zombie,” she whispered in my ear. “I’m going to get you out of here. And I plan on being nice about it. But let me make it clear, if you so much as put a hand on
Dylan, I’ll break your fingers.”
She released me as quickly as she’d grabbed me and went back to her space in the corner. There was something tingling down my back that I hadn’t felt in years. A rush of cold crept
in, almost like what I had felt in the big cabin, but this time it was both worse, and better.
“Don’t worry,” I said, as the feeling retreated. “I’m not interested in that Neanderthal.”
• • •
I hid until dinner. I didn’t go back to the guys’ bunkhouse or to the Big House to see if I could be helpful. Today was a good day to lie low. I stayed tucked in the
outskirts of the woods, trying to align my thoughts.
I took Mackenzie for myself. I was still shocked at the thought.
I’d seen her before when I’d been out watching the houses, and she always seemed a little different. I remember once—before I raided her neighbor’s place—watching
her pick a wildflower. People in towns didn’t do things like that anymore. Another time I saw her stretch and pull her body all the way up on her tiptoes. That was months ago. Apparently,
I’d been watching her far more than was essential. The only thing I could attribute it to was affection for her and, now that I understood that, I had to figure out what to do next. I decided
I only had two options: throw myself into it full force, or take her home immediately.
The bells rang in the distance—time for dinner. Thankfully I now felt calm and hungry enough to rejoin the others. Still, I waited a few minutes. I wanted to give her time to eat and leave
if she wanted to.
The main cabin—the Big House—was a mess at meal times. It was the one place that could hold all sixty-four, well sixty-five, of us at once. By the time I entered, nearly everyone had
settled into their usual places: families in groups, couples and singles together in the back, and the kids running around between bites.
I saw that Monica, Tanya, and Alicia had brought Mackenzie. Gabe and Andrew were sitting with them. I planned to grab my food and go. Mackenzie looked so uncomfortable in the middle of that
swarm, and I could only make it worse.
I flew down the line grabbing the last few scraps of the meal. It was a meatless night.
“Hey, Dylan!”
I turned to see Monica at the table, smiling and waving me over. Mackenzie looked almost nervous. Impressive.
I walked over and sat across from Monica and next to Tanya. I didn’t know what to say, so I just listened to Gabe explain to Mackenzie that we weren’t bad people, it’s just
that we needed soap and shampoo and stuff.
She didn’t seem interested. Her eyes were flickering over our trays, and then down to her prepackaged meal in front of her. I could see her begin to question the difference and to look at
ours with obvious longing.
Finally, as though she’d given up on being offered any of the cornbread or apple slices on our trays, she picked up a fork and started eating. She had chicken. I was a little jealous.
“So,” Monica said to me, ignoring the rest of the table, “when’s the next raid? I’m itching to go.”
“I think I’ve done enough damage for a while,” I mumbled.
Mackenzie quietly giggled.
Monica shot her a look, and I guessed they weren’t going to be best friends. Jesse had told me Mackenzie was my responsibility and I realized the things she would need the most protection
from were at this very table.
“But we need new clothes for the little ones, Dylan,” Monica whined. “The twins have all but destroyed theirs.”
A little slowly, Mackenzie spoke. “You guys have babies here?”
The table slowly looked at her. I guess she thought we weren’t capable.
“Yes, cow,” Monica started. “We have babies here. We have a doctor and everything.”
Mackenzie scowled as she took another spoonful
Dylan, I’ll break your fingers.”
She released me as quickly as she’d grabbed me and went back to her space in the corner. There was something tingling down my back that I hadn’t felt in years. A rush of cold crept
in, almost like what I had felt in the big cabin, but this time it was both worse, and better.
“Don’t worry,” I said, as the feeling retreated. “I’m not interested in that Neanderthal.”
• • •
I hid until dinner. I didn’t go back to the guys’ bunkhouse or to the Big House to see if I could be helpful. Today was a good day to lie low. I stayed tucked in the
outskirts of the woods, trying to align my thoughts.
I took Mackenzie for myself. I was still shocked at the thought.
I’d seen her before when I’d been out watching the houses, and she always seemed a little different. I remember once—before I raided her neighbor’s place—watching
her pick a wildflower. People in towns didn’t do things like that anymore. Another time I saw her stretch and pull her body all the way up on her tiptoes. That was months ago. Apparently,
I’d been watching her far more than was essential. The only thing I could attribute it to was affection for her and, now that I understood that, I had to figure out what to do next. I decided
I only had two options: throw myself into it full force, or take her home immediately.
The bells rang in the distance—time for dinner. Thankfully I now felt calm and hungry enough to rejoin the others. Still, I waited a few minutes. I wanted to give her time to eat and leave
if she wanted to.
The main cabin—the Big House—was a mess at meal times. It was the one place that could hold all sixty-four, well sixty-five, of us at once. By the time I entered, nearly everyone had
settled into their usual places: families in groups, couples and singles together in the back, and the kids running around between bites.
I saw that Monica, Tanya, and Alicia had brought Mackenzie. Gabe and Andrew were sitting with them. I planned to grab my food and go. Mackenzie looked so uncomfortable in the middle of that
swarm, and I could only make it worse.
I flew down the line grabbing the last few scraps of the meal. It was a meatless night.
“Hey, Dylan!”
I turned to see Monica at the table, smiling and waving me over. Mackenzie looked almost nervous. Impressive.
I walked over and sat across from Monica and next to Tanya. I didn’t know what to say, so I just listened to Gabe explain to Mackenzie that we weren’t bad people, it’s just
that we needed soap and shampoo and stuff.
She didn’t seem interested. Her eyes were flickering over our trays, and then down to her prepackaged meal in front of her. I could see her begin to question the difference and to look at
ours with obvious longing.
Finally, as though she’d given up on being offered any of the cornbread or apple slices on our trays, she picked up a fork and started eating. She had chicken. I was a little jealous.
“So,” Monica said to me, ignoring the rest of the table, “when’s the next raid? I’m itching to go.”
“I think I’ve done enough damage for a while,” I mumbled.
Mackenzie quietly giggled.
Monica shot her a look, and I guessed they weren’t going to be best friends. Jesse had told me Mackenzie was my responsibility and I realized the things she would need the most protection
from were at this very table.
“But we need new clothes for the little ones, Dylan,” Monica whined. “The twins have all but destroyed theirs.”
A little slowly, Mackenzie spoke. “You guys have babies here?”
The table slowly looked at her. I guess she thought we weren’t capable.
“Yes, cow,” Monica started. “We have babies here. We have a doctor and everything.”
Mackenzie scowled as she took another spoonful
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