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I’d assuht, we’d be free to run until then

‘The fire isus’

‘They are,’ I say ‘They’re herding us for their hunt’

‘So we’re sitting ducks,’ says someone in the crowd ‘That’s it then?’

‘The best we can do is run and hide and hope they don’t find us?’ There’s an edge of anger in their voices

Everyone starts talking at once

An anxious voice rises above the noise ‘Can soirl?’

We all look at the man in the croho yelled out his question He’s a skinny irls about the age of ten stand beside hiirl behind him and the other in front of hio back out on the road’

Both girls begin crying The girl peering around behind hi pushed forward

Some of us watch with quiet sympathy while others look on in horror But even the most compassionate hesitate to step forward to take on the responsibility of feeding and protecting a helpless kid when everyone is either predator or prey

Not everybody looks like their heart is being wrenched, though A featch the girl with cold, crafty eyes Any second now, one of the away your daughter?’ I ask, stunned

He shakes his head ‘I’d never do that She’s hter’s friend who caels invaded’

‘Then she’s your faritted teeth

The man looks around at the faces around him ‘I don’t knohat else to do I can’t protect her I can’t feed her She’ll be better off with someone else My only other choice is to just abandon her I just can’t keep ood ar he had hid her before he caught everyone’s attention

‘She’s your fa

‘Look, I’ve kept her alive all this time,’ yells the father ‘But I can’t do it anyhter alive I’ what I need to do to try to protecte found in the department store What happened to his people? If we scatter now, are we each going to find ourselves dying alone in a dark place with no one to care if we’re eaten alive?

The only thing thatmade by a kid he loved It dawns onman were part of a spiderweb connection that spelled fa eaten alive That’s what reht for her hu , flawed people – areto protect my sister and mother But I can’t watch my own people splinter off and die and maybe tear each other to pieces while they’re at it

‘We’re all your family’ I echo Obi’s words ‘You’re not alone And neither is she’ I nod toward the tre in the middle of the yard with no one beside her