* * *

Seventeenth Awake, 18 Juli 2207

The awakes and sleeps pass again and everything is as it was, except
that our food and oil becomes less, and our tiredness greater. Several
times during our walk we have found a little water in the passage. How
wonderful it would be if we could so easily find more food and oil.

Although Bruno shows no sign that he wants to hurt Theodor again,
Theodor is still terribly frightened of him, and stays as far from him
as possible. Before each sleep, Doctor Dorn makes Theodor open his
shoulder pack and show him the food he has left. His food is being used
up as fast as ours is now.

* * * * *

Eighteenth Awake, 19 Juli 2207

Eighteen awakes and sleeps we have walked in Black Passage. To the mind,
it is forever.

The passage has begun to climb a little. This is not a good thing.

* * * * *

Nineteenth Awake, 20 Juli 2207

I write this during rest.

We have come to a Dead City. No lamps are lighted in the dark street
passages and all the cubicles are empty. We have found many other
passages going out of the City, and we must now decide which is the best
to try. I do not think this will be difficult. One of the passages seems
newer than any of the others, much newer and larger than Black Passage
through which we have walked for so long. There are lamps in this
passage, and even though they are not lighted, they would not have been
put there unless the passage went to some other City. Although this
other city may be dead also, hope is now a little greater. Doctor Dorn
calls this passage Hope Passage. Another thing that adds to hope is the
way the passage goes down so steeply.

Hope Passage was found many hours ago, sleep time has now come, and yet
a decision has not been made. Much of this is because of Nina. Although
she has spoken very little, the things she has said have made Doctor
Dorn behave very strangely.

When he asked each of us if we thought Hope Passage would be the best
one to follow, everyone but Nina said yes right away. Even Bruno nodded.
But when he asked Nina, she did not answer so quickly. Then she said if
we all thought Hope Passage was the best, it was probably so.

But Doctor Dorn was not satisfied. Did she not think so herself, he
asked. Was there something about Hope Passage she did not like? Was
there some other passage she thought might be better?

I could feel Nina's finge