A Matter of Time

by Ducibus

Meet me, fifteen years old and living in a cordyceps-raged era in a hydroelectric plant. Meet this auburn-haired chick with a unknown history who just arrived. Meet her guardian and mentor, the brother of one of the leaders of the dam. I'd say come and join us on this adventure...but you're already doing it.

4. And Ride Horses And Swim

If there's one thing I have trouble understanding, it's my mom's guilt for my brother and I. Often times she'll remark, and I know this is going to sound terrible on her part, that she's worried to have brought me and Mikey into this world, this crazy, wild world. She feels guilt at that, because she knew she couldn't give my brother and me a regular childhood like her own, and yet she had us anyway.

The thoughts and emotions will come and dance across her face sometimes, like after dinner, when Mikey escapes back up to his room, when I'm putting the dishes away.

When they do come, she'll give me this tired smile, and say something like, "I feel like I haven't done enough for you both."

And I'll convince her. Because, who, above all us, carries and balances two kids on her hips trekking across America? And who's kept us fed on the road and made sure to push herself to go those extra miles so Mikey and I could actually sleep on beds in an abandoned town? And who made sure we didn't fall behind in our schooling, and taught us how to read and write and add and subtract and multiply and divide, all while holding a gun in the back pocket of her faded jeans to defend and protect us?

After I've listed as much as I can, she gives me a smile, and I take a seat beside her. But for some reason, it's different tonight.
It doesn't happen every night, maybe once in a blue moon that she'll remark feeling guilty, and tonight I can't help but think about Ellie.

"Do you think they'll survive?"

"You know about your family?"

It's as if her words are the tip of the iceberg. She doesn't have a family. She has Joel. She doesn't know if she'll survive. She knows it's a matter of time.

Like so many of us.

"Hey Mom?" I begin, and Mom looks up, "Yeah, sweetie?"

"I'm, uh, going over to the stables with Ellie tomorrow." I say, and Mom raises her eyebrows at me, "Really?"

"Uh…yeah. Um, she invited me. Well, Joel did, but, well…can I go?"

Mom nods, "Sure. Just be back home, alright?"

I nod, "Right."

(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)
Get cho lazy butt up.

Mmm…nope.

Get up. Horsies. Ponies.

Horsies. Oh, FML.

An internal conversation runs through my mind as I contemplate whether to get up or not. It's almost eleven, and I have to head over because…Callus Jr.

Getting up, I hit my toe on the edge of my bed, which almost makes me curse as much as Ellie, before reaching my duffel.

Pulling out a fresh t-shirt and my worn shorts, I head off to the bathroom to get ready. After making sure I look utterly fabulous, I grab the stairwell banister at the end of the stairs and fling myself into the kitchen, "Morning, Mom!"

"Morning, Maria." Mom says, reading something as I scour the fridge. I pull out an apple, "Are they going to have peaches here?"

"Sometime soon." She remarks, flipping a page. I gulp down half of my water bottle before refilling it and tossing it in my drawstring. I sit on the last step by the front door, tying on my shoes with the apple still in my mouth.

"You're going to make yourself sick." She says, giving me a look as I chomp off a huge hunk of the fruit and crunch it in my mouth. Wiping my mouth on the back of my hands, I give a shrug, "I'll worry about it when the time comes."

Then I cross over the kitchen, tightening my drawstring before giving her a kiss, "Love you."

"Love you too. And please, be careful."

"Mom…" I begin, and she gives me a look, "What?"

"It's horses."

"I know, sweetie. But…you know what I mean."

I nod, and then give a wave, "Alright, see ya later!"

I race out the front door. I kind of feel the need to sprint to their house, only…eh. I continue eating my apple, tossing the core on the grassy sides of the street, then wipe my mouth on the back of my hand, wary of the stickiness from the juice dribbling down my chin.

I knock on the door, standing back and wishing to not have a repeat of what happened yesterday, and Tommy opens it up, "Hello, Maria."

"Hello." I reply back cheerfully, and he stands aside, "The rest of us are still getting ready. Why don't you head upstairs to Ellie's room?"

