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I nodded I re for a hoe place

"Hey!" yelled Rob froht!"

"Get in the canoe, Bryn!" ordered Trip "I’ht as well just go I’ here unless they can corip on the pole tightened until his arms shook But then he released it and his face dropped into its regular et back, I’ to Kowi, and then they’ll be sent away And you’ll have to deal hat you’ve done tonight, too"

I was so teue to keep fro Paci put his hand on my back for a second and said quietly "Just take a breath Don’t say anything else until we’re in front of Kowi"

I nodded once

"Who’s this Kowi guy?" asked Jamal "He someone we should be worried about?"

Paciout into the water, so I answered

"Kowi is one of the chiefs Trip is the other They decide who can stay and go in the swamp"

"Two chiefs? Is that norlanced back at the I really didn’t get any vibes at all that they had ulteriorfor canners Other than the fact they’d made it all the way here from Tampa alive, there was no reason to suspect their story I knew Jiuy?" asked Ronald

I cleared round "We … uh … had a little problem with some canners who live in town"

"Oh, man I am so sorry That’s bad Really My fault, my fault I should’ve kept my mouth shut"

"You talk too much, Ronnie," said Jamal "Sorry to hear about hi the tears away Bodo is not dead He is not dead He’s just … stuck so to do sooner than soon My leg was hurting, but not asin the water and swio in just a few days, ! I looked out towards the town, back in the direction of the house we’d blown up, sending vibes out to him just in case he was able to pick the ot in carefully, Ronald and Ja of the two, looked like he was going to have a heart attack

"What’s the ly "Can’t swi," said Paci, clearly not believing hi Neither of us can swiuys from Tampa, on the coast, not kno to swim?"

"Black people don’t swim, okay?" said Ronald "Everyone knows that"

"Whaaat? You’re nuts," I said "I know for a fact that LaShay swims"

"Who’s LaShay?" asked Ronald Ja out at the water with stark fear etched into his face

"She’s a girl who lives with us And she’s black and she can swim like crazy, even with … well, never mind She can swim her butt off"

"Well, she’s special then Because none of my friends could swim and neither could anyone in my family"

"And yet you ca with sarcasators and snakes and whatnot Didn’t stop you," said Ronald

"I’ve lived here ued

"In the swaed Ronald

"Whatever," said Trip, angrily "Doesn’t "

Ronald said nothing, looking toIt wouldn’t serve their purposes at all to reht now, so I wasn’t going to say a word either All I had to do was convince Kowi this was a good idea, and it was a done deal

The kids living here hadn’t turnedRonald and Jamal away We needed to build our co settlers join us

The canoe pulled up and Trip sent out a birdcall to whoever was listening I couldn’t reuns or other weapons, so apparently it wasn’t the attack call We all got out and walked to the cere

"Wow Word travels fast," I said to Paci

"Yeah" He looked down at o stand with Kowi, but I’m with you in spirit, okay? Don’t let Trip intimidate you"

I smiled "Don’t worry I won’t"