Numbers 3: Infinity (24 page)

They disentangle themselves and stand up, holding hands.

The boys are miles away now, running towards the distant sea.

Mia and Gemma turn towards the dunes and set off walking. Their long shadows streak across the rippled surface of the sand, joined at the hand like cut-out paper dolls.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank everyone who has supported me during the writing of all three
Numbers
books:

David, for pointing me in the direction of the Frome Festival.

The Frome Festival, for encouraging me through their short story competition, and for matchmaking.

Friends and family who have hosted, and encouraged my writing, especially Mum and Dad, Ann and Peter in Spain, and Ann and Dave in Jersey.

Friends who have taken an interest in my writing, especially work-friends at Keynsham Town Council and Bath & North East Somerset Council.

Everyone at The Chicken House, who have done such a brilliant job, including Barry for all his wheeling and dealing, and especially, this time, Imogen, Rachel Leyshon and Chrissie.

All the lovely people involved in translating my books and publishing them outside the UK, especially those who have looked after me in various countries – Anja and Hilke in Germany, and Monique and Janetta in The Netherlands – and Elinor for making all this possible.

The wonderful librarians, School Library Service staff, teachers and journalists I’ve met who are so busy promoting and celebrating reading.

And finally, the readers, especially those who’ve written to me or come to see me speak. Your reaction to my books has meant the world to me.

Rachel Ward
April 2011

From the Chicken House

Rachel Ward’s
Numbers
series has fascinated the world. From Brazil to Beijing, the story of the teens that can
see
the date of your death has caught every reader’s imagination. Actually, it’s not about dying; it’s about how to live with the knowledge. That’s the secret – and it takes a rather terrifying last twist in this final book. Don’t close your eyes.

Barry Cunningham
Publisher

Copyright

Text © Rachel Ward 2011

First paperback edition published in Great Britain in 2011
This electronic edition published in 2012
The Chicken House
2 Palmer Street
Frome, Somerset BA11 1DS
United Kingdom
www.doublecluck.com

Rachel Ward has asserted her rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Produced in the UK by LibreDigital

Cover design by Steve Wells

British Library Cataloguing in Publication data available.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

eISBN: 978-1-908-43506-4