"Um…which room is it?" I ask, and Tommy points up the stairs. "First door on your right. You…you can't miss it."

"Thanks." I say, walking up the stairs. I get my breathing back, heart pounding in fear of entering at the wrong time, then knock on the door.

"Come on in." Joel calls, his voice muffled by the thick wooden door. I push the knob, stepping into the room.

Ellie glances up, her face breaking out into a smile. Two twin beds rest on either side of the small room, her sitting on one with her arm extended to Joel, who sits on the opposing one. Joel wraps a sterile white bandage over and over her right arm, on the soft white skin on under her arm.

Ellie winces and turns back to face him, "Uh…a little too tight."

"Sorry." He unravels it and goes around it over and over again, making sure not to put too much pressure on it. Then he tapes the edge of the white roll and the piece not yet stuck on and pulls.

The piece comes apart with a snap and Joel smoothes the excess over her arm, giving her a slight smile, "Better?"
Ellie glances down at her arm, bringing it in before looking him in the eyes and nodding. "Yeah."

"Go on downstairs and get something to eat. We'll be heading out soon." Joel says, and Ellie nods, tying on her shoes before leaping off her bed to me, "Alright. And I can show Maria Callus Jr."

I give a grin as she shoves me out the door before pulling it closed behind her. She's wearing a short-sleeve, and her arms are pale. Probably from wearing long-sleeves so much.

I follow her downstairs, and she glances back at me, "Hungry?"

"No. I had an apple." I reply back, and she nods, slipping into the kitchen. The other Maria sits at the table, and gives a smile to us two,

"Hi, girls. Tommy's just got to grab his boots and then we'll head out."

She sizes up my outfit, then turns back to face me, "Maria…you're okay with getting that dirty?"

I shrug, "Doesn't bother me too much." She's asking about getting dirty now…geez, what have I been doing to my clothes for the past fourteen years?

I try not to laugh, and then she turns back at to Ellie, "Got your pack?"

"Yes, Maria…" Ellie says, and Maria raises her eyebrows, "Am I sensing some hostility?"

"Nooo…" Ellie calls back, extending the word as she walks back to get her bag. I grin at this, and Maria gives me a smile, shaking her head, "I swear, that child…"

(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)
"Joel, can I hop on your back?"

"No."

"Pleeease."

I snicker to myself, and then Joel turns around to face Ellie, "Why don't you ask your new friend, huh?"

"Because…huh." Ellie turns to face me, and she finally takes in mind how tall I am. She's a little over five feet, probably 5 3", and I'm 5 8". Hell yeah.

"Maria, may I hop on your back?" Ellie asks, and I laugh, shrugging, "You've got to hold my pack, though."

So I let Ellie toss on my drawstring, and then I crouch down as she hops on before standing up and holding her legs to my side, "Man, you're light."

"Eh. Joel eats all my food." She says, and then leans to my ear, "Can you run by him?"

I nod, and then I pause, waiting for the three adults to get a good distance ahead of us. Ellie wraps an arm around my neck, and then, "Alright. Go."

I begin running, holding her legs to my sides tightly. As we pass Joel, Ellie ceremoniously flips him off, "Eat my dust, old man!"

I crack up, and Ellie grins, keeping her one arm around my neck. I glance up at her, "So…is Callus Jr. ready to ride?"

"I wish." She slides off my back and hands me my drawstring. Then, gripping the straps on her old backpack, Ellie walks backwards, a grin on her face, "You like horses, Maria?"

I give a sheepish smile, scratching the back of my head and facing the ground, "I…guess."

"You guess? Is that a no?" Ellie pushes on, a teasing smile on her face, and as I catch sight of her eyes, full of happiness, I can't help but shrug, "Oh, I don't know."

Then we pick up the pace to catch up with the adults, and Ellie elbows me, "Tell more of your 'Yo Mama' jokes."

I chuckle, "I'm not sure if I can with this crowd, Ellie…"

Tommy glances back at us, his eyes glinting mischievously, "'Yo Mama' jokes? I haven't told those in ages."

"Tommy, please, act your age." Maria groans, and Tommy holds up a hand to pardon her, "I can't on this front, honey."

