fruit filling。 The game came to a halt。 Jeb called halftime； and everyone hurried over to eat breakfast。
The goods were divvied up at the center line。 It was a mob scene at first。
“Here you go； Wanda；” Jamie said； ducking out of the group。 He had his hands full of the bars； and
water bottles tucked under his arms。
“Thanks。 Having fun？”
“Yeah！ Wish you could play。”
“Next time；” I said。
“Here you go…” Ian was there； his hands full of granola bars。
“Beat ya；” Jamie told him。
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。
Ian and Jared exchanged a long glance。
“Where’s all the food？” Kyle demanded。 He stood over an empty box； his head swiveling around the
room； looking for the culprit。
“Catch；” Jared said； tossing granola bars one by one； hard； like knives。
Kyle plucked them out of the air with ease； then jogged over to see if Jared was holding out on him。
“Here；” Ian said； shoving half of his haul toward his brother without looking at him。 “Now go。”
Kyle ignored him。 For the first time today； he looked at me； staring down at me where I sat。 His irises
were black with the light behind him。 I couldn’t read his expression。
I recoiled； and caught my breath when my ribs protested。
Jared and Ian closed ranks in front of me like stage curtains。
“You heard him；” Jared said。
“Can I say something first？” Kyle asked。 He peered down through the space between them。
They didn’t respond。
“I’m not sorry；” Kyle told me。 “I still think it was the right thing to do。”
Ian shoved his brother。 Kyle reeled back but then stepped forward again。
“Hold on； I’m not done。”
“Yeah； you are；” Jared said。 His hands were clenched； the skin over his knuckles white。
Everyone had noticed now。 The room was hushed； all the fun of the game lost。
“No； I’m not。” Kyle held his hands up； a gesture of surrender； and spoke to me again。 “I don’t think I
was wrong； but you did save my life。 I don’t know why； but you did。 So I figure； a life for a life。 I won’t
kill you。 I’ll pay the debt that way。”
“You stupid jackass；” Ian said。
“Who’s got the crush on a worm； bro？ You gonna callme stupid？”
Ian lifted his fists； leaning forward。
“I’ll tell you why；” I said； making my voice louder than I wanted to。 But it had the effect I was after。 Ian
and Jared and Kyle turned to stare at me； fight forgotten for the moment。
It made me nervous。 I cleared my throat。 “I didn’t let you fall because… because I’m notlike you。 I’m
not saying that I’m not… like humans。 Because there are others here who would do the same。 There are
Kyle stared at me for a minute and then chuckled。 “Ouch；” he said； still laughing。 He turned away from
us then； his message given； and walked back to get some water。 “Life for a life；” he called over his
shoulder。
I wasn’t sure I believed him。 Not sure at all。 Humans were good liars。
CHAPTER 37
Wanted
There was a pattern to the wins。 If Jared and Kyle played together； they won。 If Jared played with Ian；
then that team would win。 It seemed to me that Jared could not be defeated； until I saw the brothers play
together。
At first it seemed to be a strained thing； for Ian at least； playing as teammates with Kyle。 But after a few
minutes of running in the dark； they fell into a familiar pattern—a pattern that had existed since long
before I’d e to this planet。
Kyle knew what Ian would do before Ian did it； and vice versa。 Without having to speak； they told each
other everything。 Even when Jared pulled all the best players to his side—Brandt； Andy； Wes； Aaron；
Lily； and Maggie as goalie—Kyle and Ian were victorious。
“Okay； okay；” Jeb said； catching Aaron’s goal attempt with one hand and tucking the ball under his arm。
“I think we all know the winners。 Now； I hate to be a party pooper； but there’s work waiting… and； to
be honest； I’m bushed。”
There were a few halfhearted protests and a few moans； but more laughter。 No one seemed too upset to
have the fun end。 From the way a few people sat down right where they were and put their heads
between their knees to breathe； it was clear Jeb wasn’t the only one who was tired out。
People began to drift out in twos and threes。 I scooted to one side of the corridor’s mouth； making room
for them to pass； probably on their way to the kitchen。 It had to be past time for lunch； though it was
hard to mark the hour in this black hole。 Through the gaps in the line of exiting humans； I watched Kyle
and Ian。
When the game was called； Kyle had raised his hand for a high five； but Ian had stalked past him without
acknowledging the gesture。 Then Kyle caught his brother’s shoulder and spun him around。 Ian knocked
Kyle’s hand away。 I tensed for a fight—and it seemed like one at first。 Kyle threw a punch toward Ian’s
stomach。 Ian dodged it easily； though； and I saw that there was no force behind it。 Kyle laughed and
used his superior reach to rub his fist into Ian’s scalp。 Ian smacked that hand away； but this time he
halfway smiled。
“Good game； bro；” I heard Kyle say。 “You’ve still got it。”
“You’re such an idiot； Kyle；” Ian answered。
“You got the brains； I got the looks。 Seems fair。”
Now he was really smiling； and Kyle was cussing and laughing at the same time。
It all looked very violent to me； my eyes narrowed； tight with the stress of watching。 But at the same
time； it brought to mind one of Melanie’s memories： three puppies rolling on the grass； yapping furiously
