Somehow it was colder out in the open.  The sky gave the impression of a dull dusk and the open space felt like the arctic but Paul knew it was midmorning.  He remembered the balmy breezes he used to enjoy only a few years earlier.  He looked down at the girl and saw that she was shivering.  He crouched down and made sure she was bundled up tightly.

“If we get moving we’ll warm up a bit, okay?” he said straightening up.  The girl looked up at him but he couldn’t make out any expression through the scarf and hood.  He started to move and she stayed with him.  He knew that she couldn’t walk very quickly and he was in a hurry but he wanted to save carrying her for when he needed to so he could conserve his energy and make the deadline. Continue reading →