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over the water. She squatted in front of a brick column at the corner of the building, where no one inside could see her. Relief hissed out onto the concrete.
    A moment later, she was back indoors. She leaned over the counter. “Put me in the record books. I dropped the napkins in the river. I’m the first person in the world to litter.”
    Hank smiled at her. His deep- set eyes and jutting, bushy brow normally gave him an angry expression. But when he smiled, he changed from Neanderthal to teddy bear. Callie loved to watch the transformation. She felt almost magical when she triggered it.
    “Come on back here, babe,” Hank said.
    “I don’t think we need to hide behind the counter. They aren’t doing anything. They’re ignoring us.”
    Hank gave her a look. She could tell he wanted to call the shots, but she was sick of sitting in the dark. She walked around and helped Helen up off the ground. “Come have a look.” She pointed out the dinosaurs on the far bank.
    Morgan walked past. “Who would have thought, huh? Goddamn dinosaurs!” A hadrosaur crossed the mudflat and looked in their direction. Helen stepped back.
    “It’s ok ay,” Callie whispered. “I don’t think they can see inside here, because it’s so dark and all.”
    Helen studied the creature, staring silently for a long while. “It looks like a cross between an elephant and a cow and a lizard.”
    “So what now?” Morgan asked the room. He walked back to the counter, reached into the glass display case, and took out a bear claw.
    Lisa crossed her arms . “Hey, what do you think you’re doing?”
    Through a mouthful of dough, Morgan said, “I’ll pay you back later.”
    William placed a hand on Lisa’s shoulder. “We’ll need to share whatever supplies we have here, don’t you think?” She looked down and her scowl faded. William continued, “Since we don’t have any power, why don’t you and Beth see if you can figure out what will spoil? We’ll eat those things first.”
    Callie’s mouth dropped. Barely an hour had passed and William was suggesting they might be trapped here long enough for food to spoil. She shuddered.
    Beth took Lisa by the arm. “That will mostly be the milk. Come on boss, let’s take inventory.”
    Helen remained at the open side wall and watched the giant creatures on the far bank. They made little noise as they milled about. Their hides were various shades of green, one so dark it looked iridescent. A short layer of furry down covered its back and shimmered in the breeze. Every so often, it rose up on its hind legs to look around, like a meerkat on the savannah.
    “Dinosaurs ,” the old woman said after a long while. “Goddamn dinosaurs.”

[ 11 ]
    Beth joined William and Tim near the front windows. Until the herd wandered away, they were trapped. From inside the café, they could not see out onto their side of the river. Both walls facing in that direction were windowless. They took turns leaning out the front and craning to the right so they could watch the closest dinosaurs.
    Their size astounded Beth. One of the larger ones rolled in the mud not too far from the building. Its motion shook the earth. When it rose, a thick layer of brown mud coated its back and flanks. “It’s taking a mudbath,” Beth whispered over her shoulder.
    “That probably keeps the insects off,” William said.
    “ Some of them maybe,” Beth noted. A swarm still buzzed around the creature’s head.
    William put his hand on Tim’s shoulder. “Hey, man. I think you saved my life out there. Thank you.”
    Tim nodded. “You were just trying to do the same for Patricia.”
    Beth divided her attention between the conversations inside and the giants outside. Of all the people in the café, William seemed the most real. Free of bullshit. He was probably a good father, she thought with a pang of jealousy. He seemed like the sort of guy you would want watching out for you.
    A racket came from inside and Beth pulled her head