1269_UgliesFreeBook

UGLIES 363
“Then we wait.”
Tally squinted, peering at the ruins. The sparkler had
faded, and nothing was visible in the dawn light just starting
to spill across the sky. Whoever was down there had
waited until the last possible minute to head for home.
Of course, if they were looking for David, these uglies
were potential runaways. Rebellious seniors, not that worried
about missing breakfast.
She turned to David. “So, I guess uglies are still looking
for you. And not just here.”
“Of course,” he said. “The rumors will go on for generations,
in cities all over, whether I’m around or not. Lighting
a sparkler doesn’t usually get an answer, so it’ll be a long
time before even the uglies I’ve met figure out I’m not
showing up. And most of them already don’t even think the
Smoke—”
His voice caught, and Tally took his hand. For a
moment he’d forgotten that the Smoke didn’t, in fact, exist
anymore.
They waited in silence, until the sound of scrambling
feet came across the rocks. It sounded like three or so
uglies, talking in low tones as if still wary of the ghosts of
the Rusty ruins.
“Watch this,” David whispered, pulling a flashlight
from his pocket. He stood and pointed the light up at his
own face, switching it on.
“Looking for me?” he said in a loud, commanding voice.