The Knife of Never Letting Go

Todd asks the girl who she is. In New World, girls were supposed to become women and wives at 13, but the girls had died like the women, killed by the Spackle noise germ.

Todd notices that her clothes are newer than his. The strangest thing, other than her existence, is that Todd can’t hear any Noise from her. He sees that she is frightened at first, but she soon stops shaking and watches him. He takes out the map and studies the arrows pointing up the river. While he’s distracted, she hits him with a stick, prepared to escape. As Todd falls, he swings the knife and cuts her arm. He then bandages her cut with a styptic pack. He tells her his name and then they hear footsteps and Noise. Aaron runs towards them.

Aaron pushes Todd against a tree and strangles him. During the previous attack, the crocs ripped off Aaron’s left ear and some of his left cheek. Manchee bites Aaron’s calf. Aaron pulls away and sees that the girl is gone. He asks where the sign is, and then he chases her.