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paused to watch but it wasn’t a patrol coming home, it was a lone, scraggly, individual who entered with his hands in the air. Five armed men came down from the watch tower and for a moment the stranger disappeared behind them. She held her breath and a moment later he appeared, walking with Stan, an older man who was housed with Matt.
    She knew rumours of the stranger would abound through the evening and in the morning Anne would call them all together to address it. ‘So get your butt home and help get some food on the table,’ she thought. Still she stayed and watched until Stan and the stranger disappeared into one of the houses.
     
    Matt heard the gate open and jogged upstairs to the only window with any sort of view of the gate. Anne and Damian’s house blocked most of the view but he could see a commotion down on the street. He frowned. “I’ll probably be the last to hear about whatever the hell is happening,” he muttered. He was about to walk away when he saw Violet across the street. She had her arms full of apples and appeared to be watching whatever was happening at the gate.
    A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “You’re stubborn, I’ll give you that,” he said softly. “But one of these days I’ll wear you down. You’ll want sex, you’ll want a relationship, and I’ll be the only one here who wants you.”
    He was staring so intently at her that he missed Stan leading someone up the street and down their driveway. When he heard the front door open he turned away from the window and jogged downstairs.
    “Who’s on supper tonight? I’m on evening watch,” he called as he came down. There were four watches, morning watch from six in the morning until noon, afternoon watch which ran until six in the evening, evening watch which went until midnight, and the late watch which covered the last six hours. There were enough people on watch rotation that each pairing had to work each shift once each week.
    “Sorry, that’s me. I just got called to help at the wall.”
    “Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Matt said. He rounded the corner and stopped. “Who’s this?”
    Stan was older than Matt by an easy ten years but his laid back attitude made it hard for him to take a solid stand against the boy. He shrugged. “This is Eddie. We just let him in. He’s going to sleep on the couch downstairs for a few nights. I guess they didn’t call you ‘cause they knew you had watch in a few hours and didn’t want to bother you. I’ll get dinner on so you won’t be late.”
    They had canned beans, refried and smothered in tomato sauce, on stale buns. The best part of the meal was the fresh apples, even if they were tart. While Stan cooked Matt turned on Eddie.
    “What are you doing here, Eddie?”
    The ragged young man shrugged. “I was alone, I was lucky you were willing to let me in.”
    “If it were my choice I wouldn’t have. Where are you from? Why are you alone?”
    Stan looked over at them. “Matt, ease up.”
    “No. We know nothing about him.”
    “It’s okay, Stan. He’s right to ask. He cares about your village. I’m from south of here.”
    “South where?”
    “Utah. I’m alone because I escaped a gang. We got hit early in the war and it got really ugly. I ran. I just wanted to find somewhere where I could be safe. You’re tight on supplies here, I understand, and I’m willing to work, but there are nasty things out there now, things worse than missing a meal.”
    “How old are you, Eddie?”
    “Twenty-four.”
    Suddenly Matt smiled. “Same as me. I have to leave right after supper ‘cause I’m on watch but Stan will help you get settled. That first shower is like visiting heaven. Tomorrow I’ll show you around.”
    “Thanks. Thanks a lot.”
    Matt ate quickly, ignoring Stan’s shocked expression. He grabbed his rifle and jogged off towards the gate. “I’ll show you around,” he muttered. “And I’ll make sure you don’t have the chance to get