Turning his head to face me, he strokes his chin before snapping his fingers and pointing at me, "Yo Mama is so stupid, she got hit by a parked car."

I keep my lips clamped together shut, then let out a snort and finally laugh, "Okay, that was pretty good. Alright, Yo Mama is so fat, she had to put a belt on with a boomerang."

Tommy chuckles at this, and even Ellie's grin grows a bit wider. Then, as he gets ready to tell another, Maria cuts him off, "So, Maria, which quarantine zone are you from?"

"Baltimore. Sector…28, I think?" I offer, and she nods. Ellie nudges me, "Boston. Sector 12."

"How was your zone?" I ask, and Ellie blows a raspberry before replying, "Not the best. They'd cut down any infected on any street corner."
I pause, thinking back to my zone. The soldiers were friendly to us being children. Mikey was allowed to handle their guns, and they'd let us ride on their horses sometimes.

My mom used to say the soldiers loved me and would always pick me up in the crook of their arm, passing me off to the others. According to family history, of course. I don't remember squat of it, but there's one faded polaroid of me as a toddler, smiling and waving at the camera whilst in the arms of a guard. He gives a smile to the camera as well, dressed in fatigues with a gun slung across his back, and has a hand on Mikey's shoulder, who, at four, is scrawny and beaming.

The soldiers looked out for us. They'd give us extra ration cards and try to sneak us back in line a few times. I once heard it was because we were the only children living in Baltimore, and my mom would repair their guns and make makeshift bombs for them from time to time.

"Maria?"

Ellie's voice brings me back to reality, and I look ahead, seeing the stables coming into view. Joel glances between our faces, then jerks his head in the direction of the stables, "Go get 'em, girls."

Ellie smiles, and then grabs my arm, "C'mon!"

I hear the adults laughing as she hauls me off in a sprint to the stables, my feet almost giving out under me with the speed and velocity as we race down the hill to the flat area of the stables.

"Whoa, there, Eleri. Watch yourself."

A buff dude rolling a wheelbarrow glances our way, giving a stern look to Ellie before breaking out into laughter himself. Ellie points to me, "This is Maria. Maria, this is Todd."

"Hello." I say, reaching forward to shake his hand. He lets mine go after a brief and hard shake, and I resist the urge to wipe my hands on the seat of my shorts.

"Well, then…Maria. That name's…huh."

Ellie turns to me with a smile, "He likes to never call people by their names. Says it's too 'formal'."

As her fingers accentuate the quotes, I try to hide my laughter. Todd looks down at us, squinting an eyeball, "What are ye telling 'bout me, Elberta?"

"Exhibit A." Ellie says, and Todd chuckles. Then he snaps his fingers and points to me, "Marshall, correct?"

"Uh…sure." I say, playing along and giving a shrug. Todd nods, "It's nice to make your acquaintance, Marley."
Ellie just about bounces from foot to foot in excitement, and finally Todd jerks his thumb over his shoulder, one hand still on the handle of his wheelbarrow, "You know where the stalls are, Elisa. I don't think I need to point them out to you."

Then he nods to me, "I assume you know how to ride, right?"

I shrug, and Todd grins, "It ain't hard. Little Miss Eloise here is a natural. She'll help ya learn."

"Good to know, sir." I say, and then Todd glances over his shoulder as Ellie leads me, "Good luck, Marquise and Eleanor."

Out of earshot, "He's a…character."

Ellie grins, "He's, well…Todd. Can't exactly come up with a good description of him yet."

Then she nudges me, "You really don't know how to ride?"

"It's something I'd rather not go into." I feel my face growing hot as Ellie's grin grows wider, "Oh, really? Do tell. I love when people embarrass themselves."

I step on her toe for a good measure, but she only chuckles and shoves me away. Then I jam my hand in my pockets, hanging my head, "I…uh…fell off a horse."

Ellie stops walking entirely, and I turn back to face her as I keep going backwards, "You did not."

"I did. The soldiers had the saddle adjusted for…them, and they took the reins and walked me around, and I kind of starting slipping to the side, and I tried to hang on…but I fell off."

