those early days. We didn’t try to take anything, so that made us less of a threat. There were too many people in direct competition for all of the available food. As we walked past people killing each other, Mum told us not to look, but I did. You have to, right? I wish I’d grabbed some of the food though. What I’d do for a bag of crisps right now.”
Holding his rumbling stomach, Michael groaned. “Aw, don’t talk about food. I’ve been trying to ignore how hungry I am for days.”
Michael frowned hard when he put his full weight on his leg. Although not as sharp, a deep ache ran through the joint. It felt like it could give way beneath him at any moment. He stared into the supermarket again. Hopefully he wouldn’t need to run any time soon.
***
The conversation had died since the supermarket, so Michael said, “Why don’t you wait until you get to the edge of the city with me before you decide whether you’re going to stay or not?”
“Persistent little shit, aren’t you? I don’t want to leave the city; you already know that.”
Despite trying his best to mask it, Michael couldn’t keep the desperate whine from his voice. “Will you just think about it, please?” He couldn’t survive without her.
Lola scowled at him but soon relaxed. “Fine; if it’ll shut you up, I’ll think about going with you and tell you when we’re at the edge of the city.”
When Michael smiled, Lola cut a sharp hand through the air. “But drop it now, yeah? And remember, I’m not making any promises at all.”
He’d already pushed his luck, so Michael didn’t say anything else. Instead, he looked across at the park next to the supermarket. There were swings, slides, and even a huge pirate ship. The absence of children made the recreational area look haunted.
“I know you feel like you’ve bailed me out several times, Lola, and you have, but I’m not completely useless. I’ve saved you a few times. It was me who got us off the bridge eventually.”
“Whilst fucking your ankle up and expecting me to carry you for miles. Sure, you made the decision of where to go, but you fucked up, and I had to deal with the consequences.”
“Well, what about back in the library? If it wasn’t for me, those boys would have seen us, broken in, and taken us.”
“Taken us where? Why would they want us? It’s not like they have a prison to keep us in. Maybe the boys were friendly.”
Michael shook his head. “Who in this city’s friendly?”
“I am.”
Michael laughed, and Lola threw him a stern glare. “Shh, you need to keep your voice down. Anyway, maybe you have been a help to me. If nothing else, you’ve given me some harebrained ideas that made me laugh.”
Instead of biting at her goading, Michael held eye contact with the girl. “See, where else would you get this level of entertainment if we part ways when we get to the edge of the city?”
The first creases of a smile spread away from the edges of Lola’s mouth as she stared straight ahead and continued her brisk pace.
Secret Stash
The cold wind stung Michael’s eyes as they walked the streets on high alert just in case. It had been a few hours since they’d left the library, and as yet, there had been no danger—long may it stay that way. Maybe everyone was too concerned with the raging inferno that dominated the skyline. The library had gone up so well, it sat like a sun on the horizon.
The ache in Michael’s ankle had grown progressively worse. A cold layer of sweat stood out on his brow and he winced every time he put pressure on it. But he didn’t say anything to Lola.
A heavy drop of cold rain landed on his head and Michael looked up at the sky. He flinched when a drop landed in his eye.
Before he could say anything, he saw Lola hold her hand out, palm up as if to catch the drops. “It’s too fucking cold to be wet as well. It won’t be long until morning. We should find somewhere to stay for the day.”
Thank god. “Cool, if you think that’s the right thing to do.”
Lola looked up at the sky and then back at Michael again. “Do you think we should keep going?”
Michael shook his head. Maybe he’d acted too cool. “No, I think we should stop too. Like you said, we don’t