When the digestive spasms had cleared, he straightened up and continued walking, despite the fact that he could feel her dead, staring eyes fixed on the back of his head. If he were to turn around, he knew, she would be looking at him. That knowledge made it hard not to turn around.
Ryan kept on walking.
***
They were waiting for him as he rounded a corner. Bael and seven of the other scouts, standing in a single line blocking his path. “If you’re not going to play by the rules, you’ll have to quit the game, Jeff,” Bael said evenly.
“Are you going to let me through?”
The other shook his head. “No. We can’t let you go any further.”
“So what am I supposed to do now?”
“One of two things: either go back, or join us.”
“And what about my mission here?”
“Quit playing tin soldier, Jeff. Y
