Gone (Gone 1)

“So,” Sam said, “my name is Sam. I’m in this with you. All the way.” He turned to Astrid.

“I’m Astrid, I’m in this with you, too.”

“My name is Edilio. What they said. Brothers and sisters. Hermanos.”

“Thuan Vong,” said a thin boy with yet-unhealed hands like dead fish. “I’m in.”

“Dekka,” said a strong, solidly built girl with cornrows and a nose ring. “I’m in. And I have game.”

“Me too,” called a skinny girl with reddish pigtails. “My name’s Brianna. I…well, I can go real fast.”

One by one they declared their determination. The voices started out soft and gained strength. Each voice louder, firmer, more determined than the one before.

Only Quinn remained silent. He hung his head, and tears rolled down his cheeks.

“Quinn,” Sam called to him.

Quinn didn’t respond, just looked down at the ground.

“Quinn,” Sam said again. “It starts fresh right now. Nothing before counts. Nothing. Brothers, man?”

Quinn struggled with the lump in his throat. But then, in a low voice, he said, “Yeah. Brothers.”

“Okay. Now let’s get everyone some food,” Sam said.

When they started out again, they no longer spread in every direction. They didn’t march like an army, but they came as close as a bunch of traumatized kids could. They walked with their heads a little higher.

Someone actually laughed. It was a good sound.

In a low voice Astrid said, “Nothing to fear but fear itself.”

“I don’t think I said it quite that well.”

Edilio slapped him on the back. “You said it well enough, man.”

“Sam’s back.”

“What?”

“Sam. He’s back. He’s coming down the highway.”

Howard’s chest tightened. He was halfway down the steps of town hall, on his way to McDonald’s for one of Albert’s waffle-burgers.

It was Elwood, Dahra Baidoo’s boyfriend, who had delivered the news. He sounded relieved, there was no denying it. He sounded glad. Howard made a mental note that Elwood was disloyal, but he realized at the same time that he might have bigger issues to worry about than Elwood’s loyalty.

“If Sam’s coming back, it’s on the end of a leash held by Drake Merwin,” Howard blustered.

But Elwood was off to tell Dahra and was no longer listening.

Howard looked around, feeling a little lost, not quite sure what to do. He spotted Mary Terrafino pushing a shopping cart loaded with juice boxes, A&D ointment, and some bruised apples across the plaza toward the day care. Howard trotted down the steps and caught up with her.

“T’sup, Mary?” he asked.

“Um, your time?” Mary said, and laughed at her own wit.

“Yeah, you think? My time’s up?”

“Sam’s on his way.”