Bug was amazed at how many people now clogged the streets and walkways in the center of Pirim Village. Every time she tried moving quickly, someone stepped in front of her or stopped to stare. In her haste to get back to Corey, she bumped into a flustered man carrying an unstable stack of boxes, sending the stack tumbling to the walk and its contents scattering in every direction.
“Sorry!” Bug squealed. The man just stood there looking angry. Somewhere on the other side of town, Corey sat alone. Bug bit her lip and fought the urge to just keep going. But as soon as she bent over to help the man, she caught sight of an all too familiar face behind her.
Bug’s eyes widened, as she saw the look on Card’s face. Quickly she straightened, mumbled a hoarse apology to the man she had run into, and as swiftly as her legs would carry her, moved on, praying that Card was only passing through.
But there was a hungry look in his eyes. What Card was hungry for, she trembled to think about.
Everyone knew what he was like.
Quickly, she shot a glance back over her shoulder. Every muscle in her body seemed on the verge of locking up. If she didn’t force her legs to keep moving as fear lanced through her, she might miss a step and stumble.
Card was maybe thirty feet behind her and gaining. He made no attempt to disguise the expression on his face. In desperation, Bug cast her eyes about for a familiar face. No matter how hard she looked, she found no one. Although there were people everywhere, she had never felt so alone in her entire life. With a frightened gasp, she took off running.