Ellie glances at me and kind of puts hand up to her mouth. I'd like to believe it was of sympathy, but then I see her eyes twinkling and the corners of her mouth going up, "You're laughing at me."

"Am not." She manages, still grinning and maintaining her composure. Then she blows another raspberry, "I promise you Callus Jr. is not going to scare you."

"You'd be surprised." I say, grinning, and Ellie laughs. It feels good to hear her laughing. It…sounds like she hasn't in a while.

(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)
"He's not going to hurt you." Ellie croons, stroking the pony's head. The horse—pony, okay?—is brown with a black mane and a white stripe running down his face. His—ankles?—are white as well, and his hooves are black (haha! I know 'hooves'!).

I inch closer, and Callus Jr. nickers before rearing on his skinny little legs. I scoot back quickly, "What the hell!"

Ellie has a hand over her mouth, and I narrow my eyes at her, "Okay, laugh."

She does. One bark of laughter before settling for a smug grin and brushing the hairs of his mane out of his face.

"He's young." Ellie coos over him, and I nod, "Seems like it."

Callus Jr. whinnies, a soft noise, and then presses his nose to the pocket of Ellie's shorts. Ellie chuckles and stands back, "Oh, what? You smell something, buddy boy?"

Then she slips her hand in her pocket, the stray piece of hair falling into her face. She looks up, revealing a palm full of sugar crystals and placing them under his nose.

Callus Jr. moves closer, slurping the sugar out of her palm as she strokes his face with care. Then she glances at me as he finishes up the sugar, "Care for some?"

I hold out my hand with uncertainty, and Ellie remarks with a sour face, "Joel would say it's wasteful, but…eh."

To ensure my fear around horses won't scare Callus Jr., Ellie stands by my side, showing with her hand how I had to hold mine flat, "He'll just slurp it up. Go on."

Desperate to prove I'm not a wuss, I inch my hand under his mouth, holding it so flat my fingers are starting to tremble. Callus Jr. gives a snort, then moves to my hand and begins eating the sugar Ellie had given me a few minutes beforehand.

"Horses respond to the way you act." Ellie says, stroking his mane once more. As Callus Jr. finishes up, I retreat my hand back and splay my fingers, shaking out the sticky bits of sugar covered in horse spittle, "Still gross."

Ellie grins, and then jerks her head in the direction of the horse, "He won't bite. Go on."

So I lay a hand on his side, feeling his coat and wiry muscles underneath. His dark eyes are hard to read, but he looks…trusting. Peaceful.

"Hello, Callus Jr." I murmur, in a voice for Ellie not to pick up and in a tone meant for his ears. He nods his head (do horses—ponies, damnit—nod?).

"Is Tommy gonna let you keep him?" I ask, and Ellie shrugs, her green eyes cloudy, "I'm not sure. I hope so, though. Teach him how to ride."

Her eyes twinkle as she smiles, her mind somewhere else, envisioning, "I just imagine him running, galloping full speed with me on his back."

"And I'd be on that slow horse behind you with someone else holding the reins." I remark, and she chuckles.

(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)
"Maria…Joel and I were gonna talk business. Are you okay if he's not leading you?"

I'm sitting atop a white, dopey horse with flies buzzing around her eyes. The top speed is probably five miles an hour.

My face grows hot as I shake my head, "Uh…can he keep the reins?"

Tommy opens his mouth as if to offer it again, then shuts it. Maria and Ellie turn to face back at me, and Joel sighs, "Alright, kiddo."
So he walks on the ground while I try to steel my nerves on the horse, feeling myself jounce with each step. I laugh at myself in my head. I can't hold a gun, I can't ride a horse…and yet I've survived all this way. Huh.

As we near the descent of a hill, Joel turns around to face me, "Lean back. It helps."

So I do, holding onto the tip of the saddle like it's my lifeline, my last hold onto this world. Maria and Ellie strike up a conversation, and occasionally glance back at me to make sure I haven't slide off the horse going at top speed.

We near part of the 'riding course', which is just some flat land. Joel stops my horse as Ellie and Maria pull up to a stop.

"Can you gallop?" Ellie asks the blonde, who gives a chuckle, "Every time we come, you ask that. Just this once, alright?"

