different angles。 I watched Jamie shoot up in a sudden growth spurt； always skin and bones。 My arms
ached for them both—no； the feeling was sharper than an ache； blade…edged and violent。 It was
intolerable。 I had to get out。
I drove almost blindly along the narrow two…lane freeway。 The desert was； if anything； more
monotonous and dead than before。 Flatter； more colorless。 I would make it to Tucson long before
dinnertime。 Dinner。 I hadn’t eaten yet today； and my stomach rumbled as I realized that。
The Seeker would be waiting for me there。 My stomach rolled then； hunger momentarily replaced with
nausea。 Automatically； my foot eased off the gas。
I checked the map on the passenger seat。 Soon I would reach a little pit stop at a place called Picacho
Peak。 Maybe I would stop to eat something there。 Put off seeing the Seeker a few precious moments。
As I thought of this unfamiliar name—Picacho Peak—there was a strange； stifled reaction from Melanie。
I couldn’t make it out。 Had she been here before？ I searched for a memory； a sight or a smell that
corresponded； but found nothing。 Picacho Peak。 Again； there was that spike of interest that Melanie
repressed。 What did the words mean to her？ She retreated into faraway memories； avoiding me。
This made me curious。 I drove a little faster； wondering if the sight of the place would trigger something。
A solitary mountain peak—not massive by normal standards； but towering above the low； rough hills
closer to me—was beginning to take shape on the horizon。 It had an unusual； distinctive shape。 Melanie
watched it grow as we traveled； pretending indifference to it。
Why did she pretend not to care when she so obviously did？ I was disturbed by her strength when I
tried to find out。 I couldn’t see any way around the old blank wall。 It felt thicker than usual； though I’d
thought it was almost gone。
I tried to ignore her； not wanting to think about that—that she was growing stronger。 I watched the peak
instead； tracing its shape against the pale； hot sky。 There was something familiar about it。 Something I
was sure I recognized； even as I was positive that neither of us had been here before。
Almost as if she was trying to distract me； Melanie plunged into a vivid memory of Jared； catching me by
surprise。
trees。 I tell myself that it is not as cold as I think it is。 My body just isn’t used to this。
The hands that are suddenly there on my shoulders do not startle me； though I am afraid of this unfamiliar
place and I did not hear his silent approach。 Their weight is too familiar。
“You’re easy to sneak up on。”
Even now； there is a smile in his voice。
“I saw you ing before you took the first step；” I say without turning。 “I have eyes in the back of my
head。”
Warm fingers stroke my face from my temple to my chin； dragging fire along my skin。
“You look like a dryad hidden here in the trees；” he whispers in my ear。 “One of them。 So beautiful that
you must be fictional。”
“We should plant more trees around the cabin。”
He chuckles； and the sound makes my eyes close and my lips stretch into a grin。
“Not necessary；” he says。 “You always look that way。”
“Says the last man on Earth to the last woman on Earth； on the eve of their separation。”
My smile fades as I speak。 Smiles cannot last today。
He sighs。 His breath on my cheek is warm pared to the chill forest air。
“Jamie might resent that implication。”
“Jamie’s still a boy。 Please； please keep him safe。”
“I’ll make you a deal；” Jared offers。 “You keepyourself safe； and I’ll do my best。 Otherwise； no deal。”
Just a joke； but I can’t take it lightly。 Once we are apart； there are no guarantees。 “No matter what
happens；” I insist。
“Nothing’s going to happen。 Don’t worry。” The words are nearly meaningless。 A waste of effort。 But his
voice is worth hearing； no matter the message。
“Okay。”
He pulls me around to face him； and I lean my head against his chest。 I don’t know what to pare his
scent to。 It is his own； as unique as the smell of juniper or the desert rain。
“You and I won’t lose each other；” he promises。 “I will always find you again。” Being Jared； he cannot
be pletely serious for more than a heartbeat or two。 “No matter how well you hide。 I’m unstoppable
at hide…and…seek。”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
”
“Without peeking。”
“You’re on；” I mumble； trying to disguise the fact that my throat is thick with tears。
“Don’t be afraid。 You’ll be fine。 You’re strong； you’re fast； and you’re smart。” He’s trying to convince
himself； too。
Why am I leaving him？ It’s such a long shot that Sharon is still human。
But when I saw her face on the news； I was so sure。
It was just a normal raid； one of a thousand。 As usual when we felt isolated enough； safe enough； we had
the TV on as we cleaned out the pantry and fridge。 Just to get the weather forecast； there isn’t much
entertainment in the dead…boring everything…is…perfect reports that pass for news among the parasites。 It
was the hair that caught my eye—the flash of deep； almost pink red that I’d only ever seen on one
person。
I can still see the look on her face as she peeked at the camera from the corner of one eye。 The look
that said；I’m trying to be invisible； don’t see me。 She walked not quite slowly enough； working too
hard at keeping a casual pace。 Trying desperately to blend in。
No body snatcher would feel that need。
