1269_UgliesFreeBook

UGLIES 135
a cold, terrible surety unlike anything a normal pretty could
ever convey. Tally realized that the woman meant what she
said.
Either Tally infiltrated the Smoke and betrayed Shay, or
she’d be an ugly for life.
“I have to think.”
“Your story will be that you ran away the night before
your birthday,” Dr. Cable said. “That means you’ve already
got to make up for four lost days. Any more delays, and
they won’t believe you. They’ll guess what happened. So
decide now.”
“I can’t. I’m too tired.”
Dr. Cable pointed at the wallscreen, and an image
appeared. Like a mirror, but in close-up, it showed Tally as
she looked right now: puffy-eyed and disheveled, exhaustion
and red scratches marking her face, her hair sticking
out in all directions, and her expression turning horrified as
she beheld her own appearance.
“That’s you, Tally. Forever.”
“Turn it off . . .”
“Decide.”
“Okay, I’ll do it. Turn it off.”
The wallscreen went dark.