They were always on Ryan to get meaner, to get tougher. I think it worked.

Ryan and I worked as hard as we could every day. All we wanted to do was to show that we belonged up here, that we wanted to stay up here and that we never have to play another game down there.

I couldn't think of a meaner thing that could happen.

Wait!" I called. Too loud. All around me, the trees seemed to be listening, injured at hearing such a loud voice when they had been used to whispers and silence.

Despite what was happening, Victoria loved Alyssa.

Loved her enough to kill her.

From the moment I said it, I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. My Ryder instincts and my Ryder conscience needed to get it together. One refused to let me back down, while the other condemned my actions in not doing so.