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Here, in this one small part of the ship, with no one here but Elder, I’m not afraid

Elder plods along down the path, his eyes down and his face troubled I know the way silence and secrets can eat at you from the inside

I touch his elbow and he stops, startled

“Tell me how she died,” I say

21

ELDER

I WAS THIRTEEN AND STILL LIVED AT THE HOSPITAL THE SHIP was going to land in 53 years and 147 days, and by that point, I would be the one to lead everyone off Godspeed and onto the neorld I’d been at the Hospital long enough to know that Harley was my best friend, that Doc wasnow before I would—finally—startas Elder

Life was good

Then

Harley had dared ue Eldest that stood in the Hospital gardens I hadn’t gotten past the pedestal, but he was hanging fro down the path to the pond near the back wall of the ship

“So his body and released his grip, landing with a thud in the fake ue Eldest’s elbow “Let’s go see ”

Harley was taller than er strides Even so, I was tempted to ask him to race But Harley was also four years older thanwas for children

“Race ya,” Harley said, kicking up hed, and al out onto the path Little blue petals went flying, whipping past round

I had al for his shirt to jerk him back and throw him off course so I could speed past him—

—when he stopped cold