sam-temple

I want my mom,_ a little boy cried out suddenly.Every voice fell silent. The boy had said what they were all feeling.Caine hopped down from the car and went to the boy. He knelt down and took the boy__ hands in his own. He asked the boy__ name, and reintroduced himself. __e all want our parents back,_ he said gently, but loudly enough to be overheard clearly by those nearest. __e all want that. And I believe that will happen. I believe we will see all our moms and dads, and older brothers and sisters, and even our teachers again. I believe that. Do you believe it, too?___es._ The little boy sobbed.Caine wrapped him in a hug and said, __e strong. Be your mommy__ strong little boy.___e__ good,_ Astrid said. __e__ beyond good.__hen Caine stood up. People had formed a circle around him, close but respectful. __e all have to be strong. We all have to get through this. If we work together to choose good leaders and do the right thing, we will make it.__he entire crowd of kids seemed to stand a little taller. There were determined looks on faces that had been weary and frightened.Sam was mesmerized by the performance. In just a few minutes_ time, Caine had infused hope into a very frightened, dispirited bunch of kids.Astrid seemed mesmerized too, though Sam thought he detected the cool glint of skepticism in her eyes.Sam was skeptical himself. He distrusted rehearsed displays. He distrusted charm. But it was hard not to think that Caine was at least trying to reach out to the Perdido Beach kids. It was hard not to believe in him, at least a little. And if Caine really did have a plan, wouldn__ that be a good thing? No one else seemed to have a clue.

We__e searched all of the homes and carried the food to Ralph__,_ Sam continued. __he problem is that all the fruit and veggies spoiled while we were all filling up on chips and cookies. The meat all rotted. People were stupid and careless, and there__ nothing we can do about that now._ Sam swallowed the bitterness he felt, the anger he felt at his own foolishness. __ut we have food sitting out in the fields. Maybe not the food we__ like, but enough to carry us for months__any months__f we bring it in before it rots and the birds eat it.___aybe we__l get rescued, and we won__ have to worry,_ another voice said.__aybe we__l learn to live on air,_ Astrid muttered under her breath but loudly enough to be heard by at least a few.__hy don__ you go get our food back from Drake and the chuds up there?__t was Zil. He accepted a congratulatory slap on the back from a creepy kid named Antoine, part of Zil__ little posse.__ecause it would mean getting some kids killed,_ Sam said bluntly. __e__ be lucky to rescue any of the food, and we__ end up digging more graves in the plaza. And it wouldn__ solve our problem, anyway.

What__ up, Albert?___ell, I__e done inventory at Ralph__, and I think if I had a lot of help, I could put together an okay Thanksgiving dinner.__am stared at him. He blinked. __hat?___hanksgiving. It__ next week.___h-huh.___here are ovens at Ralph__, big ones. And no one has taken the frozen turkeys. Figure two hundred and fifty kids if pretty much everyone from Perdido Beach shows up, right? One turkey will feed maybe eight people, so we need thirty-one, thirty-two turkeys. No problem there, because there are forty-six turkeys at Ralph__.___hirty-one turkeys?___ranberry sauce will be no problem, stuffing is no problem, no one has taken much stuffing yet, although I__l have to figure out how to mix, like, seven different brands and styles together, see how it tastes.___tuffing,_ Sam echoed solemnly.__e don__ have enough canned yams, we__l have to do fresh along with some baked potatoes. The big problem is going to be whipped cream and ice cream for the pies.__am wanted to burst out laughing, but at the same time he found it touching and reassuring that Albert had put so much thought into the question.__ imagine the ice cream is pretty much gone,_ Sam said.__eah. We__e very low on ice cream. And kids have been taking the canned whipped cream, too.___ut we can have pie?___e have some frozen. And we have some pie shells we can bake up ourselves.___hat would be nice,_ Sam said.____l need to start three days before. I__l need, like, at least ten people to help. I can haul the tables out of the church basement and set up in the plaza. I think I can do it._____l bet you can, Albert,_ Sam said with feeling.__other Mary__ going to have the prees make centerpieces.___isten, Albert__lbert raised a hand, cutting Sam off. __ know. I mean, I know we may have some great big fight before that. And I heard you have your fifteenth coming up. All kinds of bad stuff may happen. But, Sam___his time, Sam cut him off. __lbert? Get moving on planning the big meal.___eah?___eah. It will give people something to look forward to.

First off,_ he said, __ want to say I__ sorry about E.Z. He was a good kid. He didn__ deserve_ For a moment he almost lost it as a surge of emotion welled up from nowhere. ____ sorry he died.__omeone sobbed loudly.__ook, I__ going to get right to it: we have three hundred and thirty-two_I__ sorry, three hundred and thirty-one mouths to feed,_ Sam said. He placed his hands on his hips and planted his feet wide apart. __e were already pretty bad off for food supplies. But after the attack by the Coates kids_well, it__ not pretty bad off, anymore, it__ desperate.__e let that sink in. But how much were six-and eight-year-olds really grasping? Even the older kids looked more glazed than alarmed.__hree hundred and thirty-one kids,_ Sam reiterated, __nd food for maybe a week. That__ not a long time. It__ not a lot of food. And as you all know, the food we have is awful.__hat got a response from the audience. The younger kids produced a chorus of gagging and retching sounds.__ll right,_ Sam snapped. __nock it off. The point is, things are really desperate.

