@@@@@ He finished in silenceI tried to pass him
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He finished in silenceI tried to pass him what was left in my bowl, but he glowered so fiercely
that I took it back and ate the rest without any more resistance
We added our bowls to the big plastic bin of dirty dishesIt was full, so I took it from the
counterI wasn't sure what was going on in the caves today, but dishes ought to be a safe
occupation
Jamie came along beside me, his eyes alertI wouldn't allow him to act as my
bodyguard, if the necessity aroseBut then, as we made our way around the edge of the big
field, my regular bodyguard found me, so it became a moot point
Ian was filthy; light brown dust covered him from head to toe, darker where it was wet with his
sweatThe brown streaks smeared across his face did not disguise the exhaustion thereI was
not surprised to see that he was just as down as everyone elseBut the dust did make me
curiousIt was not the purple black dust inside the cavesIan had been outside this morning
“There you are,” he murmured when he saw usHe was walking swiftly, his long legs cutting
the distance with anxious stridesWhen he reached us, he did not slow, but rather caught me
under the elbow and hurried me forward“Let's duck in here for a minute
He pulled me into the narrow tunnel mouth that led toward the eastern field, where the corn
was almost ripeHe did not lead me far, just into the darkness where we were invisible from the
big roomI felt Jamie's hand rest lightly on my other arm
After half a minute, deep voices echoed through the big cavernThey were not boisterous–they
were somber, as depressed as any of the faces I'd read this morningThe voices passed us, close
by the crack where we hid, and Ian's hand tensed on my elbow, his fingers pressing into the soft
spots above the boneI recognized Jared's voice, and Ky