Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott

Author:Victoria Scott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2015-03-20T16:00:00+00:00

That next morning, I wake to find Madox standing in the doorway of our small hut. He faces outward toward the sea, though I know he can’t see it from here. Last night, I told him what the woman from the device said, and then I silently pleaded for him to decline. Because AK-7 belongs to me more than anyone else, he and Madox must both agree to fight or I’ll be required to lose a day in the race. I guess this is the downside of collecting Pandoras, even if I already did make a plan for Rose.

After I informed them of their challenge, the iguana fidgeted throughout the evening and night, and Madox gazed toward the ocean, deep in thought. The grizzly bear listened to what I had to say and then flumped onto the floor and slept like the dead.

A whistle blows, and I imagine shoving that same whistle down the skinny, pinheaded man’s throat. Madox perks at the sudden noise, and he strides from sight like he’s been waiting for that sound for days instead of hours.

Madox, wait. I scramble to my feet. When I get outside, I find that Pandoras are already lining up before the two men working the race. Both men wear light jackets over green collared shirts, and their jackets have serpents embroidered on the left breast. The skinny man is yelling something when Braun appears at my side.

“What’s he yelling about?” he asks.

You could find these two dudes, the Brimstone Bleed guys, in any suburban town with their 2.5 children and their maybe, maybe not pregnant wife. They don’t look particularly intimidating, and they probably haven’t seen the inside of a weight room since that one summer they were going to show everyone before their sophomore year of high school. But they work for the race, and so we believe unequivocally that they could withhold the Cure. And that, my friends, is all it takes to behave. Just the bittersweet promise of recovery for someone you care about.

“I think they’re getting ready to take them somewhere,” I answer.

Braun glances between me and Madox. “Thank you,” he says. “I’m still not sure what I’m doing is right.”

I look at Rose, who is already in line. Last night I gave her to Braun and said the decision was his. It felt a little like handing over a newborn to a starving, desperate hyena. Braun leaves in silence as if he’s ashamed and can’t stand to face me any longer than necessary.

Madox stands a few yards from the line, watching the other Pandoras intently.

I scoop him into my arms, and he struggles against me fiercely. I drop him, surprised by his distant demeanor. Madox trots a couple of paces and stops again.

Please don’t do this, I beg.

Madox’s stance remains firm, his fox eyes trained on his competition.

Heavy plodding comes from behind me, and I turn to find AK-7. He stops at my side and noses the top of my head. I throw my arms around his massive neck and bury my head into his fur chilled from the cold.

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