“I’ll give you something to help you rest. That way, tomorrow will get here faster.”
I think to explain to Anders how time doesn’t move any faster when you’re asleep, but maybe he knows that. And if he doesn’t, I don’t want to hurt his feelings.
The food does arrive after the bell rings again. I realize the noise is from the door. The bell signals the arrival of new people. Much like how the Volkshalberd blow a horn for meals and meetings or the Dandelions rang the chimes.
Anders looks over the white boxes filled with food. “I didn’t know what to get you, so I kept it simple. Meat, vegetables. If you don’t like it, we can get something else.”
Inhaling the scent, I feel lightheaded. Then I see how much is in the containers and nearly cry.
“I could feed my family with this,” I say, staring at what is supposed to be just mine.
Anders rests his hand on my shoulder, and his eyes search my face. “Tomorrow, I’ll get them whatever food they want. They can eat until their bellies are full. I promise.”
I wipe a tear from my cheek. “My heart hurts with guilt,” I whisper, both craving to gorge myself on this feast and knowing my family will get nearly nothing.
“Your mama would want you to eat,” Anders says, using his words to make me behave.
Nodding, I know he’s right. Mama wouldn’t want me to starve.
The broccoli and peppers are the best. The meat tastes weird. The potatoes are all smashed up with sauce on it. But the food fills my stomach in a way I haven’t felt in years.
Anders eats so much food that I don’t know how he doesn’t vomit. Even though he’s a big man, I can’t imagine where it goes inside him. I’m still wondering about that when he puts the food away and walks me down a flight of stairs to an underground bunker with more couches.
Anders takes my hand when I hesitate at the entrance of a new room. There are chairs on different levels and a big black thing on the wall.
“It’s for the movie,” he explains and then tells me to sit down in one of the puffy chairs.
A few minutes pass while Anders thinks too hard about what to watch. I saw movies and television shows on his phone. I know what they are, and I don’t care what we watch. I just like seeing the people and places.
“This was my favorite movie when I was a kid,” he says, doing something on a little machine. “I’m sorry if you don’t like it.”
“I’m not a kid,” I remind him.
“No, but it’s also my favorite movie as a grown-up.”
Smiling, I like knowing this movie means so much to Anders. He wants to show me his life after so long of only talking about it.
Anders sits in the puffy chair next to mine. Then the lights in the room turn off, and the black thing on the wall gets brighter. I grab his hand, scared by the noises around me.
“The movie is starting,” he says softly.
I wish Anders weren’t so excited about showing me his favorite movie. If I could be honest, I’d tell him that I don’t like this room and want to leave. Instead, I’m forced to keep my mouth shut.
Then the movie begins, and I can’t think of Mama or the Village or Rusten’s bleeding head. I just see the man on the screen running from a huge, round rock. Then he’s in an airplane with a snake.
Bouncing in my seat, I can’t wait to find out what happens next. Anders chuckles next to me, most definitely relieved I like his favorite movie. He’s so happy that I bet he forgets to worry about Bronco and the other biker men.
It’s just him and me and Indiana Jones.
ANDERS
The movie is a hit with Pixie, leaving her smiling like crazy. Then she asks a lot of questions and wants to watch the next film in the series. Despite her excitement, I suspect her real goal is to stay up and avoid sleeping without her family.
Knowing tomorrow might turn out ugly, I offer her a shot of whiskey. After the second one, she doesn’t care about movies or families. She can barely speak once the liquor hits her hard. I carry her to my bed, where she closes her eyes and doesn’t move for hours.