earing her apart from the inside. Ina lay curled on the dusty flo

ogations in the wasteland. She had survived radiatio

eyes. She counted the cracks in the plaster. She recited the serial numbers

. A thick, black sludge was seeping from her pores, coating her clothes and the floor around her. It was the to

led lik

nization with host Ina Richmond increased to 18%," Arno's mechanical voice chimed faintly

he usual strain on her joints. It came, but it was less. The heavy, suf

o celebrate. The boy.

am, but she steadied herself. She snatched the bottle of disinfectant and the

s were still heavy, but there was a rhythm to th

ner, his body tensing. He pulled his torn shirt up,

e kept her distance, slowly lowering herself to the ground

only clean water she had found. She twisted the c

s cracked lips moved involuntarily, his

gertips to gently push it toward him. The plastic sc

l of suspicion. The memories flashed in his mind-the original owner offeri

ed the data Arno displayed: "Subject has history of

She reached out and pulled the bottle

ong drink, letting the cool water wash down her throat. She

hed it again. This time, she pushed it until it

his eyes searching for the trick, the trap. But she j

mal need to survive

dying in the desert. He drank too fast. He started to cough, the water spilling down his chin, his body

open a packet of gau

d the bottle, scrambling backward,

surrender. "Don't move," she said. Her voice was still rough, still soundin

the water bottle. Then, she stood up. She didn't linger. She didn't try t

his was wrong. This wasn't the script. The monst

eased by 1 point. Cu

ghed. It was a pathetic n

Bandage yourself," she said, her voice hard

er wet, filthy clothes sticking to her skin. She needed to wash off the grime,

ed and spotted with toothpaste. She hit the light switch. The fl

at the mirr

e black sludge that was still oozing from her pores. The eyes were puffy, buri

then came out in a cold rush. She didn't care

swirled down the drain, a dark, dirty river. She scrubbed at

e layers of fat and toxin, the bones were good. The frame was soli

t heaving. She looked at her hands. They were still thick, but she co

real and raw, flickered in her muscles. It

going to