text: Back at the house, Madeline found herself replaying the conversation with Billie over and over. Reclining on the sofa in the small, cluttered living room, she thought through every expression, every word, every hesitation, analysing them all. Though she was glad to have an ally, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d shared too much too soon. Perhaps her time with Liam had made her soft. The clattering of the letterbox startled her from her thoughts, sweat pricking at her skin. She was halfway to her feet on reflex before the conscious part of her brain reminded her that she was expecting this. With a deep breath, she tried to calm herself, forcing coiled muscles to release their stored tension and waiting for her heart to stop thumping against her ribs. Taking the time to move quietly and carefully, she made her way to the front door. A scrap of white paper waited for her there, staring up in stark contrast to the dark, drab doormat. She quickly scooped it up to read the scribbles that covered it: a grid reference and a time. After hurrying to consult her map, she found it led her to a church a few miles away. The time was shortly after dawn. Her only recently calmed heart started racing again at the thought of the meeting. There was still so much she was uncertain of -- so much to figure out about her new ally. Soon she would get her chance. Until then, she should make sure to eat and rest. She had to be on her top form. The evening passed slowly, and the night even more so. She spent the time playing out different scenarios for the morning meeting until she finally fell asleep. Then, the same scenes infiltrated her dreams. She watched herself ambushed, attacked, welcomed, embraced. Hundreds of possibilities flicked behind her closed eyelids as she slept fitfully. When dawn came, she was ready and waiting by the door. As soon as the first rays of the sun crept over the horizon, she set off. A brisk wind chased her through the streets, blowing away the sluggishness of a restless night. As she walked, the sun crept higher, bringing with it the pale pastels of a new day. By the time the sky had faded to blue, she was almost at her destination. After a quick circuit of the block, Madeline approached the church. The majority of the stained glass windows remained surprisingly intact. Perhaps, even in this world, people still somehow felt bad about vandalising a place of worship. The heavy wooden door at the front stood enticingly ajar. But she knew better than to use the obvious entrance -- especially for a meeting with a relative stranger. Keeping her head swivelling from side to side, she crept around the edge of the building. There were two smaller entrances -- one on either side -- but both were locked. That just left the rear of the building, where the graveyard was situated. There, overgrown grass blossomed with weeds and wildflowers alike. In some places it was so long it looked ready to engulf the headstones and markers that littered the ground. Turning back to the wall, Madeline found one final doorway. Though it was shut, all it took was a firm push for it to creak open. Wincing at the sound, Madeline stepped through. Inside, she found an array of gardening tools, clearly unused for a long while. Rusted shears lay next to trowels and watering cans in an organised mess, while a muddy shovel, rake, and stepladder stood, propped up against the wall. Amidst it all stood a pair of wellington boots, encrusted with dirt from their last outing, never to be worn again. Madeline carefully crept past, lifting each foot over the items to place on what little of the floor remained clear. Once she was past the assortment of equipment, she picked up the pace a little down the stone corridor, checking the rooms as she went. When she peeked out into the main section of the church, she saw Billie waiting in the pews. Their eyes locked onto her from where they sat, leant back with legs crossed and a lazy smile fixed on their face. “Don’t worry, I can wait,” they called over. “You finish scoping the place if it’ll make you feel better.” Suppressing a sigh, Madeline tried to ignore the heat rushing to her face. Regardless, she wasn’t going to let herself be embarrassed into making a mistake. She continued searching the rest of the building, though not making as much effort to be stealthy. When she was done, she returned to where Billie waited. “All done?” they asked. “Satisfied this isn’t a trap?” “Not entirely,” Madeline replied. She narrowed her eyes in exaggerated suspicion, making Billie guffaw with laughter. “You should be more trusting. I think we both know I’ve had ample opportunity to kill or rob you, and have I?” “I like to think I’d have been able to stop you,” she replied with a nervous chuckle, before turning more serious. “But trust doesn’t come easily to me these days. And nor should it.” “I suppose you’re right,” Billie sighed. “I just wish you weren’t.” The two of them remained silent for a moment, contemplating what their lives had become. It was Billie that broke the stillness, standing to stride across the aisle. Madeline couldn’t help but flinch at the sudden movement. They glanced back at her. “Come on, I’ve laid out some stuff in the vestry.” Taking a deep breath to soothe her nerves, she followed. In the other room, strange robes lined the walls, hanging from metal railings. But what really interested Madeline was what covered the floor. A map was laid out, similar to her own, with all manner of locations marked and further notes scribbled on sheets of paper. She glanced over at Billie. “When did you do all this?” “The planning? I’ve been doing it since I lost my... friends. Laying it all out like this...” They gestured to the covered floor. “I did that before you arrived.” “Did you sleep here? Or travel at night?” “Neither,” Billie laughed. “I just move fast is all. I was eager to be here.” Madeline *hmphed* to herself, wondering how her companion could have possibly beaten her here by that much. It wasn’t like she’d slept in -- or dawdled. Pushing the question from her thoughts, for now, she surveyed the maps and notes. Until something pulled at the back of her mind. “So, friends?” she asked. “What about them?” If Madeline had been a little less suspicious, perhaps they’d have gotten away with the forced nonchalance in their voice. But after over-analysing every inch of their conversation yesterday, she wasn’t going to let it slide. “I told you who I was looking for. It only seems fair that you do the same. Otherwise, how will I know if I find them?” Billie remained frozen, micro-expressions flicking across their face betraying an otherwise calm exterior. Madeline watched on silently. When she was satisfied that she’d made them squirm enough, she interrupted their internal struggle. “Look, you don’t have to tell me yet. Clearly, it makes you uncomfortable. Just remember, trust goes both ways.” Billie nodded. “Thanks. It’s just... not everything is mine to tell. Something I can say though, while I was with a group, I’m really only looking for one person.” “Oh? And who’s that?” “My brother.” A faraway look entered their eyes as they glanced down at the floor. “Older or younger?” “Older, but not by much. His name’s Joe, and he looks similar to me, only around twice the height.” A smile curled at their lips, perhaps at some remembered joke or taunt. “Just like you and your kid, we separated to escape the Poiloogs. We had a prearranged meeting location and time all worked out. But he wasn’t there.” Madeline reached out to squeeze their shoulder, before thinking better of it and letting her hand drop. “I’m sorry. Losing family that’s... I can only imagine.” Billie shot them a strange look. “What do you mean you can only imagine?” “Well, I suppose I lost family at the beginning of all this. Or I just never found them. But that was a long time ago and--” “No, I mean Liam. Strikes me that we’re pretty much in the same boat.” “Oh, I see,” Madeline said, her cheeks flushed. “Liam isn’t my son. Or brother. He’s just... I just found him.” “So you found a strange child, took him with you, and looked after and cared for him?” “Yeah,” Madeline replied lamely. Billie shrugged. “Sounds like family to me.” Before she could stop it, a giggle bubbled up from inside her. Then another. And another. Shaking her head at her own stupidity, she gasped for breath between the laughter. Of course, Liam was family. Her only family. What else could he be? But just as the happy realisation sank in, so too did the loss of him. As the laughter wracking her body turned to sobs, she felt two familiar arms wrap around her.