1269_UgliesFreeBook

UGLIES 207
of pretty flowers to me, and I started with two weeks of food.”
“Why did you steal all SpagBol?” Croy asked. “You
must love the stuff.” The others joined in his laughter.
Tally tried to smile. “I didn’t even notice when I pinched
it. Three SpagBols a day for nine days. I could hardly stomach
the stuff after day two, but you get so hungry.”
They nodded. They all knew about hard traveling, and
hard work, too, apparently. Tally had already noticed how
much everyone had consumed for lunch. Maybe Shay wasn’t
so likely to get the not-eating disease. She had cleaned her
heaping plate.
“Well, I’m glad you made it,” David said. He reached
across and touched the scratches on Tally’s face softly.
“Looks like you had more adventures than you’re telling us.”
Tally swallowed and shrugged, hoping she looked modest.
Shay smiled and hugged David. “I knew you’d think
Tally was awesome.”
A bell rang across the grounds, and they hurried to
finish their food.
“What’s that?” she asked.
David grinned. “That’s back to work.”
“You’re coming with us,” Shay said. “Don’t worry, it
won’t kill you.”
On the way to work, Shay explained more about the long,
flat roller coasters called railroads. Some stretched across
the entire continent, one small part of the Rusty legacy still