to me I continued to watch him

I watched as Cavers went to get a large roll of plastic He kicked to spread it out, and one by one, they dragged the bodies over They cut the plastic, rolled them up, and put them in the back of one of the trucks When that was done, Jake drove the other trucks away, one by one Cavers followed and brought him back each time After three trips, there was one truck left—the one with the bodies

Raize had walked through the entire house by now, going rooht so—Jake’s bag, Cavers’ coat, Cavers’ cooking knives, my book

Cavers and Jake left again, this ti the bodies with them

Gus wouldn’t stop licking my arm

Looking doondering about a stinging I was feeling—there was blood trickling down my arm

I’d been shot

When had that happened?

No

By the tiular car, the smoke had started

Raize walked out of the house The s out of the s

He’d set the house on fire

Thatlike that?

Seeht leave behind

Cavers was the one who noticed my arm, and he shouted to Raize, who came over

They gathered around, and Cavers proddedHis voice was muffled, like I was underwater I almost preferred it this way

I no longer wanted to know anything

I no longer wanted to hear anything

I was so tired I felt like I could sleep for months, but I knew I’d never be rested Not now