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out of whatever they were smoking or sniffing or injecting, and had come looking for more.
    She wasn’t one to judge folks on looks alone, but these people may as well have just tattooed ‘Addicts-R-Us’ on their foreheads. They reeked of alcohol and pot, reminded her of Mitch’s crowd. Jess was surprised when the Janitor allowed them to stay. Lenny didn’t think it was a good idea, outright opposed the invitation, even voiced his opinion right there in front of them. Maybe the Janitor and Lenny were playing good cop/bad cop or something, but Gabe overruled the big guy, laid down some ground rules, while the three vagabonds nodded stupidly like a box of Bobbleheads before the words had left the old man’s mouth.
    Bryan referring to them as ‘bad people’ convinced her she was right about them. He’d barely had any interactions with them, that she knew of, and already he saw right through them.
    “Three of them?” Jess asked Bryan.
    He nodded.  
    “The girl with the dark hair and pigtails?”
    Another nod.
    “Two men, one with short hair and a beard, the other with red curly hair and aviator sunglasses?”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    Jessica tapped her chin. They were assigned to guarding the grounds. She wondered why they were in the warehouse and not outside where they were supposed to be. Of course, she assumed the worst, guessed that they were rummaging through the warehouse stores, looking for drugs. Stuff to make meth, probably. Even during the end of the world…
    Laying a hand on Bryan’s shoulder again, she said, “Well why don’t we go wait somewhere else, okay?” Should things get ugly behind those doors, she really didn’t want Bryan to be around to hear it. Or worse, see it. The end of the world had enough abhorrent and detestable things—and people—in it without having to look.  
    His eyes flicked up at her, a panicked look on his face.  
    “We’ll come back, sweetie. I promise. You can get David’s present, and we’ll take it in to him together, okay?”
    Heavy contemplation settled into his young, fresh features. Then, Bryan seemed to relax a bit, finally accepting the suggestion.  
    Jess held her hand to him, and he took it. “Okay. Let’s take a stroll.”
    They started down the hall, hand in hand, covering only a few short steps when the door clanked open.
    Jess turned. It was Leonard.
    Relieved, she said, “Lenny. Everything okay?”
    He twisted his lip, shook his head. “I dunno ‘bout them folks. They’s cut from a crooked cloth.”
    “Those three new people?”
    He nodded.
    “Could not agree with you more.”
    Lenny glanced at Bryan. “You okay, ‘lil man? They gives you trouble?”
    Bryan hesitated, like he didn’t want to tattle, then said, “They tried to take David’s present away from me.”
    “The box they says you took?”
    The boy nodded.
    “Uh-huh. I figured as much. Bunch a lying so-and-so’s. I think we oughta send ‘em packing.” He jabbed his thumb toward the warehouse door. “I smelled that wacky weed the second I walked through that door.”
    Bryan giggled when Lenny said, ‘wacky weed.’
    Smiling, Lenny said, “You know what the wacky weed is, son?”
    Bryan smiled back, but wasn’t sure whether to nod or shake his head. He decided on a head shake.
    “Well, it’s bad stuff, ‘lil man. Ain’t no good for ya. Especially when you gots to pay attention, keep your eyes good and peeled. They’s on watch, all high and stuff. They gonna get theyselves killed.”
    “I think you’re right about that,” Jessica said.
    “I know I am. I told the Janitor when they showed up that they’s gonna be nothing but trouble, and it’s already started.”
    “They still in there?”
    Lenny shook his head, “Naw, told ‘em they best get back on watch duty and quit picking on little kids, ‘cuz I’s about to start pushing them around and see’s how they like it.”
    “Good for you, Lenny. Hope they peed themselves when you got in their faces.” She