Chapter 22: Dare Me

Susanna's POV

The broadcast came back at dawn, and by noon the meadow held more people than the ridge had ever fit.

Keir had told me everything in the lodge at five, with a flash drive in his palm and his hands bare.

"She came to me," he said. "I don't trust her."

"You don't have to," I said. "You only have to play it."

The finale was a signal fire.

Each finalist got one road flare from the emergency kit and a pile of dry wood.

Whoever's fire was seen first from the valley road took the vote.

The producer had picked it months ago, to make Colson look good.

I had asked Ben to nail up one extra sign.

It was hand-painted, black on white, and it stood on a stump at the edge of the clearing between us.

*BURN BAN IN EFFECT.*

Colson saw it when he walked out and stopped.

"Cute," he said.

"The committee insisted. Safety."

He gave a short laugh and picked up his flare. Eleven million people watched him weigh it in his hand.

"Dare me, Sue?" he said, to the lens, in his big warm voice. "I'll light it for the whole country."

It was the exact phrase.

For six years it had lived in a phone video at the bottom of a drive.

Now I heard it come out of his mouth, with the sun lighting his hair gold.

"Yes," I said. "I dare you."

He blinked.

"Do you remember what you said the last time you held one of those?"

"Susanna." His smile held. "We're live."

"Ben. Play it."

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