“Okay,” Raven said. “Let’s stay here for a little while longer and see how she is. Then we can decide what to do.”
“Sounds reasonable,” Henry agreed.
They drank their coffee in silence, thinking their own thoughts.
The Next Morning
Raven woke early, light streamed in the windows of her orange room, making everything look too bright. She hadn’t gotten much sleep. Henry had stayed downstairs with Liz, falling asleep after a while on the floor. Raven had covered him with a spare blanket and taken herself to bed. It must’ve been around three when sleep finally claimed her, mind whirring from the combination of coffee and her own spinning thoughts.
She threw back her tangerine colored comforter and slipped on her leggings and jeans, thermal and sweatshirt. It was cold up here and that meant that they had neglected to tend the fire downstairs. Raven slipped on warm socks and boots. She trudged down the stairs yawning widely.
“Hey, sis,” Henry said. He was just stacking wood in the fireplace. Henry was still in his jammies, thermal top and thickly lined sweatpants. His hair was sticking up amusingly in all directions.
I wonder if he’ll want me to trim it, she thought, hoping he didn’t. Raven was terrible at cutting hair.
“Morning,” she said brightly, looking at the couch for Liz. She wasn’t there and Raven felt a moment of panic. “Where is she?” Raven asked, voice fearful.
“Don’t worry, sis,” Henry responded. “She’s in the kitchen with Rocky. I managed some oatmeal for breakfast and fed the dog.” He sounded rather proud of himself, puffing out his chest and grinning.
Raven laughed. “Good job,” she said, sarcastically patting his head. His hair sprang right back up. She turned, smiling, and walked into the kitchen.
“I made coffee too,” Henry’s voice floated in from the living room.
Raven smiled. “Hi, guys,” she said to Liz and Rocky.
Liz turned to her shyly. “Hi,” she answered.
“Did you sleep okay?” Raven asked, pouring herself some coffee and spooning oatmeal into a bowl. It was still warm from the stove and she added brown sugar, watching it melt.
“Yes, thank you,” Liz responded.
She wore her ratty sweatshirt that Raven had set to dry by the fire overnight. It looked dry despite the fire having gone out, but it was full of holes and that wouldn’t do. Her pants were ripped as well, leaving large swathes of her legs bare. Her feet were wrapped in a pair of Henry’s socks and that needed fixing too. They would have to make another trip to the Mom and Pop.
“Good,” she answered, sitting down with her oatmeal and coffee at the table, opposite Liz. “Did you get enough to eat?”
“Yes,” Liz answered, smiling shyly. She tucked her feet beneath her and wrapped the sweatshirt over her legs like a tent.
Raven spooned her food mechanically, thinking. Their situation had changed that was for sure. They needed a plan but Raven was all out of ideas. It was fine to wait here for a little while but eventually they’d have to leave and things would get a whole lot more complicated. Raven frowned and sipped her coffee.
Henry walked into the kitchen. “Here, Liz,” he said, handing her a sweater without holes and a pair of Raven’s sweat pants. “I didn’t think you’d mind, sis,” he said, looking at her.
Rocky padded into the room, looking sleepy. He yawned and lay on the floor at Liz’s feet, placing his head on his paws.
“Not at all,” Raven answered smiling at her dog. He must’ve kept vigil by Liz all night. “That’ll keep you warm until we can go out again and get something more fitting for you to wear.”
Liz dropped the glass she was drinking from. It bounced off the table with a clatter and fell to the floor, shattering into tiny slivers. Her face was rigid with fright and her hands shook.
“What’s wrong?” Raven asked, concerned. She moved to the girl’s side and took her small hands in hers. “What’s the matter, honey?”
Henry got the broom and dustpan and cleaned up the glass, glancing from Raven to Liz with concern.
“Y-you mean we have to g-go back out there?” Liz asked in a small and shaking voice.
Raven frowned. “We can’t stay here forever,” she answered. She held Liz’s hands. They were cold and clammy.
Liz licked her lips with a quick dart of her tongue. “Why not?” she asked.
Henry dumped the broken glass in the trashcan and stowed the boom and dustpan back in the cupboard. He sat down opposite them at the table. “I know things have gotten really scary out there,” he spoke gently to Liz. “But we will have to go out and find more people. The water and the lights won’t stay on without anyone to maintain them and there’s no one picking up the garbage.” He put his larger hands on top of his sister’s. “We have to go out and form a group, form a society so we can keep the lights on and the water running.”
She looked at him with large eyes, trusting eyes. “You can do it?” Liz asked in a voice so quiet Raven barely heard her.
Henry smiled gently. “No, Liz,” he responded. “I don’t know how to do any of those things and it takes more than a couple of people to keep things running.”
“Oh,” Liz answered, looking down. She pulled her hands free and Raven let go. Liz reached down and touched Rocky’s head, stroking his fur.
“You could stay here with Rocky when we get clothes and shoes for you,” Raven offered, thinking that would work out better for everyone.
“O-okay,” Liz agreed, nodding. She looked up suddenly, fearful again. “Are you going to come back?” she asked.
Raven’s heart wrenched. “Oh, honey, of course.” She hugged the girl, pressing her
