found in the bunkroom. She made it look cool, somehow.
I had on a white T-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants.
We all sat around the table (the table was just beyond the kitchen, but before the bunkroom) and grinned at one another.
Mario busied himself fussing in the kitchen and both telling us not to eat too fast and also to eat more at the same time.
We kept offering Mario some soup, but he waved us away.
‘I hate that lentil soup,’ he grouched. ‘I’m glad to give it to you. Now, I won’t have to eat it.’
‘More, please,’ Ulysses said, holding out his bowl.
Mario ruffled Ulysses’s hair.
He could be nice, when he wasn’t barking out orders or yelling at us about hot water.
Just as we finished eating, Niko woke up.
Mario sent him right to the shower.
While Niko was in the shower, Mario decided we needed to get Max clean, too. Mario and I stripped Max down to his undies, which was weird since Max was totally konked out. But he really did need to get clean. He had so many blisters and open sores – I knew he was at risk of infection.
Sahalia helped me to carry Max to the shower where we basically handed him to Niko, who was just rinsing off.
Niko held Max while I lathered him up.
Mario had taped plastic Baggies over Max’s bandaged feet, but blood from his face and his other blisters went swirling down the drain along with grit and general filth. I had had plenty of that, too, during my shower.
Eventually the water went clear, though it did take longer than two minutes. Mario looked the other way on that one.
‘Lay him down on the last bunk,’ Mario directed when the shower was done. He had sealed Niko’s and Max’s clothes in a bag
Niko walked out of the shower wet and completely naked and lay Max in the bunk.
I admire Niko. Sometimes I don’t know how he does it. He didn’t seem to care at all that Sahalia could see his naked everything. I would have rather died.
The air filter, finally, turned off.
‘That’s a relief,’ Mario said.
The bunks were long and narrow. We could fit two kids on each, toe to toe. Sahalia took the first one with Ulysses at her feet. I took the one above them.
I got into bed and it felt like heaven. To be safe and warm again was the best feeling in the world.
Mario came over and tucked me in. It was cute. And I kind of liked it.
‘Mr Scietto?’ I asked quietly.
‘Yes?’
‘Do we really have to leave tomorrow? I just wanted to know.’
‘We’ll see, Alex. I don’t know. It depends on the power system.’
‘If we could stay for a couple more days, I know Max would get better…’
Mario did that corny old bit where he pretended to grab my nose.
‘You’re a good boy. You follow directions and you’re polite,’ he said. ‘Maybe you should think about staying with me. I have enough provisions for two, to last us near seven weeks, if we’re careful. I rather think the mess upstairs will be sorted by then.’
It was nice, to be asked. I said I would think about it.
But I didn’t really think about it. I mean, I did like the idea of working on his system. And I didn’t want to go back into the violent, horrible world above.
But I didn’t really think about it. Not for very long, anyway.
19 ALEX
I TOTALLY BLEW IT. I blew it for us.
The air filter came on. That’s all.
It was the middle of the night and everyone was asleep and I knew Mario would be upset it was on again, so I just thought I would take a look at the system. I figured there had to be a way to shut it off manually.
I went quietly to the door to the machine room and it came right open.
Then I heard Mario’s voice say, ‘Stop! No!’
But it was too late.
I saw what was inside.
Now he’s packing things. I can hear him in the dark, muttering to himself and cursing. He’s bustling all around, opening drawers. A little while ago he was back here in the bunk area, taking clothes out of a drawer.
He would have let us stay for a few more days, I just know it.
He would have let us stay until Max could walk again.
But I had to go looking in the machine room. And I saw her body there.
All wrapped up like a mummy.
His wife. It had to be.
The shape of a body is the shape of a body. You cannot pretend you didn’t see it or that you do not recognize it for what it is. Even if you really, really want to.
Mario scurried over and shut the door.
‘Nosy, nosy, nosy!’ he whispered. ‘You had to go poking around!’
‘What’s going on?’ came Niko’s voice, instantly alert.
‘What’s wrong?’ said Sahalia.
‘Nothing,’ I said softly. ‘I just opened the wrong door. Everyone go back to sleep.’
They were quiet after a moment.
Mario gestured for me to follow him into the kitchen. He glared at me for a long moment. I noticed he was trembling.
Then he whispered, ‘I built this place for us to share, me and Judy. I wasn’t going to stay here without her. She couldn’t make me promise and I won’t do it!’
I tried to talk to him, to make him understand that I wouldn’t tell about… Judy.
But he just pointed toward my bunk.
In the morning I saw he’d laid out all this stuff for us to take with us. A set of clothes for each kid. Three new backpacks that were loaded with water and these protein shakes you can drink with a built-in straw so Max and Niko can even drink them on the road.
And he’d cleaned our boots and masks.
He does care about us, but he’s making us leave.
Niko took the news very well.
He just nodded and said, ‘You gave us more than you said you would and we’re thankful.’
While we all got ready, I saw Niko hand Mario a letter. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I bet the letter is for Josie. I don’t know how Niko thinks that Mario would come across Josie. Chances are better that she’d find us on the road. But, I guess it can’t hurt to be prepared.
After Mario showed Niko all the stuff he was giving us, Niko thanked him again.
‘Do you have any rope?’ Niko asked him.
