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Where the hell is Henry? Pandy thought angrily as Judy pushed through the paparazzi that were circled around SondraBeth like pagan priests around a sacrificial lamb

She was standing on a patch of grass near as left of the structure: a few charred pieces of wood scattered around a large rectangular patch ofearlier was now covering her body like a shroud She jerked her arm back to take Pandy’s hand

Pandy looked around at the camera lenses aimed in her direction like faceless black eyes and decided she’d better go along with the charade She tore her eyes away from the cameras and looked at SondraBeth instead

SondraBeth was staring at her with those shining green-gold eyes And suddenly, Pandy realized this was going to be just like that tiht SondraBeth in theto do what she needed to do, and she was going to act like nobody else was there

SondraBeth dipped her head She pulled Pandy forward a step or two into theunder her breath, she said, “Your sisterto me, Hellenor The two of us used to be best friends The best friends two girls could ever be” She paused and looked Pandy straight in the eye “And now I’ we can be friends, too”

Pandy stared back Was it possible SondraBeth honestly didn’t know she was Pandy? Pandy decided to try to give SondraBeth a e back:

“I think that can be arranged,” she said, with a ful nod

SondraBeth gave Pandy’s hand a quick squeeze before she dropped it and strode, silent and alone, through the le where the boathouse had been She raised her arms, and suddenly, the flashes stopped The crowd held their collective breath, as if wondering what she ht do next

Into the silence came the lone caw of a crow

SondraBeth lay down on her back She extended her ars Then she rolled forward onto her knees, and with her head bowed, slowly stood up She turned around and began walking back toward the driveway As she walked, she peeled the fabric fro the muddy material in her hands

Reaching the grass, she stopped for a moment to allow her people to catch up with her

“Did you know she was going to do that?” Pandy heard someone whisper as they hurried toward SondraBeth

“No,” someone else whispered back

SondraBeth turned her head and looked back at Pa

ndy And then, as ifa sudden decision, she walked toward her