Page 11 of Hero

His mouth quirks up again. It’s his version of a laugh. “That works.”

With that decided, I head into the cabin to find out what Rina thinks of her new doll and clothes.

* * *

For the rest of the afternoon, we work on cleaning and deboning and carving the fish Zed and Rina caught so we can dry them in strips. Zed fries one of them up for dinner, and we eat it with some canned beans. It’s a pretty good dinner, and Rina is happy as I give her an evening bath.

I’m outside, cleaning up the yard after the work we’ve done on the fish, when Zed puts her to bed and then comes back out.

“She wanted Buddy to sleep with her.”

“I’m sure she did. I don’t think he’s ready for bed yet.” The dog is still snooping around the yard, getting all the new scents in mental order.

“He seems pretty good-natured.”

“Yes. That’s what I think too.” I’ve been raking some of the mess of bones and scales out of the grass, but now I lean on the old rake and watch Buddy. “He’ll be good company.”

“Don’t get too attached.”

“Telling me that isn’t going to do any good.”

“You think I don’t know that?” He shakes his head. “You had a good haul today.”

“Yeah, but most of it was from the looters. There’s not much left to be scavenged. In any of the towns nearby.”

“I know.” He meets my eyes. “I don’t know how long the fish are going to hold out in the river either.”

Neither of us say anything to this. We both know it’s reality. The only reason we’ve managed here so long is because of access to a large river with a supply of fish that isn’t easily depleted. But that’s not going to last forever. When there’s nothing left to scavenge and when it’s too hard to find enough fish for us to live on, we’re going to have to leave like everyone else already did in this region.

Most people head west. There are supposed to be developed communities there—some even with growing infrastructure. Zed, Rina, and I will have to go eventually too. Rina is okay right now, but soon she’s going to need other kids. She can’t live with no one but me and Zed for her entire life.

We’ve always known the life we have here can only be temporary.

But packing up and moving somewhere else will be so dangerous. We’re not ready to do it yet.

It’s getting dark outside, and I turn my head when I hear something rustling in the woods behind us.

Zed steps in front of me quickly, blocking me with his body from whatever is moving out there unseen.

I don’t know if he knows what it is or not, but his voice is low as he says, “It’s getting late. Let’s get inside.”

I call for the dog and head for the door, propping the rake up in its place before I step inside.

Rina is already asleep.

In the life before this one, it would have been far too early for bedtime. It’s probably only seven or eight in the evening. But it’s dark and there’s nothing left to do for the day. So I go into the room I share with Rina and wash up and change into my pajamas.

The dog comes with me, and he jumps on my bed after I climb under the covers.

I don’t have the heart to tell him no, so he falls asleep in a ball at the foot of my bed.

2

I wakeup a few hours later, gasping and shaking.

Sitting up in bed, I blink in the dark room, trying to catch my breath and slow my heartbeat.

Maybe I had a nightmare. If I did, I can’t remember what it was. All I know is that I was jolted awake by a surge of fear.

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