What is Sharon doing walking around human in a huge city like Chicago？ Are there others？ Trying to
find her doesn’t even seem like a choice； really。 If there is a chance there are more humans out there； we
have to locate them。
And I have to go alone。 Sharon will run from anyone but me—well； she will run from me； too； but
maybe she will pause long enough for me to explain。 I am sure I know her secret place。
“And you？” I ask him in a thick voice。 I’m not sure I can physically bear this looming goodbye。 “Will
you be safe？”
“Neither heaven nor hell can keep me apart from you； Melanie。”
Without giving me a chance to catch my breath or wipe away the fresh tears； she threw another at me。
Jamie curls up under my arm—he doesn’t fit the way he used to。 He has to fold in on himself； his long；
gangly limbs poking out in sharp angles。 His arms are starting to turn hard and sinewy； but in this moment
he’s a child； shaking； cowering almost。 Jared is loading the car。 Jamie would not show this fear if he were
here。 Jamie wants to be brave； to be like Jared。
“I’m scared；” he whispers。
I kiss his night…dark hair。 Even here among the sharp； resinous trees； it smells like dust and sun。 It feels
like he is part of me； that to separate us will tear the skin where we are joined。
“You’ll be fine with Jared。” I have to sound brave； whether I feel that way or not。
I flinch。 When Dad didn’t e back—though his body did eventually； trying to lead the Seekers to
us—it was the most horror and the most fear and the most pain I’d ever felt。 What if I do that to Jamie
again？
“I’ll e back。 I always e back。”
“I’m scared；” he says again。
I have to be brave。
“I promise everything will be fine。 I’m ing back。 I promise。 You know I won’t break a promise；
Jamie。 Not to you。”
The shaking slows。 He believes me。 He trusts me。
And another：
I can hear them on the floor below。 They will find me in minutes； or seconds。 I scrawl the words on a
dirty shred of newsprint。 They are nearly illegible； but if he finds them； he will understand：
Not fast enough。 Love you love Jamie。 Don’t go home。
Not only do I break their hearts； I steal their refuge； too。 I picture our little canyon home abandoned； as
it must be forever now。 Or if not abandoned； a tomb。 I see my body leading the Seekers to it。 My face
smiling as we catch them there…
“Enough；” I said out loud； cringing away from the whiplash of pain。 “Enough！ You’ve made your point！ I
can’t live without them either now。 Does that make you happy？ Because it doesn’t leave me many
choices； does it？ Just one—to get rid of you。 Do youwant the Seeker inside you？ Ugh！” I recoiled from
the thought as if I would be the one to house her。
Thereisanother choice； Melanie thought softly。
“Really？” I demanded with heavy sarcasm。 “Show me one。”
Look and see。
I was still staring at the mountain peak。 It dominated the landscape； a sudden upthrust of rock
surrounded by flat scrubland。 Her interest pulled my eyes over the outline； tracing the uneven
two…pronged crest。
A slow； rough curve； then a sharp turn north； another sudden turn back the other way； twisting back to
the north for a longer stretch； and then the abrupt southern decline that flattened out into another shallow
curve。
Not north and south； the way I’d always seen the lines in her piecemeal memories； it was up and down。
The profile of a mountain peak。
I could find them。
Wecould find them； she corrected me。You don’t know all the directions。 Just like with the cabin； I
never gave you everything。
“I don’t understand。 Where does it lead？How does a mountain lead us？” My pulse beat faster as I
thought of it： Jared was close。 Jamie； within my reach。
She showed me the answer。
“They’re just lines。 And Uncle Jeb is just an old lunatic。 A nut job； like the rest of my dad’s family。” I try
to tug the book out of Jared’s hands； but he barely seems to notice my effort。
“A nut job； like Sharon’s mom？” he counters； still studying the dark pencil marks that deface the back
cover of the old photo album。 It’s the one thing I haven’t lost in all the running。 Even the graffiti loony
Uncle Jeb left on it during his last visit has sentimental value now。
“Point taken。” If Sharon is still alive； it will be because her mother； loony Aunt Maggie； could give loony
Uncle Jeb a run for the title of Craziest of the Crazy Stryder Siblings。 My father had been only slightly
touched by the Stryder madness—he didn’t have a secret bunker in the backyard or anything。 The rest
of them； his sister and brothers； Aunt Maggie； Uncle Jeb； and Uncle Guy； were the most devoted of
conspiracy theorists。 Uncle Guy had died before the others disappeared during the invasion； in a car
accident so monplace that even Maggie and Jeb had struggled to make an intrigue out of it。
My father always affectionately referred to them asthe Crazies。 “I think it’s time we visited the Crazies；”
Dad would announce； and then Mom would groan—which is why such announcements had happened so
seldom。
On one of those rare visits to Chicago； Sharon had snuck me into her mother’s hidey…hole。 We got
caught—the woman had booby traps every…where。 Sharon was scolded soundly； and though I was
sworn to secrecy； I’d had a sense Aunt Maggie might build a new sanctuary。
But I remember where the first is。 I picture Sharon there now； living the life of Anne Frank in the middle
of an enemy city。 We have to find her and bring her home。
Jared interrupts my reminiscing。 “Nut jo