Up until this moment Brenda had had some kind of hope for survival, for all of them. Sure their mother and sister were dead, so was their father, but the rest of the survivors-Bobby and Doug and her-they would get Catherine back. They would go home damaged, but at least they would go home.

At the last minute a trade was made, a life for a life. As she was led through the test village Brenda heard whispers about it. It was between lizard and her brother-in-law: Brenda would stay, and the rest of them, Catherine included, could go. Even Bobby agreed to it, and a screaming Brenda was removed from the RV, tears running down her face. They had traded her in, but they were still family after all. She would never see her niece grow up.

For a month Brenda stood in limbo, trapped in a house on the edge of the village. Why hadn't they eaten her yet? That was what they had planned to do with Catherine, wasn't it? What was it that made her any different?

Lizard came in one day, for the first time since she was brought here. He said nothing, only grabbed her arm and led her away from the room, the house. He led her through the village and once again there were whispers, ones about her and Lizard.

He wouldn't let her be killed, wouldn't stand for it. No one knew why, but Lizard had chosen to keep Brenda. He was like that about some things, protective over them. The villagers didn't care, just as long as they ate soon. Lizard was allowed to have the girl, to do what he wished with her, just as long as he didn't set her free. From the way he looked at her though, it was unlikely that would ever happen.

The next few months were terrifying. Unable to leave, Brenda refused to eat. Lizard watched as she grew thinner and thinner, smaller than he thought possible. He slammed food in front of her every chance he got.

"Why the fuck won't you eat?!" He screamed. "I don't get it! Do you want to die out here? Do you want everything we've done for you-Doug and Bobby and me-to be in vain?"

She grew quiet for a moment, her voice cracking with tears and neglect.

"It's human meat. I won't eat people."

"Aw, shit." lizard threw his head back laughing; he stormed out of the room.

Eventually, Brenda slept. When she woke there was a plastic grocery bag in front of her, filled with potato chips and trail mix and even some fruit. She looked at it hungrily for a moment before biting into an apple, devouring it in minutes.

A chuckle sounded from a corner, Brenda jerked her head. There sat Lizard, his legs pretzeled and his head propped up in his hand. Brenda dropped the bag in shock.

"Don't be shy," Lizard smiled. "I knew you were hungry. I'm happy to see you eating."

He sat in the darkness, obscured by shadow, but Brenda could still see the outline of his face-his deformities. Without that, he wasn't bad looking. A sight for sore eyes.

"What do you want with me? Why am I still alive?" She said, nearly shouting out of fear and anger. This man had taken her from her home, he had killed her mother, her sister-he's a murderer and a cheat, most of all a cannibal, and yet she looks at him like he holds the world in his eyes.

Lizard laughed again, but it wasn't as carefree as before. This laugh was heavy, as hard and chiseled as its' host.

"You're beautiful, Brenda."

There was a pregnant pause.

"So that's it? You've kept me to be your sex slave or something?"

"Of course not!" He screamed, angered that she could even think that. He stood, began to pace. "I've lived here my whole life, Brenda, surrounded by people who are just like me. We're ugly, our ancestors deformed beyond recognition from nuclear waste, and you are the first beautiful thing our little village has seen in a long time."

"It's not how you look that makes you people ugly, Lizard, it's what you do." She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure the rest of your family would think I was prettier if I was on a silver platter."

"We're not animals, Brenda."

"No, just cannibals." Brenda shook her head. "Lizard, you slaughtered my mother, my father-you, you raped me."

"I don't ask you to love me, to feel anything towards me."

"I don't understand." She lied, knowing herself that it was too late.

Despite what lizard had put her through, Brenda had developed some kind of feelings for the isolated man. In the beginning she tried to convince herself that she was only grateful to be alive, he was the one who saved her. But months had gone by, and the feeling hadn't faded. It was a mixture of fear and anticipation, dread and excitement at the sight of his face.

"I don't know if you want to," he shook his head, his voice softer than she'd ever heard it. He ran a hand down her cheek. "I don't want much from you, just to let me keep you safe. Makes me feel like I have a purpose, you know?"

"What satisfaction could you possibly get from that?"

"You're the one good thing I have. If I take care of you, I'll go to my grave knowing I did at least one thing right."