Don't divide me into before and after.

The people feel and look the same, like they've settled here even though they know there's something more-something better-just beyond where they are.

Small-town life.

I’m sorry,” he tells me.

I sit down on the bed. He returns to the view of the street below. I follow his gaze and I see the infected walking slowly back and forth.

“It’s okay,” I say.

“Okay,” he says. He nods. “Good.”
He puts the gun under his chin and pulls the trigger.

This is awful. This is so hopeless. We're all lost in different ways, so how do we even help each other find our way out. We won't. We can't. We'll just stay lost forever.

I finally squint up at the face above and am relieved to find, not a wolf, but a woman, just like me. Until I see the uniform.

I don't like you with Becky. She's not a very nice girl.'
'I don't like you with Jake. He's not me.