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looking for me。 I’ll just hang out here for a while。”
“You can’t sleep here。”
“I have before。”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
“I’ll go get mats and pillows； at least。”
“I don’t need more than one。”
“I’m not staying with Jared while he’s being such a jerk。”
I groaned internally。 “Then you stay with Jeb and his snores。 You belong with them； not with me。”
“I belong wherever I want to be。”
The threat of Kyle finding me here was heavy on my mind。 But that argument would only make Jamie
feel responsible for protecting me。
“Fine； but you have to get Jeb’s permission。”
“Later。 I’m not going to bug Jeb tonight。”
“What is Jeb doing？”
Jamie didn’t answer。 It was only at that point I realized he had deliberately not answered my question
the first time。 There was something he didn’t want to tell me。 Maybe the others were busy trying to find
me； too。 Maybe Jared’s homeing had returned them to their original opinion about me。 It had
seemed that way in the kitchen； when they’d hung their heads and eyed me with furtive guilt。
“What’s going on； Jamie？” I pressed。
“I’m not supposed to tell you；” he muttered。 “And I’m not going to。” His arms wrapped tightly around
my waist； and his face pressed against my shoulder。 “Everything is going to be all right；” he promised me；
his voice thick。
I patted his back and ran my fingers through his tangled mane。 “Okay；” I said； agreeing to accept his
silence。 After all； I had my secrets； too； didn’t I？ “Don’t be upset； Jamie。 Whatever it is； it will all work
out for the best。 You’re going to be fine。” As I said the words； I willed them to be true。
“I don’t know what to hope for；” he whispered。
As I stared into the dark at nothing in particular； trying to understand what he wouldn’t say； a faint glow
caught my eye at the far end of the hallway—dim but conspicuous in the black cave。
“Shhh；” I breathed。 “Someone is ing。 Quick； hide behind the boxes。”
Jamie’s head snapped up； toward the yellow light that was getting brighter by the second。 I listened for
the acpanying footsteps but heard nothing。
“I’m not going to hide；” he breathed。 “Get behind me； Wanda。”
“No！”
“Jamie！” Jared shouted。 “I know you’re back here！”
The yellow light sped up and turned into a circle on the far wall。
Jared stalked around the corner； the flashlight in his hand sweeping back and forth across the rock floor。
He was clean again； wearing a faded red shirt I recognized—it had hung in the room where I’d lived for
weeks and so was a familiar sight。 His face was also familiar—it wore exactly the same expression it had
since the first moment I’d shown up here。
The beam of the flashlight hit my face and blinded me； I knew the light reflected brilliantly off the silver
behind my eyes； because I felt Jamie jump—just a little start； and then he set himself more firmly than
before。
“Get away from it！” Jared roared。
“Shut up！” Jamie yelled back。 “You don’t know her！ Leave her alone！”
He clung to me while I tried to unlock his hands。
Jared came on like a charging bull。 He grabbed the back of Jamie’s shirt with one hand and yanked him
away from me。 He held on to his handful of fabric； shaking the boy while he yelled。
“You’re being an idiot！ Can’t you see how it’s using you？”
Instinctively； I shoved myself into the tight space between them。 As I’d intended； my advance made him
drop Jamie。 I didn’t want or need what else happened—the way his familiar smell assaulted my senses；
the way the contours of his chest felt under my hands。
“Leave Jamie alone；” I said； wishing for once that I could be more like Melanie wanted me to be—that
my hands could be hard now； that my voice could be strong。
He snatched my wrists in one hand and used this leverage to hurl me away from him； into the wall。 The
impact caught me by surprise； knocked the breath out of me。 I rebounded off the stone wall to the floor；
landing in the boxes again； making another crinkly crash as I shredded through more cellophane。
The pulse thudded in my head as I lay awkwardly bent over the boxes； and for a moment； I saw strange
lights pass in front of my eyes。
“Coward！” Jamie screamed at Jared。 “She wouldn’t hurt you to save her own life！ Why can’t you leave
her alone？”
I heard the boxes shifting and felt Jamie’s hands on my arm。 “Wanda？ Are you okay； Wanda？”
“Fine；” I huffed； ignoring the throbbing in my head。 I could see his anxious face hovering over me in the
glow of the flashlight； which Jared must have dropped。 “You should go now； Jamie；” I whispered。 “Run。”
Jamie shook his head fiercely。
I watched as Jared grabbed Jamie’s shoulders and yanked the boy up from his crouch。 The boxes this
displaced fell on me like a small avalanche。 I rolled away； covering my head with my arms。 A heavy one
caught me right between the shoulder blades； and I cried out in pain。
“Stop hurting her！” Jamie howled。
There was a sharp crack； and someone gasped。
I struggled to pull myself out from under the heavy carton； rising up on my elbows dizzily。
Jared had one hand over his nose； and something dark was oozing down over his lips。 His eyes were
wide with surprise。 Jamie stood in front of him with both hands clenched into fists； a furious scowl on his
face。
Jamie’s scowl melted slowly while Jared stared at him in shock。 Hurt took its place—hurt and a betrayal
so deep that it rivaled Jared’s expression in the kitchen。
“You aren’t the man I thought you were；” Jamie whispered。 He looked at Jared as though Jared were
very far away； as if there were a wall between them and Jamie was utterly isolated on his side。
Jamie’s eyes started to swim； and he turned his head； ashamed of showing weakness in front of Jared。
He walked away with quick； jerky movements。
We tried；Melanie thought sadly。 Her heart ached after the child； even as she longed for me to return my
eyes to the man。 I gave her what she wanted。
Jared wasn’t looking at me。 He was staring at the blackness into which Jamie had disappeared； his hand
still covering his nose。
“Aw；damn it！ ” he suddenly shouted。 “Jamie！ Get back here！”
There was no answer。
Jared threw one bleak glance in my direction—I cringed away； though his fury seemed to have
faded—then scooped up the flashlight and stomped after Jamie； kicking a box out of his way。
“I’m sorry； okay？ Don’t cry； kid！” He called out more angry apologies as he turned the corner and left
me lying in the darkness。
For a long moment； it was all I could do to breathe。 I concentrated on the air flowing in； then out； then
in。 After I felt I had that part mastered； I worked on getting up off the floor。 It took a few seconds to
remember how to move my legs； and even then they were shaky and threatened to collapse under me； so
I sat against the wall again； sliding over till I found my rice…filled pillow。 I slumped there and took stock of
my condition。
Nothing was broken—except maybe Jared