“Nope,” I said cheerily. “We’re going together. And the first thing I’m going to do, is go rescue my boyfriend if he’s anywhere out there to be rescued. You guys will have to decide if you want to go with me or do your own thing.” I looked over my shoulder and said louder, “You too, Peter. You can hang out in an abandoned house if you want and wait.”

“Nah. I like keeping you out of trouble. I’ll be coming with you, even if you decide to go somewhere stupid like the canner ‘hood.”

“You’re talking about going to the place where you know there are cannibals?” Jamal said. He looked at his brother. “I’m sorry, brother, but she seems to be operating with a card or two missing from the deck.” He looked back at me. “No offense.”

I laughed. “Jamal, I’ll try not to take offense to you calling me crazy. I guess I’ve been called worse.”

“He didn’t mean it like that,” said Ronald, frowning at his brother. “What he meant was, he’s grateful that you stuck up for us, but maybe you should consider just counting your blessings and staying here in Eden.”

“Pfft. Eden, my ass,” I said bitterly. “You get kicked out of Eden for sticking your nose in business you’ve been told to ignore … not for sticking up for people and doing the right thing.”

Jamal frowned. “Well, yes and no.”

I shook my head. “I’m not going to have a religious conversation with you right now. Or ever, probably. I’m just saying … I don’t want to live in a place where good kids are excluded because people are afraid and being selfish because of it. Plain and simple.”

“Us, neither,” said Ronald, receiving a nod of agreement from his brother.

“Good. Then it’s settled. We start out tomorrow together. You guys, Peter, Buster, and me.” I looked around at all of them, Peter having joined us near the mattresses. “So where are we going to go after we find Bodo?”

No one said anything for a full minute. It was terrifying to think that none of us had a clue where we’d be living less than twenty-four hours from now. I tried not to focus on that aspect of it.

Jamal raised his hand slowly, stopping it when it was even with his cheek.

I lifted an eyebrow. “Are you raising your hand?”

He nodded.

I gestured. “Go ahead. By all means.”

“Well … Ronald and I were talking before … before we met Jimmy and Sissy … about a certain place.” He glanced at his brother, who nodded, so he continued. “It’s south of here a little bit, but not far at all, really. We could probably walk there in a day or two.”

“Where is it?”

“Not where. What,” he said mysteriously.

“Okay, what is it?”

He took a big breath and huffed it out, pressing his lips together once before answering.

“It’s a prison.”

***

Peter and I looked at each other. He shrugged his shoulders and gave me a look that said, Why not?

“You mean, like Alcatraz?” I asked.

Jamal smiled. “No. That prison was on an island - and probably would have been perfect. But seeing as how it’s in San Francisco, it probably isn’t very realistic for our purposes.”

“Oh,” I said, feeling stupid. I had no idea where Alcatraz was prior to Jamal telling me.

“The place I’m talking about used to be the biggest penitentiary in South Florida. A friend of ours’ uncle was in there, so he told us about it. He showed me on the computer once. It’s got barbed wire all around it and fences, of course. And big buildings filled with rooms and stuff. We were thinking it could be good for not only living in but for defensive purposes too, if you know what I mean.”

I nodded my head as I thought about all the possibilities. “Does it have land around it too, or is it all concrete?”

Jamal frowned. “I can’t remember. I think I saw some grass and stuff. But it’s kind of out of the city, so it probably does have land around it.”

My mind was racing a million miles an hour. If we could get some cattle and horses like the kids here have, and a loom or two and supplies that actually create other supplies instead of just getting used up … we could start a whole new self-sustaining community! I grabbed Peter’s arm. “You need to find us some looms. And figure out what it’s going to take to make a bread oven like they have.”

“Okaaay,” he said cautiously. “Care to share what’s burning your brain cells at an alarming rate right now?”

“I know exactly what she’s thinking,” said Ronald, getting animated too. “It’s exactly what Jamal and I said to each other. We need a place to start over. To start fresh. Where we can invite people to join us and share with us. It’ll be the new world! Better than the old one! Without intolerance or racism or hatred or any of that nonsense.”

Peter held up his hands. “Ho, ho, hold on there, guys. You’re all getting a little bit ahead of yourselves here, I think.” He dropped his hands and looked at each of us before beginning again. “How do you know it’s available and that there aren’t already kids there? And how are just the four of us going to be able to hold down a place that big? The logistics of running a whole community are … astronomically complicated.”

I patted him on the back. “That’s where you come in, little buddy. You’re the genius. Figure that all out for us and tell us what to do. You’re the new mayor of Apocalypsis.”

“Why Apocalypsis?” asked Jamal.

“Well, it recognizes what got us there in the first place, for one. And it also kind of shows that we’re flipping the world around a little bit, changing the way it’s been or shaped. No longer round but maybe just a little bit elliptical. Apocalypsis … get it?”

