Chapter 33 · The Last Red Spike

"Don't let go." I'm gripping Amy's hand so tight I'm scared I'll break it, but she's shaking and her skin's gone the wrong color.

"I won't," she whispers. Her voice cracks.

The train lurches. She makes this sound, small and choked, and I smell it again. Blood. Fresh. Too much of it. The gash on her arm's still pouring and every lurch of the wheels makes it worse.

"Look at me," I say. "Amy. Eyes on me."

She blinks. Slow. Her pupils are huge.

No. Not like this.

I pull her toward the roof hatch, trying to keep us both upright. The train's rocking too hard. Something's wrong with the track. Or the engine. Or we're going too fast. I don't know. I just know we're running out of time.

"Can you climb down?"

She doesn't answer. Just stares at her arm like she doesn't recognize it.

"Amy."

Nothing.

I glance forward. Edith's up on the coal car, spike hammer in one hand, soot smeared across her face. She's moving like she's got a plan. Or like she's about to smash something. Hard to tell with her.

But I can't think about Edith right now.