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Ae on a er as if it were her pet instead of a biblical locust designed to torture people in true apocalyptic style

Beneath her oversized T-shirt, I know that Paige’s ribs stick out in clear lines It hurt to see the when I put her to bed She has circles around her eyes, and her hands are nothing but bones as she plays nurse to the rass beside her pets I’ve noticed she sits every chance she gets I think she’s conserving energy I think she’s starving to death

I have to force myself to walk toward theet comfortable around them As I near, the locusts fly away, rass and show her the can of tuna ‘Remember the tuna sandwiches Dad used to etarian’ I pull open the pop-top can and show her the pink fish inside

Paige leans away from the can

‘Remember how Dad used to plop the tuna onto the bread and make a smiley face with it? That used towhen he’ll be co back The answer is never ‘We don’t need hireat if that were true? I’m not sure I’d come back if I were him I wonder if he thinks of us

She looks atsoothing to say, but I just don’t have it in ers and put it up to her mouth ‘Here Try a piece’

She shakes her head sadly back and forth

‘Coround like she’s ashamed The hollows in her cheeks and between her collarbones scare ood’

She peeks at ry?’ I ask

She nods For a second, her eyes dip down to the bandage onwith blood

She looks away as if asha above us But her eyes keep drifting back to ood

Maybe it’s ti the can dohen I hear an ani It sounds like a hyena I’nize the sound of a predator in the wild My hackles rise on the back of my neck

A shadow jumps between the trees to my left

Another shadow leaps between branches, then several more

And as the next one jumps closer to the nearest tree, I see the shape of teeth and wings

Hellions

A lot of the froh keeps up its steady call as the e’s locusts fly toward the hellions But there are too e’s hand, and we run toward theto sense how close unseen claws are to sinking into me

I yell toward the house ‘Hellions!’

Raffe looks out the dining room