caught a glimpse of Lola, he saw her glaring at George.
George pulled his next marshmallow from the fire, spun it on the stick as he examined it, and then pushed it back in again. “I have to ask, Michael, what’s with the outfit?”
“My clothes got soaked, and this was all we could find in the house we were in.”
“That’s a rough deal, buddy.”
Despite the heat of it, Michael put the rest of his marshmallow in his mouth anyway, took a fresh one from the packet, and tried to copy George’s technique. The trick seemed to be to keep it constantly turning because they set alight too easily. “Where’s your sister now, George? You killed my dad so you could rescue her, so where is she?”
Although Michael felt Lola staring at him, he didn’t look back. Instead, he watched George balk at the question.
“I don’t know. The complex I was staying in was overrun, and I was the only one who got out. I have no idea where Dean kept her. She could be anywhere, and the chances are she’ll be dead before I find her.” Removing a piece of paper from his top pocket, he passed it to Michael. “All I have is this letter.”
It was George who was shaking now, the letter trembling at the end of his outstretched arm.
Michael unfolded it and stared at the blue writing on the white paper. Although she didn’t say anything, Lola watched him, so he cleared his throat and read it aloud. “‘To my Dearest George, I’m writing you this letter to let you know I’m okay. Mostly. I’m as big as a house and I have cankles, but I’m okay. I’m due to give birth any day now, and Dean has me in a safe place. I’ll be able to have your new niece or nephew without any problems. I have good people with me—Dean has seen to that. I’ve heard you’re doing well with getting food sorted out. I’m not surprised because you and Dean are both very resourceful. Please don’t worry about me. I’m fine and will be fine. I’m so excited to be a mum and to introduce the little bean to its Uncle George. Take care. All my love and so much more, Sally’.”
Michael saw the dampness of grief glistening in George’s eyes. Not that it mattered. He didn’t care about George’s feelings. “We thought you’d save us from the rest of the men, but you didn’t.”
George took a deep breath, steeled himself, and nodded. “I’ll do anything I can to make that up to you. I promise.”
“I lost the last of my family because of you. It’s sad about your sister, but you did to me what Dean has done to you. You broke my family.”
“I can see why you’d think that, Michael, but Dean did it for pleasure. I got no joy from what happened with your dad. If you’ll just give me a chance, I promise I’ll do everything within my power to protect you.”
All he’d wanted to hear since he’d lost his dad was that someone would look out for him. He’d never expected to hear it from George though. “How can you protect me? You said there’s nowhere safe to be.”
“There isn’t; which is why I want to be the one to look out for you.”
“The one to look out for me? You put me in this situation. Besides, what do you know about looking out for someone? All I’ve seen you do is kill. How do I know you’re not lying to me? How do I know you’re not still in with them?”
“You don’t,” George said. “All I can do is swear to you on my dead son’s life that I’ll do everything I can to protect you.”
“Dead son?”
George lifted his top up to show Michael the twisted scars that wrapped around his torso like the bark of a strange tree. It was like staring at melted wax, and the beginnings of a heave rose up Michael’s throat. “My son was two years old when he died. I fell asleep at home and left the oven on. By the time I’d woken up, he was burning in his bedroom. I killed him. It’s why I had to stay around with Dean’s gang. It was why I couldn’t give up on my sister before I had to. It’s why I don’t want there to be any more suffering. I’m tired of the suffering, Michael.”
Lola stood up, put an unlit cigarette in her