Chapter 8

Madison

Element An abstract of something, such as “The grammatical elements of a sentence.”

The soft gray light sifts down on us through the thick green canopy above, and the river beside us is making gurgling noises, which is pleasant but is probably also loud enough to drown out the footsteps of anyone who might be approaching.

I look up at the swaying trees, not quite ready to let go of the blessings of the night. James is snoring loudly between me and Ryan, sleeping so soundly that he doesn’t stir when I push the blanket to the side and get up. Ryan, on the other hand, is wide awake—he looks over at me, then looks at our packs and back at me with a questioning look. I can tell he’s th...

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