"Bring Maria along, too." She says, pointing to me, and my palms go up in a flash for truce, "No, no, I'm good."

"You ain't ever lived until you've ridden a galloping horse." Maria smiles at me, and I shake my head, "I'm fine. Really. But thanks."

"Ellie, why don't you try and gallop?" Joel suggests, and she turns back to face Maria, "I give this dude a squeeze, right?"

"Right. Tips of your sneakers. Don't spook him." Maria nods, and Ellie trots out on her horse, going a good distance away from us. Then she gives a wave before leaning down on the neck of her horse, holding the reins and giving a gentle nudge, and then they're off.

They go fast, horse and rider as one, and I catch Ellie's face, full of confidence with a cocky and satisfied smile on. I see the horse's muscles rippling under his wiry coat as his hooves clop the ground and send clumps of mud and dirt up into the air. As Ellie rounds the corner to catch back up to us, Maria and Joel turn their attention to me.

"Any reason you're not interested in horses?" Maria asks, and I hang my head, "I…uh—"

"She fell off a horse."

I give a look to Ellie , who seems pleased at my reaction. Joel shrugs at me, "I promise you, it ain't bad to get back up in the saddle again. And, like Maria said, it sure is fun."

I let out a breath, hoping it doesn't come out in a huffiness, and then muster up a sheepish grin, "Horses…just don't do it for me."

"You're gonna change your mind when I take you on Callus Jr." Ellie says, and Joel turns back to her, "Now, Ellie—"

But she's already smiling and laughing and making plans for her beloved horse. I smile, and then Maria trots away on her horse, "One more gallop, Ellie."

"F—k yeah!" Ellie pumps a victory fist, and Joel lets out a breath, "Watch your language."

"Yeah, yeah." She dismisses him, and I turn to face Maria as she trots away, directing my question to either Joel or Ellie, "Is she going to do anything special?"

"Used to compete in barrel racing as a teen." Joel fills in, and he takes note of my confusion and goes on, "You ride a horse as fast as you can without wiping out around barrels."

"Ah. Okay." I give a nod, and then Maria shoots off on her horse, pulling the reins and directing him around imaginary obstacles, keeping her balance as he swivels this way and that.

"I'd like to barrel race." Ellie notes, and Joel chuckles, "Over my dead body you will."

"Lots of injuries?" I ask, and Joel whistles, nodding and crossing his arms over his chest, "Oh yeah. Especially for a beginner." He gives a look to Ellie, who dismisses him by blowing a raspberry.

As Maria comes back to our little group, Ellie gives me a nudge as our two horses stand side-by-side, "Gonna have Joel take the reins?"

I'd like to respond cocky and confident and gallop away, only to have Joel take the reins before I can say anything else. Ellie chuckles by holding up a hand to her mouth and I redden.

(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)
We eat a lunch of sorts back at the stables. Ellie and I take spots on the ground, leaning against the worn wooden posts and munching on granola bars, apples, strawberries, and a few rare pieces of cheese from the dairy Todd's running on the side.

It's hard to describe cheese. It's not exactly bitter, but it's got a zip to it. And it's not quite sweet, either.

Wiping the juice pooling at my chin from an apple, I give a look to Ellie as she runs her hand over her bandaged arm, "When's your arm going to be better?"

She shrugs, her eyes distant and clouded over, "Don't know."

"Did Dr. Mundell say anything?" She's living in the same house as his daughter. I'd be surprised to hear a 'no'.

Ellie twists her mouth, "Um…scarring. And to keep it, uh, clean."

I nod, and take a sip from my water bottle. Ellie glances over, and she offers her arm out to me, "Can I have some?"

"Sure." I say, then move the bottle and watch the water swish around, "Not much…here. You can finish it."

Ellie nods, taking the bottle, "Thanks." She unscrews the lid and tilts back the plastic, and then hands it back to me—"Maria?"

"Yeah?" I call back, glancing at Joel as he suddenly raises from the table, his face ashen with panic before dissolving into his usual poker face, "Rinse that out. Ellie's just coming over a cold."