I__ trying to make a profit. I__ using batteries, toilet paper, and paper towels as currency. Each is something that will eventually be in short supply.___ou__e trying to get all the toilet paper in town?_ Astrid shrilled. __re you kidding?___o, Astrid, I__ not kidding,_ Albert said. __ook, right now, kids are playing with the stuff. I saw little kids throwing rolls of it around on their lawns like it was a toy. So____o your solution is to try and take it all away from people?___ou__ rather see it wasted?___eah, actually,_ Astrid huffed. __ather than you getting it all for yourself. You__e acting like a jerk.__lbert__ eyes flared. __ook, Astrid, now kids know they can buy their way into the club with it. So they__e not going to waste it anymore.___o, they__e going to give it all to you,_ she shot back. __nd what happens when they need some?___hen there will still be some left because I made it valuable.___aluable to you.___aluable to everyone, Astrid.___t__ you taking advantage of kids dumb enough not to know any better. Sam, you have to put a stop to this.__am had drifted away from the conversation, his head full of the music. He snapped back. __he__ right, Albert, this isn__ okay. You didn__ get permission____ didn__ think I needed permission to give kids what they want. I mean, I__ not threatening anyone, saying, __ive me your toilet paper, give me your batteries._ I__ just playing some music and saying, __f you want to come in and dance, then it__l cost you.____ude, I respect you being ambitious and all,_ Sam said. __ut I have to shut this down. You never got permission, even, let alone asked us if it was okay to charge people.__lbert said, __am, I respect you more than I can even say. And Astrid, you are way smarter than me. But I don__ see how you have the right to shut me down.__hat was it for Sam. __kay, I tried to be nice. But I am the mayor. I was elected, as you probably remember, since I think you voted for me.___ did. I__ do it again, man. But Sam, Astrid, you guys are wrong here. This club is about all these kids have that can get them together for a good time. They__e sitting in their homes starving and feeling sad and scared. When they__e dancing, they forget how hungry and sad they are. This is a good thing I__ doing.__am stared hard at Albert, a stare that kids in Perdido Beach took seriously. But Albert did not back down.__am, how many cantaloupes did Edilio manage to bring back with kids who were rounded up and forced to work?_ Albert asked.__ot many,_ Sam admitted.__rc picked a whole truckload of cabbage. Before the zekes figured out how to get at him. Because we paid Orc to work.___e did it because he__ the world__ youngest alcoholic and you paid him with beer,_ Astrid snapped. __ know what you want, Albert. You want to get everything for yourself and be this big, important guy. But you know what? This is a whole new world. We have a chance to make it a better world. It doesn__ have to be about some people getting over on everyone else. It can be fair to everyone.__lbert laughed. __veryone can be equally hungry. In a week or so, everyone can starve.

At the moment that target was eating tacos his mother had brought in despite hospital orders against outside food.__h, God, this is good,_ Sam said as juicy beef and crisp lettuce dribbled out onto the tray on his lap.__till not tired of eating?_ Connie asked him.__ will never be tired of eating. I__ going to eat until I__ huge. Food, hot water, clean sheets. At least I__l get those three in prison.

Hey, Sam,_ Drake shouted. __ thought you__ like to know this isn__ my whole army.__am didn__ doubt it.__our girl Brianna tried to stop us._ Drake waved a bowie knife in the air. __ took this from her. I whipped her, Sam._ He snapped his whip hand. The crack was like a pistol shot. __ broke her legs so she couldn__ run. Then . . .__ekka was halfway over the side, ready to swim ashore. Jack grabbed her and held her.__et me go!_ Dekka yelled.__old her,_ Sam ordered Jack. __on__ be stupid, Dekka. He wants us to come rushing at him.___ can beat him,_ Jack said. __ekka and me together, we can kill him.__am registered the fact that Jack was actually making a physical threat. He didn__ remember ever hearing that kind of thing from Jack. But Dekka was Sam__ greater concern.____ going to kill him,_ Dekka said in a voice so deep in her throat she sounded like an animal. ____l kill him. I__l kill him._ Then she shouted, ____ going to kill you, Drake. I__ going to kill you!__rake grinned. __ think she liked it. She was screaming, but she liked it.___e__ lying,_ Toto said.__ho?_ Sam snapped.__im._ He pointed at Drake. __e hasn__ killed that girl or hurt her.__ekka relaxed and Sam and Jack let go of her.__ruth-teller Toto,_ Sam whispered. __e can tell when people are lying.___ just decided I like you,_ Dekka said to Toto. __ou might be useful.__oto frowned. __t__ true: you just decided you like me.

