“Em,” she said, “I made it to Camp Four.” As she spoke, her voice rasping against her throat, she could feel every burnt-out nerve ending in her body, every knotted muscle. “I’m almost there, anyway. I’m going to strike for Camp Five immediately. I heard a Tunneler a while ago, but I think it’s gone now. But my battery is low. I might have fucked up, in the climb, and I just . . . I just wanted to tell you, in case I don’t get to talk to you again—” In case I don’t get to talk to anybody ever again— That what? I’m sorry for taking steps to protect myself and keep you from doing this to
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