Ronald nodded, smiling. “I like it. I vote yes.”

“Yes for me too,” said Jamal, smiling with his brother and for the first time, showing me clearly that they are, in fact, related.

“Fine,” said Peter. “If you guys like it, I like it.”

I rubbed his back. “See how easy that was? Now do the rest and let us know our parts.”

Peter stood up. “First thing’s first. We need to pack.” And he was back to breaking down the pantry’s contents into the going-with-us pile and the staying-behind pile.

“You guys should get some rest. Why don’t you crash here, and we’ll talk more in the morning?” I offered, standing and straightening my shorts.

“Where are you going?” asked Ronald.

“I have to go talk to some people. I’ll be back later, don’t worry. We’re all going to need a good night’s sleep before we head out.”

Ronald and Jamal nodded.

“I’ll see you later, Peter. Don’t wait up.”

“Whatever,” he said, too distracted to probably even realize I was leaving.

Now where in this godforsaken swamp am I going to find Mandy?

***

I found Mandy and several others at the pool. There was none of the frolicking around and splashing I had heard before. Now people were floating in groups or sitting on the walkways, talking quietly. Some of them were even crying. A small piece of me was happy to know that we would be missed, even if only for a day or two.

I saw Mandy and walked over to her, gesturing for her to follow me. I waited a few feet away and didn’t start talking until I knew we were far enough from the others that they wouldn’t hear me.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hey. How are you doing? Are you totally freaking out right now like we are?” She put her wet hand on my arm.

“Yeah, pretty much. But I’m here to ask you for a favor.”

“Sure. What’s up?”

“I need to know how I can get my hands on one of those looms like you have. If I’m going to be starting over somewhere, I need to be able to make cloth like you guys do.”

“It’s not going to help if you don’t have the raw materials,” she said, sounding sad. “I want to help you, though.”

“I know that about the materials … I plan on getting some of those, too. Somehow. I’m not sure how yet, but I will.” I smiled at her sheepishly, a little embarrassed about not having all the pieces together.

“I can help you. Just go to your hut. I’ll come by in a little bit. Maybe an hour or so, okay?”

“What are you going to do?”

“Just go. I’m going to do whatever I can, but I don’t want to make you any promises, okay?”

“Okay,” I said, a little worried that her idea of help might not actually help me the way I needed right now. But she walked away and left me standing there, striding down the walkway and into the trees, so there would be no more questioning done by me tonight of Mandy.

I heard wet feet coming over and noticed LaShay approaching.

“Hey, girl. I feel so bad for you, right now.”

“Don’t. I’m going to be fine.”

“How are you going to be fine? I don’t mean to be all Miss You-Ain’t-Got-No-Hope an’ all, but seriously … I’m scared for you and them boys.”

I rubbed her upper arm. “Thanks for your concern, really. But we’re going to be fine. We have a plan.”

“You do? Already?”

“Yeah. We didn’t make it this far by being a bunch of dummies.”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just surprised you’re bouncing back so soon. That’s good. I’m proud of you, baby. You’re strong.”

Her words warmed my heart. “Listen, LaShay … if you’re ever kicked out of the swamp, come look us up, okay? I think all of us would like that, but especially Jamal.”

“You think so? Hmph. Well. Maybe I will someday. Where you gonna be stayin’ at?”

“The big prison south of here.”

“What’s it called?”

“I have no idea.”

She let out a big belly-laugh. “Oh girrl, you crack. Me. Up! … Don’t know what it’s called …” She threw her hand up. “Well how’m I gonna find you then?”

I smiled, giving her a high five and folding my fingers in with hers for a second before letting her go. “I’ll find the name and give it to you before I leave. I’ll give it to everyone. Anyone is welcome to join us there.”

“I’ll spread the word. Maybe someday when my arm is all better and they don’t need me around here, I’ll wander on down and stay a while.”

“They’re never going to stop needing you here, LaShay. You’re the best medical person they have … that anyone could have. And I don’t want to take that from them. But I’m just saying … if you ever feel the need to leave, you have somewhere to go.”

“You make my soul feel alive again, you know that, Bryn? Today I know for a fact that there are good people out there, doin’ good things, watchin’ out for their fellow men and women … you are restoring my faith in human beings. And after what I went through? … That means a lot. A lot, lot, if you know what I mean.”

She grabbed me with her good arm and pulled me in tight, soaking me with her wet clothes. “You stay strong. Everyone here ‘cept that nasty old Coli is pulling for ya. You gonna make it, I jus’ know it.”

I patted her back. “Thanks, LaShay. I’ll see you around.” I drew back from her. “Lots of people to see before I go. Maybe I’ll see you again in the morning?”

“Count on it. I’ll be at the goodbye party,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes.

I left her, my heart swollen with love for the kind words she’d shared with me. Leaving this safe home didn’t feel quite as awful as it had just an hour ago.