It was rough fabric, like burlap, a sack full of...
It was rough fabric, like burlap, a sack full of something heavy that shifted with a quiet
hissing sound when I nudged itI kneaded the sack with my hands, less alarmed by the low hiss
than by the plastic crackle–it seemed unlikely that this sound would alert anyone to my
presence
Suddenly, it all came clearIt was the smell that did itAs I played with the sand-like material
inside the bag, I got an unexpected whiff of a familiar scentIt took me back to my bare kitchen
in San Diego, to the low cupboard on the left side of the sinkIn my head I could see so clearly
the bag of uncooked rice, the plastic measuring cup I used to dole it out, the rows of canned
food behind it…
Once I realized that I was touching a bag of rice, I understoodIwas in balenciaga twiggy the right place after all
Hadn't Jeb said they used this place for storage? And hadn't Jared just returned from a long raid?
Now everything the raiders had stolen in the weeks they'd been gone was dumped in this
out-of-the-way place until it could be used
Many thoughts ran through my head at once
First, I realized that I was surrounded by foodNot just rough bread and weak onion soup,
butfoodSomewhere in this stack, there could be peanut butterChocolate chip cookies
Even as I imagined finding these things, tasting them again, being full for the first time since I'd
left civilization, I felt guilty for thinking of itJared hadn't risked his life and spent weeks hiding
and stealing to feedmeThis food was for others
I also worried that perhaps louis vuitton neo this wasn't the entire haulWhat if they had more boxes to stow?
Would Jared and Kyle be the ones to bring them? It didn't take any imagination at all to picture
the scene that would result if they found me here
But wasn't that why I was here? Wasn't that exactly what I'd needed to be alone to think
about?
I slouched against the wallThe rice bag made a decent pillowI closed my eyes–unnecessary in
the inky darkness–and settled in for a consultationWhat now?
I was glad to find that she was still awake and alertOpposition brought out her strengthIt
was only when things were going well that she drifted away
Priorities,she decidedhat's most important to us? Staying alive? Or Jamie?
She knew the answeramie, I affirmed, sighing out loudThe sound of silver chanel my breath whispered
back from the black wallsWe could probably last awhile if we let Jeb and Ian protect usWill that help him?
MaybeWould he be more hurt if we just gave up? Or if we let this drag on, only to have it end
badly, which seems inevitable?
She didn't like thatI could feel her scrambling around, searching for alternatives
Try to escape?I suggested
Unlikely,she decidedesides, what would we do out there? What would we tell them?
We imagined it together–how would I explain my months of absence? I could lie, make up
some alternative story, or say I didn't rememberBut I thought of the Seeker's skeptical face, her
bulging eyes bright with suspicion, and knew my inept attempts at subterfuge would fail
They'd think I took over,Melanie cheap prada handbags agreedhen they'd take you out and put herin
I squirmed, as if a new position on the rock floor would take me further away from the idea,
and shudderedThen I followed the thought to its conclusionhe'd tell them about this place,
and the Seekers would come
The horror washed through us
Right,she whispered, emotion making her thought unstable
So the decision is… quick or slowWhich hurts him less?
It seemed that as long as I focused on practicalities I could keep at least my side of the
discussion numbly businesslikeMelanie tried to mimic my effortOn the one hand, logically, the longer the three of us are together, the harder
our… separation would be for himThen again, if we didn't fight, if we just gave up… he
wouldn't like thatHe'd feel betrayed white prada bag b