and baring their teeth as if their only desire was to rip out their brothers’ throats。
Yes； they’re playing；Melanie confirmed。The bonds of brotherhood go deep。
As they should。 This is right。 If Kyle really doesn’t kill us； this will be a good thing。
If；Melanie repeated morosely。
“Hungry？”
I looked up； and my heart stopped beating for a slightly painful moment。 It seemed that Jared was still a
believer。
I shook my head。 This gave me the moment I needed to be able to speak to him。 “I’m not sure why；
since I’ve done nothing besides sit here； but I’m just tired。”
He held out his hand。
Get a hold of yourself；Melanie warned me。He’s just being courteous。
You think I don’t know that？
I tried to keep my hand from shaking as I reached for his。
He pulled me carefully to my feet—to my foot； really。 I balanced there on my good leg； not sure how to
proceed。 He was confused； too。 He still held my hand； but there was a wide space between us。 I thought
of how ridiculous I would look hopping through the caves； and felt my neck get warm。 My fingers curled
around his； though I wasn’t really using him for support。
“Where to？”
“Ah…” I frowned。 “I don’t really know。 I suppose there’s still a mat by the ho—in the storage area。”
He frowned back； liking that idea no better than I did。
And then a strong arm was under my arms； supporting my weight。
“I’ll get her where she needs to go；” Ian said。
Jared’s face was careful； the way he looked at me when he didn’t want me to know what he was
thinking。 But he was looking at Ian now。
“We were just discussing where exactly that would be。 She’s tired。 Maybe the hospital… ？”
I shook my head at the same time Ian did。 After the past horrible days spent there； I didn’t think I could
bear the room I’d once misguidedly feared。 Especially Walter’s empty bed…
of sore spots。”
Jared still held my hand。 Did he realize how tightly he was gripping it？ The pressure was starting to get
unfortable； but he didn’t seem aware。 And I certainly wasn’t going to plain。
“Why don’t you get lunch？” Jared suggested to Ian。 “You look hungry。 I’ll take her wherever you had
planned… ？”
Ian chuckled； a low； dark sound。 “I’m fine。 And honestly； Jared； Wanda needs a bit more help than a
hand。 I don’t know if you’re… fortable enough with the situation to give her that。 You see —”
Ian paused to lean down and pull me quickly up into his arms。 I gasped as the movement tugged at my
side。 Jared didn’t free my hand。 My fingertips were turning red。
“—she’s actually had enough exercise for one day； I think。 You go on ahead to the kitchen。”
They stared at each other while my fingertips turned purple。
“I can carry her；” Jared finally said in a low voice。
“Can you？” Ian challenged。 He held me out； away from his body。
An offer。
Jared stared at my face for a long minute。 Then he sighed and dropped my hand。
Ow； that hurts！Melanie plained。 She was referring to the sudden lance of pain that shot through my
chest； not the return of blood to my fingers。
Sorry。 What do you want me to do about it？
He’s not yours。
Yes。 I know that。
Ow。
Sorry。
“I think I’ll tag along；” Jared said as Ian； with a tiny； triumphant smile hovering around the edges of his
mouth； turned and headed toward the exit。 “There’s something I want to discuss with you。”
“Suit yourself。”
Jared didn’t discuss anything at all as we walked through the dark tunnel。 He was so quiet； I wasn’t sure
he was still there。 But when we broke out into the light of the cornfield again； he was right beside us。
He didn’t speak until we were through the big plaza—until there was no one around but the three of us。
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。
Ian snorted。 “He prides himself on being a man of his word。 Usually； I would trust a promise from him。
In this situation… I’m not letting her out of my sight。”
“Good。”
“It will be fine； Ian；” I said。 “I’m not afraid。”
“You don’t have to be。 I promise—no one is ever going to do something like this to you again。 Youwill
be safe here。”
It was hard to look away from his eyes when they blazed like that。 Hard to doubt anything he said。
“Yes；” Jared agreed。 “You will。”
He was walking just behind Ian’s shoulder。 I couldn’t see his expression。
“Thanks；” I whispered。
No one spoke again until Ian paused at the red and gray doors that leaned over the entrance to his cave。
“Would you mind getting that？” Ian said to Jared； nodding toward the doors。
Jared didn’t move。 Ian turned around so we could both see him； his face was careful again。
“Yourroom？ This is your better place？” Jared’s voice was full of skepticism。
“It’s her room now。”
I bit my lip。 I wanted to tell Ian that of course this wasn’t my room； but I didn’t get a chance before
Jared began questioning him。
“Where’s Kyle staying？”
“With Wes； for now。”
“And you？”
“I’m not exactly sure。”
They stared at each other with appraising eyes。
“Ian； this is —” I started to say。
“Oh；” he interrupted； as if just remembering me… as if my weight was so insignificant that he’d forgotten
I was here。 “You’re exhausted； aren’t you？ Jared； could you get the door； please？”
Wordlessly； Jared wrenched the red door back with a bit too much force and shoved it on top of the
gray one。
Ian set me carefully down on the right mattress； arranging my leg and straightening the pillow under my
he