1269_UgliesFreeBook

128 Scott Westerfeld
ugly purgatory would ever end. And she’d promised Peris
she’d be with him as soon as possible.
“I’m sorry, Shay,” Tally said quietly.
Then she picked up her interface ring from where it
had lain on the bedside table all night, and slipped it on.
“Message to Dr. Cable, or whomever,” she said to it. “I’ll do
what you want. Just let me sleep for a while. Message over.”
Tally sighed, and let herself fall back onto the bed. She
knew she should spray her scratches again before passing
out, but the thought of moving made her whole body ache.
A few dozen scratches wouldn’t keep her from sleeping
today. Nothing would.
Seconds later, the room spoke. “Reply from Dr. Cable:
A car will be sent for you, arriving in twenty minutes.”
“No,” she mumbled, but realized that it would be useless
to argue. Special Circumstances would come, they
would wake her up, they would take her.
Tally decided to try for a few minutes of sleep. It would
be better than nothing.
But for the next twenty minutes, she never once shut
her eyes.