f you wanted to cleanse the planet, you could...
f you wanted to cleanse the planet, you could have blown it up
Despite what your science fiction writers dream, we simply don't have the technology
She didn't think my joke was funny
Besides,I added,that would have been such a wasteIt's a lovely planetThis unspeakable desert
excepted, of course
That's how we realized you were here, you know,she said, thinking of the sickening news
headlines againhen the evening news was nothing but inspiring human-interest stories, when
pedophiles and junkies were lining up at the hospitals to turn themselves in, when everything
morphed into Mayberry, that's when you tipped your hand
“What an awful alteration!” I said dryly, turning to the next cupboard
I pulled the stiff door back and found chanel tote the mother lode
“Crackers!” I shouted, seizing the discolored, half-smashed box of SaltinesThere was another
box behind it, one that looked like someone had stepped on it
Look!Melanie urged, pointing a mental finger at three dusty bottles of bleach at the very back
of the cupboard
What do you want bleach for?I asked, already ripping into the cracker boxo throw in
someone's eyes? Or to brain them with the bottle?
To my delight, the crackers, though reduced to crumbs, were still inside their plastic sleevesI
tore one open and started shaking the crumbs into my mouth, swallowing them half chewedI
couldn't get them into my stomach fast enough
Open a bottle and smell it,she instructed, ignoring my commentaryhat's how my dad used fendi spy bag replica to
store water in the garageThe bleach residue kept the water from growing anything finished one sleeve of crumbs and started on the nextThey were very stale, but
compared to the taste in my mouth, they were ambrosiaWhen I finished the third, I became
aware that the salt was burning the cracks in my lips and at the corners of my mouth
I heaved out one of the bleach bottles, hoping Melanie was rightMy arms felt weak and
noodley, barely able to lift itThis concerned us bothHow much had our condition deteriorated
already? How much farther would we be able to go?
The bottle's cap was so tight, I wondered if it had melted into placeFinally, though, I was able
to twist it off with my teethI sniffed at the opening carefully, not chanel clutch especially wanting to pass out
from bleach fumesThe chemical scent was very faintIt was water, definitely
Stagnant, musty water, but water all the sameI took a small mouthfulNot a fresh mountain
stream, but wet
Easy there,Melanie warned me, and I had to agreeWe'd lucked into this cache, but it made no
sense to squander itBesides, I wanted something solid now that the salt burn had easedI
turned to the box of Twinkies and licked three of the smooshed-up cakes from the inside of the
wrappers
The last cupboard was empty
As soon as the hunger pangs had eased slightly, Melanie's impatience began to leak into my
thoughtsFeeling no resistance this time, I quickly loaded my spoils into my pack, pitching the
empty water bottles into the omega watch replica sink to make roomThe bleach jugs were heavy, but theirs was a
comforting weightIt meant I wouldn't stretch out to sleep on the desert floor thirsty and hungry
again tonightWith the sugar energy beginning to buzz through my veins, I loped back out into
the bright afternoon
CHAPTER 12
Failed
It's impossible! You've got it wrong! Out of order! That can't be it!”
I stared into the distance, sick with disbelief that was turning quickly to horror
Yesterday morning I'd eaten the last mangled Twinkie for breakfastYesterday afternoon I'd
found the double peak and turned east againMelanie had given me what she promised was the
last formation to findThe news had made me nearly hysterical with joyLast night, I'd drunk
the last of the dolce and gabbana handbag w