“Oh good,” Jem said.“A fight.”
“We’re not having a fight.”
“Yes, we are.We’re fighting about who feels guiltiest.And who was stupidest.”
“No, we’re not.”
“And now we’re fighting abouthavinga fight.”Jem shifted around like he was getting comfortable.“Buckle up, boyo, because I am going to rock your fucking world.”
“I’m trying to explain—”
“Fight.”
Tean drew a breath.“Jem, you don’t understand—”
“Fight.”
“Stop doing that!”
“Is that seriously the best you’ve got?This is the lamest fucking fight I’ve ever been in.”
“It’s not a fight!”Tean shouted.“It’s a conversation between two people who care about each other!And—and I’m very confused right now because I love you so much and I’m so—so—so angry!”
Jem put his arms behind his head.He waited.
Tean drew a hand over his mouth.He was panting like he’d been running.
“Feel better?”Jem asked.
“No,” Tean snapped.“I feel terrible.”
Jem waited again.“Nowdo you feel better?”
“I don’t want to feel better!I want to feel miserable!”
The shout hung in the air.
Tean scrubbed a hand over his face.“I know that sounds insane,” he muttered.“Jem, you almost died.”
“What happened?”
After a moment, Tean said, “You fell into a tree well.”
“What’s a tree well?”
“More or less what it sounds like.A well in the snow at the base of a tree.They happen around rocks sometimes too, for a different reason.With a tree, low-hanging branches protect a pocket around the trunk.The snow that fills in there is less dense.”
“And when you try to walk on it,” Jem said, “or someone shoves you…”
Tean gave him a sharp look.
“Oh yeah,” Jem said.“Somebody gave me a nice push.”
“We wondered—” Tean broke off.“I don’t want to upset you, but I think you need to know.Tafton is dead.”
Jem nodded.When Tean’s fuzzy eyebrows went up, Jem said, “I saw his hand.”
“Yes.”Tean fell silent again.“We thought maybe you’d seen him and tried to help.”
