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behind, the woman still standing vigilant over Shadow, which Alex appreciated a great deal. She hadn’t even joined in their conversation and when Alex got closer, he saw that she was almost sleeping sitting up.
    “You don’t have to stay, Hannah,” Alex said, though she waved his concern away with a gesture and a furrowed brow, as if the idea of leaving Shadow was absurd. He realized that after losing Tom, that perhaps Hannah’s need for a ‘win’ was high. He understood that completely if that were indeed the case.
    “I’ve got something for you,” Hannah said, preparing a shot for his shoulder. “This will numb it up and at least make the pain go away.” She gave him the shot and tested his range of motion and appeared satisfied with what she found. “It’ll be fine.”
    “Let me get you some food then?” Selina asked her kindly.
    ”I’m not the slightest bit hungry,” Hannah replied, not unkindly, as she inspected the wounds and dressings on Shadow. “This is incredible,” she said excitedly. “The smaller wound that you treated is starting to scab over, and the stitched area is not red or inflamed at all!”
    “How is that?” Alex asked concernedly.
    “I have no clue,” she whispered. “But I do know that this animal’s metabolism and healing capabilities are extraordinary. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
    “Well, he is kinda special,” Alex said, unsure of what else to say. But, as he gave it some thought, he spoke again to Hannah, taking a seat right beside her on the grass. “I have noticed that he acts…more like a dog than a wolf, really.”
    “You mean he is more domesticated?”
    “Exactly. I mean, I don’t know shit about wolves, but it seems like he is smart…not just cunning. He acts on instinct, but it’s more,” he said, struggling to explain his theory. Before he could say another word, Shadow shuddered and then rolled over, licking at his wounded area, before trotting off to lay in the shade of the chapel that he and Selina called home.
     “Well, I guess I’m no longer needed then,” she added with a dry smile.
    “He seems to be good?” Selina added, shrugging her shoulders. “Hannah, why don’t we talk a little? I wanna know more about Tom,” she said, pointing to the steps leading to the wall-walk above. “Up there.”
    “Sure,” Hannah said, tearing up, then smiling and wiping away her tears as she slowly got to her feet. “I’d like that.”
    As the women marched up the steps to the walls above, Alex wandered over to the gates. The fires were still burning, a good twenty paces or so from the gates, and he couldn’t see any movement within the smoke and flames any longer. He could make out what he believed to be husks and burned out corpses occasionally through the smoke, but they were few and far between. And it wasn’t long after that they too disappeared, consumed by the pitiless flame. It would be a while before the fires died out enough for them to wander out there. He peeked through the bars and caught sight of his van off to the far right, unmolested by the flames as of yet. He was glad he grabbed his important belongings a few days ago, knowing that whatever supplies were left behind might all be gone in the next few hours if the van caught fire.
    He strode over to where Shadow was, lay down beside him on the grass, rubbed the nape of his neck, and closed his eyes.
    ***
    Alex felt something wet on his cheek as he stirred from his slumber. He opened his eyes and saw that the sun was all but gone, fading fast behind clouds in the west. And then he felt another splash of moisture on his face. It wasn’t Shadow as the wolf was nowhere in sight. But, he looked skyward again and felt a few more drops of moisture upon his face.
    Rain.
    They hadn’t had much precipitation this year at all, he recalled, as he slowly made it to his feet. His shoulder and head still ached, but nothing like it was before he nodded off. Hannah and Selina were