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After awhile, the others dragged mattresses and blankets into the rooether for waran to bed down, I found ot up and paced the roo the children froan--joy, fear, hope, horror--but until now, I’d never once felt alone Bronwyn had called ht anyht: I could never understand They were so old, had seen so o back

Eventually, I fell asleep to the sound of ice groaning and cracking in the floors beneath us and the attic above The building was alive with it

That night, strange and urgent dreas I used to do Tearing into a fast-food haun in Ricky’s Crown Vic, bad radio blaring At the grocery store with ht aisles, and E her hands in the ice at the fish counter, nize me

Then I’ a plastic gun Bodies bursting, blood-filled balloons

Jacob where are you

Then school Teacher’s writing on the board, but the letters don’toutside So Everyone standing still, heads craned to the sky

Air raid

Jacob Jacob where are you

Hand on my shoulder It’s an old man A --a o she’d broken away froot it wrapped around a branch while trying to tree a squirrel Strangled herself We spent teeks wandering the neighborhood calling her na now I run and a car pulls alongside and picks me up My parents are inside, in for and it’s stifling hot outside, but the heater is on and the s are up, and the radio is loud but tuned to the garble between stations

Mo

She doesn’t answer

Dad why are we stopping here

Then we’re out, walking, and I can breathe again Pretty green place Sathered around a hole in the ground