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“So we buried her when she was still alive?”
“You’re not thinking straight, man. It’s been more than a month. Nothing stays alive that’s in the dirt for that long.”
The two of them stood side by side, staring down into the hole. The too-narrow, too-deep hole.
“She had that thing on her,” Edilio said. “We couldn’t get it off her. We figured she’s dead, so what’s it matter, right?”
“That thing,” Sam said dully. “We never figured out what it was.”
“Sam, we both know what it was.”
Sam hung his head. “We have to keep this quiet, Edilio. If we put this out there, the whole town will go nuts. People have enough to deal with.”
Edilio looked distinctly uncomfortable. “Sam, this isn’t the old days. We have a town council now. They’re supposed to know whatever’s going on.”
“If they know, everyone will know,” Sam said.
Edilio said nothing. He knew it was true.
“You know that girl Orsay?” Sam asked.
“Of course I know her,” Edilio said. “We almost got killed together.”
“Do me a favor and kind of keep an eye on her.”
“What’s up with Orsay?”
Sam shrugged. “She thinks she’s some kind of prophet, I guess.”
“A prophet? You mean like those old dudes in the Bible?”
“She’s acting like she can contact people on the other side. Parents and all.”
“Is it true?” Edilio asked.
“I don’t know, man. I doubt it. I mean, no way, right?”
“Probably should ask Astrid. She knows this kind of stuff.”
“Yeah, well, I’d rather wait on that.”
“Hey, hold up, Sam. Are you asking me to not tell her about that, either? You got me hiding two big things from the council?”
“It’s for their own good,” Sam said. “And for everyone’s good.” He took Edilio’s arm and drew him close. In a low voice he said, “Edilio, what kind of experience do Astrid and Albert really have? And John? Not to mention Howard, who we both know is just a jerk. You and me, we’ve been through every fight there’s been since the FAYZ came. I love Astrid, but she’s so into her ideas about how we have to get everything organized that she’s not letting me do what I need to do.”
“Yeah, well, we kind of do need some rules and stuff.”
“Of course we do,” Sam agreed. “We do. But in the meantime, Zil is kicking freaks out of their homes, and someone or something just dug its way up out of the ground. I need to be able to deal with stuff without everyone looking over my shoulder all the time.”
“Man, it isn’t cool to lay this on me,” Edilio said. Sam did not respond. It would be lousy to pressure Edilio any further. Edilio was right: it was wrong to ask this of him.
“I know that,” Sam said. “It’s just…look, it’s temporary. Until the council gets its act together and comes out with all its rules, someone still has to keep things from falling apart. Right?”
Finally Edilio sighed. “Right. Okay, I’ll get us a couple shovels. Fill this in quick before people start coming out.”
Jill was too old for the day care. Sam had known that. But he had dumped her in Mary’s lap, anyway.
Great. Just what Mary needed: one more kid to look after.