"I am n—," Ellie begins indignantly before catching Joel's eye and suddenly coughing till her face is red. I raise my eyebrows, "Sounds like a nasty cold."

"Yeah." She says, and then grins at me, "Wish you had more of that water with you now."

"I'd offer it…but you finished it up." I slip the empty bottle into my drawstring, remembering to wash it out when I get home.

"So…how was the Triple Phoenix game?" Ellie asks, and I give a cough, trying to hide my sheepishness, "Well…I wasn't able to play it."

"I thought you had the system…" She drifts off, and I shake my head, "Nah. My brother lent it to his friend for a bit."

"Bummer." Ellie says, and then, "So, what else do you guys do for fun around here?"

(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)
"Stefano? Diego?"

My calls ricochet off the empty walls of their house, and I take a few steps in, Mikey right behind me.
"Stef—" "WE HEAR YOU, MARIA!"

I grin at Diego's voice and the lingering accent. Stefano and Diego are brothers and some of our closest friends. Their father actually knew ours, and we suffered through some of the same pain. Just as they have to survive the apocalypse without their mom, we do it without our dad.

They are trilingual, knowing Spanish, Dutch, and English. To tick Mikey and me and some of our friends off, they whisper bad things about us in Dutch and then say nothing when we try to ask them what they had said.

Stefano is three years older than Diego, and one of my partners-in-crime. I get him into my fandoms and we talk about them (read: me fangirl while he looks on), trying to figure out what would have happened if they had continued them.

Diego comes first, and then Stefano, who eyes us. He's the same height as Diego, which kind of ticks him off as he's a year older than me and three years older than him…and yet five inches shorter than me.

"We need your help getting the boat." Mikey says, and Diego breaks out in a grin, "Yes!"

"Let us change first. And then we'll be right out." The two dash back to their bedroom and I walk out the front door with Mikey. On the topic of bathing suits, we don't…have them. So I'm wearing a t-shirt and shorts while Mikey just wears a pair of shorts.

In a few minutes they reappear, and we head off down the street to get the other kids.
To make introducing quick, I'll put up a few kids:

-Meagan, who is a year older than Mikey, blonde, and skinny.

-Haley, who around my age and black. (Not to be racist. Hey, Stefano and Diego look Mexican!).

-Avery, who is Mikey's age and one of his closest friends.

-Myles, who is my age and hangs out with Mikey and Avery.

-Matt and Bella, twins who are Mikey's age.

-Jamie, who is seven and one of the sweetest little girls you'll ever meet.

-Abel, who shows everyone up in school and pisses them off like no one else (ginger). He's my age with a lisp and a brain for knowledge.

There are a lot more kids around here, but here are some to get you started with. I wouldn't want to overwhelm you.

Avery and Meagan are the only ones free. Mikey takes them to the pond to help get the boat ready, and I have other plans.

"I'll get Ellie and catch you guys by the pond." I say over my shoulder, and Mikey gives a nod to me as I run off.
Knocking on the door, I steel my nerves, only to see Ellie open the door, "Hi."

"Hey. Some kids are going on the boat, and I was wondering if you'd like to come with us."

Ellie looks at me quizzically, "A…boat?"

I nod, "Yeah. A boat. Water. Swimming. All that fun stuff."

She pauses, and then, "What should I wear?"

I give a shrug, smiling, "A shirt or shorts. Anything that you don't mind getting wet, really."

Her arm is still bandaged by her side, and I gesture to her clothes, "What you're wearing now is fine."

She nods, but acts as if she's in a trance. I put my palms up in a truce, "Hey, no wrong answer. You can swim with us or not."

Ellie takes this into consideration, and then disappears back into the house, "Let me ask Joel, and then I'll be back."

I nod and take a seat on the steps, watching a few kids from aside the street push out a tricycle. It's missing a wheel and one of the saddest things I've seen, but they have these big grins on their faces like they've won the lottery with it.

Someone else, an older sibling, perhaps, rolls out a bicycle and the kids crowd around him. He gets the pick of the litter and puts a sandy-haired boy on his shoulders before riding off on the bike.

The little boy gets a big kick out of it, and the older one only smiles as he rides around for a bit.

