* * *

The voice sounded further away, when at last, he answered. “Don’t you remember?”

As my consciousness crept out of whatever dark hole it had found for safekeeping, I tried to pay attention as images flashed in front of the tiny darkened theatre within my closed eyelids. “We were out on a scouting trip,” I said, tracing my lower lip with my tongue. Seemed like most of the damage had occurred to my face. “Didn’t we find an abandoned house?”

“That’s the problem," he answered. "Is a house still considered abandoned if it is filled with explosives?”

I opened my eyes slowly. I’d never been flat out on the floor before, belly facing down. It was an odd time to finally appreciate the perspective and normal sight lines of rats. I wondered about all the things we never noticed when standing upright. Must be why people hid things under their beds.

“Eden, did you hear me?”

“Sorry, I’m thinking about rats,” I answered without moving.

“Are you hungry?”

“Not me. You're the one who brought it up.” I pushed myself upwards, enough to kneel, before I felt dizzy.

“Is life worth living?” he repeated.

“Take it easy,” I said. “I couldn’t answer you the first time. I was a little bit unconscious.”

“Just answer the damned question.”

The explosion had brought down the roof and blown out two walls. Fine dust particles were suspended in the air as if they did not want to obey the laws of gravity. Bits of broken drywall and wooden beams covered most of his body. Dust had changed his dark hair to pale grey. The aftermath of the explosion had camouflaged him so well, I would not have found him, except for his voice—the voice I recognized above everyone else's. In the moment we looked directly at each other, I understood his reason for impatience.

“I can’t walk out of here,” he said. “I’m gonna ask you, one last time. Is life worth living?”

Without hesitating, I answered, “No. Not without you.”

When I finally heard them, I didn’t care about the barking dogs and gun shots.

“What about the lives of the innocents?” he asked. “The children? What about your promise?”

If I had to go on without him, revenge was the only possible option. “I will end whoever did this,” I answered.