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eyes. “Oh, but Don, you are the one in charge. You’ve had the most amazing ideas, including turning this place into our safe haven.” She tossed her tangled, gnarly hair over her shoulder, batting her eyes at the man as she smiled.
    Nadine repressed a shudder. Apparently she thought she looked more like a super model than a street urchin. Well, if that’s how the woman wanted it, Nadine wouldn’t be the one to tell her otherwise. “I’m Nadine Chesterfield,” she replied calmly. “I was looking for someplace safe I could call home, but if you’d prefer, I’ll gladly move on. If I could just have my things…?” She made her statement into a question, letting him know she was uncomfortable with her present accommodations without being bitchy about it.
    Don smiled at her, and to her it was about as real as any politician’s smile could be- she instantly decided to keep her guard up. “Why, of course we’ll get you your things, and settle you into somewhere more… pleasant than this,” he said. His smile was full of teeth, and Nadine shuddered again as she thought of crocodiles and death. “You’re obviously cold,” he continued, letting her know he was observant. She made a mental note to guard herself and her movements around this man, even as she nodded her thanks when the barred door was opened. He continued speaking, apparently liking the sound of his own voice as the woman with the knotted hair gave him her full attention.
    There was silence between them as he led her towards what used to be a street of country stores. Now they’d been turned into housing, which wasn’t a bad idea in Nadine’s opinion. All the items that had been in the stores were now outdoors in what she assumed was like the town square in this new city. The grass was covered with overlapping tarps until there was little green to be seen, and a giant tent had been erected to keep the merchandise from the elements. At her puzzled look, Don hastened to explain.
    “Housing was an issue- most of the places here have bodies in them,” he said, gesturing vaguely to the houses and apartments visible from where they stood. “We’re in the process of setting up some structure in the community, and one of the tasks will be a disposal unit.”
    Nadine interrupted. “Disposal unit? I’m afraid I don’t understand.” But she thought she might, and it made her skin crawl. She pulled the light jacket she was wearing a little tighter around her body, trying to keep in what little warmth was left.
    Don just nodded as if she’d answered a question rather than ask one. “We talked about doing mass burials, but there’s not enough room inside the perimeter, and it’s too risky to set one up outside. So we’ll do a mass pyre, and hopefully the flames will both dispose of the bodies and keep those things from attempting to breach our barriers.” Returning to the original subject, he gestured towards the storefronts once more. “In any case, we decided the stores would make good housing in the meantime, and there’s no need to steal. It’s an honor system now- everything anyone could need it available. There won’t be any thefts, as everything is right here for anyone to take.” The idiotic woman with the bad hair simpered at this, praising his forethought.
    Nadine, however, was left cold at his words. People were still people, no matter the circumstances, and this honor system wouldn’t work for long. Once people got comfortable again, there’d be thefts and maybe even murders in this little community. Suddenly the idea of making this place her new home lost all appeal. She murmured her thanks when the strange couple dropped her off in her new ‘home’ in what used to be a pawn shop. Her bags were already waiting, and she quickly set up a bed of sorts using the inflatable mattress someone had provided for her. Sleep was a long time in coming, however. She decided she’d stay for a little while- enough to recover some much needed