1269_UgliesFreeBook

350 Scott Westerfeld
hours, the drama of the storm kept them fascinated,
amazed at its power, wondering when the next peal of
thunder would shake the cliffs. Then the driving rain
became simply monotonous, and they spent a whole day
talking to each other about anything and everything, but
especially their childhoods, until Tally was sure that she
understood David better than anyone she’d ever known.
On their third day trapped in the tent they had a terrible
fight—Tally could never remember about what—that
ended when David stormed out and stood alone in the icy
wind for a solid hour. When he finally returned, it took him
hours to stop shivering, even wrapped in her arms. “We’re
taking too long,” he finally said.
Tally squeezed tighter. It took time to prepare subjects
for the operation, especially if they were older than sixteen.
But Dr. Cable wouldn’t wait forever to turn David’s parents.
Every day the storm delayed them, there was a greater chance
that Maddy and Az had already gone under the knife. For
Shay, the perfect age for turning, the odds were even worse.
“We’ll get there, don’t worry. They measured me every
week for a year before I was supposed to turn. It takes time
to do it right.”
A shudder passed through his body.
“Tally, what if they don’t bother to do it right?”
The storm ended the next morning, and they emerged to
find that the world’s colors had been transformed. The