.
it's time to call Zee--" MERCY! Adam's voice in my head screamed at such volume that I couldn't move.
A blasting yet soundless noise that grew and grew until .
.
.
there was nothing at all.
The cry left me with a headache that made the one I'd woken up with in Phin's basement seem like a pinprick.
"Sam," I said urgently, both hands on the wheel again--for all the good it was going to do me.
I'd only just barely kept from hitting the brakes as hard as I could, which doubtless would have caused a big pileup on the busy highway behind me.
On the other hand, I could hardly keep traveling the way I was.
"Sam.
Sam, I can't see." A mouth closed on my right wrist and tugged down and then back.
As soon as he was guiding me straight, I put on my brake, gently, and rolled to a stop.
The Rabbit shook as cars blasted past us, but no one honked, so we must have made it to the shoulder.
After some indefinable amount of time, the pain faded finally and left me shaken and sweating and feeling as if I'd been run over by a semi.
"We have to get home," I said, restarting the car.
My hands were shaking as I put the Rabbit in gear and made a beeline toward Finley.
I'd left Adam to deal with his pack.
If something had happened to him, I'd never forgive myself for my cowardice.
8
WE WERE ON CHEMICAL DRIVE, THE HIGHWAY THAT LED out of the city to the countryside, when the ambulance passed us going the other direction, lights flashing but sirens off.
I almost turned to follow.
No.
Better to find out exactly what's happened first.
Sam isn't a doctor today, and I can't help anyone better than the hospital where they're taking the victim.
And maybe it wasn't anyone I knew in the ambulance at all.
As soon as I turned down my road, I put my foot down on the gas pedal and forgot about speed limits.
Ahead of us, something was billowing black smoke.
There were red flashing lights--fire engines at my house, which was well on its way to becoming so much kindling.
Adam would have thought I was in there.