1269_UgliesFreeBook

UGLIES 231
jacket would probably look silly on anyone else. But it
suited David, somehow, as if growing up here in the wild
allowed him to fuse with the animals that had donated their
skins to his clothes. And it probably didn’t hurt that he had
actually made the jacket himself.
He spoke up suddenly. “I’ve got a present for you.”
“A present? Really?”
By now, Tally understood that nothing in the Smoke
ever lost its value. Nothing was discarded or given away
just because it was old or broken. Everything was repaired,
refitted, and recycled, and if one Smokey couldn’t put it to
use, it was traded to another. Few things were given away
lightly.
“Yeah, really.” David angled closer and handed her a
small bundle.
She unwrapped it, following the familiar route down
the stream almost without looking. It was a pair of gloves,
handmade in light brown leather.
She shoved the bright, city-made wrapping paper into
her pocket, then pulled the gloves onto her blistered hands.
“Thanks! They fit perfectly.”
He nodded. “I made them when I was about your age.
They’re a little small for me these days.”
Tally smiled, wishing she could hug him. When they
spread their arms to take a hard turn, she held his hand for
a second.
Flexing her fingers, Tally found that the gloves were