The door shutting behind me jostles me back into reality as I jump, and Ellie emerges with a towel over her shoulder, "Okay, I'm ready."

(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)
"We have to swim out there?"

Her voice almost makes me laugh, the shrillness of it. I nod, "Yeah. A few feet. It's not that bad."

Ellie nods but looks unsure. Her eyes shine with fear, and as we ditch our shoes on the sandy bank, I give her a smile, "It's not bad. Water's kind of cold, but it feels good with the heat."

The heat is awful here in July. I feel it in the small of my back after a few minutes outside, beads of sweat trailing down and pooling at the waistband of my shorts, making my clothes stick to me like a second skin. I have no doubt that my cheeks are already red.

The boat is a little sailboat, probably twelve feet or so long and a few feet wide. Once upon a time, it had a sail, but now it's ruined, so we tie it to a cinder block with a long rope and let it float in the middle of the pond. On days like these we'll lounge around it, sitting or jumping off or pushing each other off. Diego knows how to do a front flip and Avery knows how to dive, so we give them scores to pass time.

As I leave my shoes on the sandy bank, I glance back at Ellie, "You alright?"

She swallows hard, then nods, "Y—yeah, I'm fine."

Her fearfulness isn't something I'm used to over the course of these few days, and I try to be reassuring, "It's not too bad. Promise."
I wade into the shallow water, wary to not lose my footing on the slick and mossy stones, then turn around to face her, "C'mon."

Ellie sucks in a deep breath, then lets her foot rest on a rock in the water, quickly drawing back, "It is f—kin' cold!"

I can't help but laugh and take her arm, "Let's go, Ellie."

She seems reluctant but follows my footsteps over the rocks. The water slips up to our waists and she sucks in another breath, "Um, Maria?"

I take another step, arms out for balance, waiting until we hit the sandy bottom, "Yeah?"

"Can I, uh, hop on your back?"

Classy. I think to myself, and then I crouch down, hissing as the water hits my stomach and soaks up to my chest, "Sure."

Ellie hops onto my back, and I secure her legs to my side, glancing back, "Hold your breath."

I take a bit of a running start…well, as much as you can in water, and then jump in as the ground seems to disappear beneath my feet.

Ellie wraps her arms around my neck, and I focus on moving my arms and legs until I reach the surface.

"We reach the boat. Land-ho, boys." I say, and Ellie finally opens her eyes. I grip the edges of the slick sides and she crawls onto the surface. I wait until she's situated, and then do the same myself. Odd pieces of plastic stick out, which feel awful if you lean against them the wrong way.

"Doing a flip!" Diego cries out, and the boat rocks and lurches as he pushes off the side, doing a full rotation before hitting the water and sending up a splash.

I give him a thumbs up before returning back to Ellie, seeing her sitting with her legs crossed and her fingers curling around the sides, "You alright?"

"Yeah. I'd just…prefer to not get wet." Drips of water plop off the edges of her hair and she uses one finger to push the stray hairs behind her ears.

"Boat might move a bit. But you're fine." I say, and then I turn back to face everyone. The boys strike up a conversation, including Meagan, and Ellie and I sit cross-legged near the tip of the boat, swaying with each motion of the breeze. A bird caws somewhere up in the trees surrounding the pond, and I lean back on my hands.

"It doesn't feel right." Ellie finally says, and I nod, "Yeah. After years on the run, relaxing doesn't feel…normal."

Then I let my head loll back, facing the sun and smiling as the sun warms my face, "But it sure beats having the fear of a clicker come and get you."

After a few minutes of soaking the rays, Diego glances our way, "Hey, Maria, aren't you gonna swim?"

"In a bit, young cricket." I say, giving a sideways glance to Ellie and seeing her face. Does she have a fear of water that I don't know about?

Meagan gives me a smile, "Aren't you hot?"

"I'll go in in a second." I say agreeably, and all the guys exchange a smile. I move to let my legs dangle over the edge of the boat and move in the water, swishing them back and forth and watching the ripples carry through the water.

