how　could　that　be　possible?　“did　you—”

        “tried　it.”

        thomas　did　groan　this　time.　“okay,　what?”

        “we　threw　some　things　into　the　hole.　never　heard　them　land.　it　goes　on　for　a　long　time.”

        thomas　paused　before　he　replied,　not　wanting　to　be　cut　off　again.　“what　are　you,　a　mind　reader　or　something?”　he　threw　as　much　sarcasm　as　he　could　into　the　ment.

        “just　brilliant,　that’s　all.”　chuck　winked.

        “chuck,　never　wink　at　me　again.”　thomas　said　it　with　a　**ile.　chuck　was　a　little　annoying,　but　there　was　something　about　him　that　made　things　seem　less　terrible.　thomas　took　a　deep　breath　and　looked　back　toward　the　crowd　around　the　hole.　“so,　how　long　until　the　delivery　gets　here?”

        “usually　takes　about　half　an　hour　after　the　alarm.”

        thomas　thought　for　a　second.　there　had　to　be　something　they　hadn’t　tried.　“you’re　sure　about　the　hole?　have　you　ever　…”　he　paused,　waiting　for　the　interruption,　but　none　came.　“have　you　ever　tried　making　a　rope?”

        “yeah,　they　did.　with　the　ivy.　longest　one　they　could　possibly　make.　let’s　just　say　that　little　experiment　didn’t　go　so　well.”

        “what　do　you　mean?”　what　now?　thomas　thought.

        “i　wasn’t　here,　but　i　heard　the　kid　who　volunteered　to　do　it　had　only　gone　down　about　ten　feet　when　something　swooshed　through　the　air　and　cut　him　clean　in　half.”

        “what?”　thomas　laughed.　“i　don’t　believe　that　for　a　second.”

        “oh,　yeah,　**art　guy?　i’ve　seen　the　sucker’s　bones.　cut　in　half　like　a　knife　through　whipped　cream.　they　keep　him　in　a　box　to　remind　future　kids　not　to　be　so　stupid.”

        thomas　waited　for　chuck　to　laugh　or　**ile,　thinking　it　had　to　be　a　joke—who　ever　heard　of　someone　being　cut　in　half?　but　it　never　came.　“you’re　serious?”

        chuck　just　stared　back　at　him.　“i　don’t　lie,　gree—uh,　thomas.　e　on,　let’s　go　over　and　see　who’s　ing　up.　i　can’t　believe　you　only　have　to　be　the　greenbean　for　one　day.　klunkhead.”

        as　they　walked　over,　thomas　asked　the　one　question　he　hadn’t　posed　yet.　“how　do　you　know　it’s　not　just　supplies　or　whatever?”

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