Sam woke to a feeling of utter, profound, incredible relief.He closed his eyes as soon as he opened them, afraid that being awake would just invite something terrible to appear.Astrid was back. And she was asleep with her head on his arm. His arm was asleep, completely numb, but as long as that blond head was right there his arm could stay numb.She smelled like pine trees and campfire smoke.He opened his eyes, cautious, almost flinching, because the FAYZ didn__ make a habit of allowing him pure, undiluted happiness. The FAYZ made a habit of stomping on anything that looked even a little bit like happiness. And this level of happiness was surely tempting retaliation. From this high up the fall could be a long, long one.

Find Sam Temple. Tell him you escaped.__ack gulped and bobbed his head.__etter yet, find that girl, Astrid._ Diana recovered some of her mocking attitude. __strid the Genius. She__l be desperate to save Sam.___kay. Okay._ He steeled himself. __ better go.__iana touched his arm. __ell them about Andrew.__ack froze with his hand on the key. __hat__ what you want me to do?___ack, if Sam blinks out, Drake will turn on me, and Caine won__ be able to stop him. Drake is stronger than before. I need Sam alive. I need someone for Drake to hate. I need balance. Tell Sam about the temptation. Warn him that he__l be tempted to surrender to the big jump, but maybe, maybe, if he says no_ She sighed. It was not a hopeful sound. __ow: go.

Then, Zil and a half dozen of his crew swaggered into the plaza from the far side. Astrid clenched her jaw. Would the crowd turn on them? She almost hoped so. People thought because she wouldn__ let Sam go after Zil she must not really despise the Human Crew__ Leader. That was wrong. She hated Zil. Hated everything he had done and everything he had tried to do.Edilio moved quickly between Zil and a few of the boys who had started toward him, sticks and knives at the ready.Zil__ kids were armed with knives and bats, and so were those who wanted to take them on. Edilio was armed with an assault rifle.Astrid hated that this was what life so often came down to: my weapon is bigger than your weapon.If Sam were here it would be about his hands. Everyone had either seen what Sam could do, or heard the stories retold in vivid detail. No one challenged Sam.

Here__ the thing, people: We have some serious problems. The lights are off. And it seems like that__ affecting the water flow in part of town. So, no baths or showers, okay? But the situation is that we think Caine is short of food, which means he__ not going to be able to hold out very long at the power plant.___ow long?_ someone yelled.Sam shook his head. __ don__ know.___hy can__ you get him to leave?___ecause I can__, that__ why,_ Sam snapped, letting some of his anger show. __ecause I__ not Superman, all right? Look, he__ inside the plant. The walls are thick. He has guns, he has Jack, he has Drake, and he has his own powers. I can__ get him out of there without getting some of our people killed. Anybody want to volunteer for that?"Silence.__eah, I thought so. I can__ get you people to show up and pick melons, let alone throw down with Drake.___hat__ your job,_ Zil said.__h, I see,_ Sam said. The resentment he__ held in now came boiling to the surface. __t__ my job to pick the fruit, and collect the trash, and ration the food, and catch Hunter, and stop Caine, and settle every stupid little fight, and make sure kids get a visit from the Tooth Fairy. What__ your job, Zil? Oh, right: you spray hateful graffiti. Thanks for taking care of that, I don__ know how we__ ever manage without you.___am_,_ Astrid said, just loud enough for him to hear. A warning.Too late. He was going to say what needed saying.__nd the rest of you. How many of you have done a single, lousy thing in the last two weeks aside from sitting around playing Xbox or watching movies?__et me explain something to you people. I__ not your parents. I__ a fifteen-year-old kid. I__ a kid, just like all of you. I don__ happen to have any magic ability to make food suddenly appear. I can__ just snap my fingers and make all your problems go away. I__ just a kid.__s soon as the words were out of his mouth, Sam knew he had crossed the line. He had said the fateful words so many had used as an excuse before him. How many hundreds of times had he heard, ____ just a kid.__ut now he seemed unable to stop the words from tumbling out. __ook, I have an eighth-grade education. Just because I have powers doesn__ mean I__ Dumbledore or George Washington or Martin Luther King. Until all this happened I was just a B student. All I wanted to do was surf. I wanted to grow up to be Dru Adler or Kelly Slater, just, you know, a really good surfer.__he crowd was dead quiet now. Of course they were quiet, some still-functioning part of his mind thought bitterly, it__ entertaining watching someone melt down in public.____ doing the best I can,_ Sam said.__ lost people today_I_I screwed up. I should have figured out Caine might go after the power plant.__ilence.____ doing the best I can.__o one said a word.Sam refused to meet Astrid__ eyes. If he saw pity there, he would fall apart completely.____ sorry,_ he said.____ sorry.