Before I know it, Mikey, Avery, Diego, and Stefano jump off one side of the boat, leaving the three of us girls on the opposing side and sending a jolt that almost flips us over. I slip into the water, hearing Ellie give something like a whimper as she tries to hold on, "Ellie!"

Dangit, dangit, dangit…My thoughts come out as rapid fire, opening my eyes under water and catching sight of her struggling, moving and thrashing her arms and legs, her cheeks puffed out with air to try and keep herself alive for one more second. She's not swimming, she's panicking, sinking, drowning…

I place an arm around her middle and hoist her up with a boost, hoping she'll be able to grab onto the boat. And she does, and I finally crawl on myself, watching as Meagan and everyone else does the same.

Diego's beaming, a charming smile, but I glance at Ellie's stricken state and I don't feel the same way. Angling myself and balancing on a foot and two arms, I give him a kick to send him back into the water, "Idiot."

Mikey raises his eyebrows at me, but I don't have time to worry about what he thinks about me as his little sister kicking people off the boat.

I turn back to face Ellie, laying a hand on her shoulder and feel her shaking under my touch, "Ellie?"

She gazes up at me, and the raw intensity of fear in her green eyes shocks me. I drop my voice down a tone, "Just breathe, alright? In, out, in, out…"

It's stupid, but it works. She closes her eyes, squeezing them shut as if to dispel something more, and then she opens them, blinking hard. Turning to face me with a sheepish smile, "I'm not a big fan of the water."

"It shows." I say, and then drop my voice down a notch, "Do you…y'know, want to head back?"

"I can tough it out." She says, and I hear the tiredness in her voice. Then I nod, "Alright, then."

(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)
"Ellie? You're soaking wet."

"Thanks, Joel."

Joel gives me a look as she walks past him, not even giving a goodbye to me. I give a shrug and Joel steps out onto the porch, his curious look growing into something like a glare, "Maria?"

"Yes?"

"Did you take Ellie…what exactly did you do?"

I shrug, tightening the synthetic strings on my drawstring and avoiding his eyes, "We went swimming in the ponds with some of the neighborhood kids. Just…wait."

I bring my eyebrows together in curiosity, "She told me…I thought you heard from her before we left."

Joel puts his hand to his chin and sighs, as if trying to decide which issue to address first, glancing around before finally resting on my eyes, "Maria…Ellie…she can't, uh…swim."

"Explains a lot." I say with a shrug, and Joel motions for me to sit on the step beside him. Then he looks over at me, "So…how'd you manage?"

"Swam with her on my back." I say, and Joel chuckles. Gazing out, "I did it with a pallet when we were travelling."

"Maybe Tommy can leave a spare at the pond for us." I say, and Joel pauses, stroking his scruffy beard thing before shaking his head and dropping his hands to his knees, "Nah. I promised Ellie I'd teach her."

As if an afterthought hinting with a tone of amusement, "I also promised I'd teach her how to play a six-string as well. But I've yet to find one that isn't completely busted…and get the time with Tommy at the dam and all."

"I can help you look." I say, and Joel eyes me with something glinting in his eyes, "Why would you?"

I shrug, let my wrists hang off my knees and my fingers dangle, "You and Ellie are a dynamic duo together."

The words sound right, and Joel laughs. I go on with a smile, "I guess…it's a nice thing. And I like nice things."

"Maybe surprise her." Joel says, stroking his chin and deep in thought. I start to stroke my own, a habit my mom hates because I don't have facial hair, "Her birthday is coming up. At least…that's what Maria said."

I push a stray hair behind my ear before grinning to him, "Surprise her on her birthday. I'll help you look to find a guitar."

Joel nods, and then he gives a smile to me, a real one, honest and true and straight to the core of who he is as a person, and ruffles my hair, "You're a good kid, Maria."

"I try." I say back earnestly, and then hold up my fist, "Pound it!"

Joel groans good-naturedly, and I laugh. "Ellie already makes me high-five…okay, kiddo. Fine. But just this once."

So we pound fists and draw back, making 'whooshing' sounds and splaying our fingers. As I grin and pull my hand back in, I can't help but think about everything that's going down in my life, and then I hear the sirens go off.

"Bandit attack."