"Think y'all can climb a tree, Rabbit? It's the best way t' get outta the dogs' reach an' most of the monsters' reaches without headin' into the city." Jeremy might be taller but Ellis could tell that he'd lost some weight in the process of healing. "I wouldn't risk the city itself...got this bad vibe from it an' I ain't seen people come outta it."

And that was terrifying enough, given the circumstances of this particular Arena. Children were being slaughtered and they would never come back.

"There's an old Castle built around these places, people are probably holed up there an' we'll make better time in the mornin'."

El may sound goofy but he's been through survival enough times to help others.