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I reached out and grabbed her hand, unsure of what else to do.<br />
“Hey,” the man said, holding the girl’s hand loosely in his. His head, lips, and nose were badly<br />
sunburned, his eyes were sunken, and his cheekbones had just begun to protrude. The girl didn’t seem<br />
as affected by the elements or hunger as he did, but she didn’t lift her eyes from the ground. Even<br />
though she was tethe<strong>red</strong> to the man by the hand, she didn’t stand close to him.<br />
“I’m Kevin. This is my daughter, Elleny,” he said, breathing hard through his smiling lips.<br />
“Hi, Elleny,” Scarlet said, her smooth mom voice automatic and natural.<br />
When Elleny didn’t acknowledge her, Kevin shrugged. “She’s been through a lot.”<br />
Scarlet tilted her head. “How old are you, Elleny”<br />
“She’s fourteen,” Kevin said. “Is this your place”<br />
Scarlet looked at Kevin, and then at me. He was a little weird, but Scarlet and I both knew we<br />
wouldn’t turn away a child. “Pretty much. There’s water and food inside,” she said, gesturing toward<br />
the door. “But you’ll have to leave your weapon outside.” Scarlet looked down to the fire poker in<br />
his right hand.<br />
Kevin wasted no time, laying down the poker and pulling Elleny along with him.<br />
Scarlet showed them around the kitchen while I got Zoe situated at the table with Ashley.<br />
“Who is that” Ashley whispe<strong>red</strong>.<br />
“Survivors,” I said. “A father and daughter.”<br />
Ashley made a face. I knew what she was thinking. Kevin looked like a skeleton, and Elleny was<br />
nearly plump, the baby fat still bulging her cheeks just enough to make her look younger than fourteen.<br />
Her green eyes and chestnut hair were opposite Kevin’s ice-blue eyes. Her round features stood out<br />
from his boney face and pointy nose.<br />
“Zoe doesn’t look like me, either.”<br />
“Yes she does,” Ashley said, smiling down at my daughter, who smiled back.<br />
Ashley and Zoe worked on her times tables and read for about half an hour, and then they worked<br />
on an old puzzle of Ashley’s, putting together all fifty of the United States. Once they were finished,<br />
Zoe returned to the porch again.<br />
“So what do you think” I said to Scarlet. She was cleaning out the refrigerator, throwing away<br />
uneaten food.<br />
“This is a goddamn waste, that’s what I think.”<br />
“About Kevin.”<br />
“I told him they could sleep in the doctor’s bed until we get things figu<strong>red</strong> out. He didn’t say if<br />
they’re staying or going on. I figu<strong>red</strong> you and Zoe could sleep downstairs for now. I didn’t really<br />
want them down there with all the weapons and supplies. Oh, unless you think that will bother Zoe”<br />
“No, no. I’ll explain it to her. She’ll have plenty of time to prepare.” I looked into the living room<br />
and saw Elleny sitting alone on the couch. I walked toward the porch to start the process of preparing<br />
Zoe for the move, and saw Kevin sitting next to my daughter, side by side, on the top step. He had his<br />
arm planted on the porch, a bit behind her.<br />
“Zoe,” I said, opening the door quickly. “I need you inside for a minute. We need to talk.”<br />
Kevin immediately pulled away his hand, but his expression was calm and relaxed. “You got a
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