“I dunno,” said Whitney. “Maybe, when this is all over, when we’re safe and we can rest, that’s the time to cry. Right now, like your man said, we gotta stick together and help each other.”

“I know. Thanks, Whitney.”

“And listen.” Whitney held Maxie’s arm. “Blue. He’s all right, you know. He has to act tough cuz he’s our leader. But he ain’t stupid. You need to work with him.”

“I’ll try.”

Whitney gripped Maxie’s head in an affectionate arm-lock.

“You’re strong. I know it, girl. Together we can be stronger.”

It was a moonless night, and no stars shone in the clouded sky. Some kids had made flaming torches, but they were quickly burning out. Those that had them were using their flashlights. They had to keep in a huddled mass, though, or risk getting split up in the dark.

Freak was plodding along, lost in his thoughts. He felt someone nudge him in the side.

“You planning on going to the Oscars? Make some more cheesy speeches?”

It was Achilleus. Freak sighed and looked away. “Why do you always have to pretend to be so tough, Akkie?” he said.

“Who’s pretending?”

“Don’t you care about Arran?”

“Yeah. I care. He was all right. But you don’t fool me. I know what that speech was really all about.”

“Oh yeah, what?”

Achilleus put on a whiny voice, mocking Freak. “Don’t blame Sophie, it was an accident, us kids have to stick together . . . Bullshit. You’re just feeling guilty about what you did to Arran and don’t want no one to blame you.”

“What do you mean, what I did to Arran? I didn’t do nothing to him.”

“It was you got him killed, Freaky-Deaky.”

“What are you talking about? I never shot that arrow.”

“Didn’t need to. He was already dying. And Deke was already dead. All because you wanted to go looking for a stupid vending machine.”

Freak felt a lump in his throat. He fought hard not to sob. “Don’t say that.”

“It’s the truth, Freaky-Deaky. You know it and I ain’t never going to forget it. You nearly got us all killed. You think if Arran hadn’t been bitten he would have gone crazy back there? No. And he wouldn’t have gotten shot. All your fault.”

Freak swore at Achilleus, who spat in the road and walked over to Mick. He said something to the big Morrisons kid, who looked at Freak and laughed.

Up at the front, Jester was talking to Blue, their flashlights raking the road in front of them.

“We should try to go faster,” said Jester. “We’ve lost a lot of time. We should have arrived in daylight.”

“We’re safer at night,” said Blue. “Less grown-ups around.”

“I don’t feel safe. Not after what happened today.”