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The days that followed—perhaps a week of them； it was impossible to keep track—were very quiet。
Jared was like a silent wall between me and everything else in the world； good or bad。 There was no
sound but that of my own breathing； my own movements； there were no sights but the black cave around
me； the circle of dull light； the familiar tray with the same rations； the brief； stolen glimpses of Jared； there
were no touches but the pitted rocks against my skin； there were no tastes but the bitter water； the hard
bread； the bland soup； the woody roots； over and over again。
It was a very strange bination： constant terror； persistent aching physical disfort； and
excruciating monotony。 Of the three； the killer boredom was the hardest to take。 My prison was a
sensory…deprivation chamber。
Together； Melanie and I worried that we were going to go mad。
We both hear a voice in our head；she pointed out。That’s never a good sign。
We’re going to forget how to speak；I worried。How long has it been since anyone talked to us？
Four days ago you thanked Jeb for bringing us food； and he said you were wele。 Well； I think
it was four days ago。 Four long sleeps ago； at least。She seemed to sigh。Stop chewing your nails—it
took me years to break that habit。
But the long； scratchy nails bothered me。I don’t really think we need to worry about bad habits in
the long term。
Jared didn’t let Jeb bring food again。 Instead； someone brought it to the end of the hall and Jared
retrieved it。 I got the same thing—bread； soup； and vegetables—twice every day。 Sometimes there were
extra things for Jared； packaged foods with brand names I recognized—Red Vines； Snickers；
Pop…Tarts。 I tried to imagine how the humans had gotten their hands on these delicacies。
I didn’t expect him to share—of course not—but I wondered sometimes if he thought I was hoping he
would。 One of my few entertainments was hearing him eat his treats； because he always did so
ostentatiously； perhaps rubbing it in the way he had with the pillow that first night。
Once； Jared slowly ripped open a bag of Cheetos—showy about it as usual—and the rich smell of fake
powdered cheese rolled through my cave… delicious； irresistible。 He ate one slowly； letting me hear each
distinct crunch。
My stomach growled loudly； and I laughed at myself。 I hadn’t laughed in so long； I tried to remember the
last time and couldn’t—just that strange bout of macabre hysteria in the desert； which really didn’t count
But this seemed hilarious to me for some reason—my stomach yearning after that one small
Cheeto—and I laughed again。 A sign of madness； surely。
I didn’t know how my reaction offended him； but he got up and disappeared。 After a long moment； I
could hear him eating the Cheetos again； but from farther away。 I peeked out of the hole to see that he
was sitting in the shadows at the end of the corridor； his back to me。 I pulled my head inside； afraid he
might turn and catch me watching。 From then on； he stayed down at that end of the hall as much as
possible。 Only at night did he stretch out in front of my prison。
Twice a day—or rather twice a night； as he never took me when the others were about—I got to walk
to the room with the rivers； it was a highlight； despite the terror； as it was the only time I was not hunched
into the unnatural shapes my small cave forced on me。 Each time I had to crawl back inside was harder
than the last。
Three times that week； always during the sleeping hours； someone came to check on us。
The first time it was Kyle。
Jared’s sudden lunge to his feet woke me。 “Get out of here；” he warned； holding the gun ready。
“Just checking；” Kyle said。 His voice was far away but loud and rough enough that I was sure it was not
his brother。 “Someday you might not be here。 Someday you might sleep too soundly。”
Jared’s only answer was to cock the gun。
I heard Kyle’s laughter trailing behind him as he left。
The other two times I didn’t know who it was。 Kyle again； or maybe Ian； or maybe someone whose
name I hadn’t learned。 All I knew was that twice more I was woken by Jared jumping to his feet with the
gun pointed at the intruder。 No more words were spoken。 Whoever wasjust checking didn’t bother to
make conversation。 When they were gone； Jared went back to sleep quickly。 It took me longer to quiet
my heart。
The fourth time was something new。
I was not quite asleep when Jared started awake； rolling to his knees in a swift movement。 He came up
with the gun in his hands and a curse on his lips。
“Easy；” a voice murmured from the distance。 “I e in peace。”
“Whatever you’re selling； I’m not buying；” Jared growled。
“I just want to talk。” The voice came closer。 “You’re buried down here； missing the important
discussions。… We miss your take on things。”
“I’m sure；” Jared said sarcastically。
“Oh； put the gun down。 If I was planning to fight you； I would have e with four guys this time。”
My neck ached； seeming to prehend that the hands that had crushed and bruised it were very close
by。
“He’s still fuming about his nose；” Ian said。 “Oh； well—it’s not the first time it’s been broken。 I’ll tell him
you said you were sorry。”
“I’m not。”
“I know。 No one is ever sorry for hitting Kyle。”
They laughed quietly together； there was a sense of camaraderie in their amusement that seemed wildly
out of place while Jared held a gun loosely pointed in Ian’s direction。 But then； the bonds that were
forged in this desperate place must have been very strong。 Thicker than blood。
Ian sat down on the mat next to Jared。 I could see his profile in silhouette； a black shape against the blue
light。 I noticed that his nose was perfect—straight； aquiline； the kind of nose that I’d seen in pictures of
famous sculptures。 Did that mean that others found him more bearable than the brother whose nose was
often broken？ Or that he was better at ducking？
“So what do you want； Ian？ Not just an apology for Kyle； I imagine。”
“Did Jeb tell you？”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about。”
“They’ve given up the search。 Even the Seekers。”
Jared didn’t ment； but I could feel the sudden tension in the air around him。
“We’ve been keeping a close watch for some change； but they never seemed overly anxious。 The search
never strayed from the area where we abandoned the car； and for the past few days they were clearly
looking for a body rather than a survivor。 Then two nights ago we caught a lucky break—the search
party left some trash in the open； and a pack of coyotes raided their base camp。 One ofthem was
ing back late and surprised the animals。 The coyotes attacked and dragged the Seeker a good
hundred yards into the desert before the rest of them heard its screams and came to the rescue。 The
other Seekers were armed； of course。 They scared the coyotes off easily； and the victim wasn’t seriously
hurt； but the event seems to have answered any questions they might have had about what happened to
our guest here。”
I wondere