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"Her leg’s not ready anyway," said Trip angrily He didn’t have to say thatout of his boat hadn’t helped We both kneas thinking it

Everyone started talking again, all of thelances our way I was exhausted froed on Ronald’s shirt "Co," said Winky "Be there in about ten minutes"

"Great Thanks"

Peter led the way in front of us, keeping the scoldings I kneas itching to throw out ata little touchy right now and liable to say stupid things at the next person who gaveup and fell into step beside ood job, first"

"Thanks," I said laet you in trouble with Trip"

"I like being in trouble with Trip He’s an ass," said Paci, s

"You’re right He is"

Peter turned around and scowled atat us funny, so I stopped "I’ll see you tomorrow?" I asked

"Bet on it," said Paci

I could see hiain, so I put ave hie He frowned for a second and then s off

Jamal and Ronald tripped their way to my hut, and it made me realize how not klutzy I was these days co toto be my home tomorrow after dinner

Ja Bodo’s ive the our backpacks eapons inside over by ourin whispers about the day and speculating about what ht happen tomorrow

"Did you talk to Trip today?" I asked

"No He avoidedsupportive But I also meant it Trip was an asshole most of the time

"He’s not really that bad He’s just under a lot of pressure"

"He needs to have sex with sorude I’ht He needs to let out soain, Winky ca for ed and back to gossiping with Peter

"So do you think they’re going to let them stay?"

"Trip will say no, I know that But hopefully Koill say yes, and then I can do the tie-breaker vote and it’ll be done"

"You know if you do the tie-breaker against Trip he’ll hate you forever"

"Forever? Really?"

"Well,tiht? I ree with this?"

"Of course I do Don’t be ridiculous We cao and they let us stay And I think we’ve integrated just fine"

"And you’d integrate evenmy eyebrows I wasn’t sure if Peter could see the

"Would you please shut up about that, already? Geez, I never should have told you"

"Yeah, right Like you could denyback to the point now, by the way … that yes, I agree with you But you have to face the fact that Kowi could very well say no"

"Do you really think he would?"

"Maybe To keep the peace here, yes Tonew people in Yes"

"But they have all kinds of food here! That’s ridiculous!"

"Shhh! Stop being so loud They’re going to hear you" Peter continued in a lower tone "I know they have plenty of food - for a couple hundred people But for more than that, I don’t know Eventually the demand will outstrip supply"

I frowned at Peter "Sometimes you sound like a textbook when you talk"

"Yeah, well I read it somewhere Supply and demand Look it up They could run out of food"

"Not with t guys or even a hundred new guys Did you know they have cattle? And horses and stuff? All they have to do is breed the food supply! Not to ators and deer and turkeys and whatever else is running or slithering around in here"

"I know, I know But they’re afraid, and you can’t bla to people outside their tribe, and look where it got theo Trip’s all obsessed about not repeating mistakes of the past"

"Yeah, well, then he’d better reer nuiven, they take it - and either kill people off or run the to be that different from the last We’re all still human after all"

"Which means we act like animals sometimes"