DATE: 26TH JUNE, 2179. TIME – 10:12
Anne walked into the canteen carrying an enormous crate of fresh fruit from the greenhouse. She'd spent nearly two hours picking fruit and vegetables with the greenhouse supervisor, Florence Riker, and a handful of other volunteers, and it had been among the most frightening times of her life despite the fact that they'd had an armed wildcatter along to watch their asses while they did the work.
Her skin had crawled the whole time she'd been in the greenhouse and even on the walk back she had been constantly expecting the aliens to attack. She had hoped the sensation would fade when she was back in the canteen, but no such luck.
She set the produce basket down and glanced around, pulse quickening at each glimpse of a barricaded door or a dark vent where bars had been screwed in.
'Mom!'
Anne turned to see Newt racing toward her, the Casey doll trailing from her left fist, clutched by its blond hair. She smiled and opened her arms, and Newt leaped into them.
'Hey, sweetie,' Anne said, the shadows in her heart retreating for just a moment. 'I'm glad you're up.'
Newt pushed off so that Anne had to put her down, then punched her mother in the hip.
'Don't leave me alone again!' she said angrily. 'You promised!'
'I was only…' Anne began, but she saw that her daughter was angry and afraid, and she cut herself off. 'Okay. I'm sorry.' She looked around. 'Want an apple?' Newt didn't want to be distracted or appeased, but after a moment's consideration she relented.
'I might like an apple,' she admitted.
'Where's Tim?' Anne asked.
'Guarding our beds'
'Then let's go give him a hand' said Anne leading the smallest of her tribe back over by the hand to where Tim was sitting in the pile of clothes and blankets that passed for their beds