Evan Arden 01 Otherwise Alone Read Free Page A

she’s admitting to needing help?
    Or maybe it’ s because our fingers touched and she realizes she’s alone with some guy she doesn’t know.
    I want to laugh at the idea , but I manage to contain myself .
    “Thank you,” she says and then clears her throat.  She twists open the bottle and tips it up to her lips.  She starts to drink way too quickly , and I immediately grab it from her, causing her to startle.
    “Not so fast,” I say, “or you’ll make yourself sick.  Sip it.”
    I place the bottle back in her hand, and she nods slowly at me.   She takes a small si p , pauses , and then takes another.  I return her nod, convinced she isn’t going to make herself puke on my floor now.
    “What’s your name?” she asks.
    “ Evan ,” I tell her.
    “I’m Lia ,” she says with a smile.  I’m not sure if it is due to her continued nervousness or if she really just wants to be polite.  I watch her closely but don’t respo nd.  “Um… Lia Antonio .”
    Italian.   Figures.   I should have known from her features.  She doesn’t have an y accent, though, so she’s not first gen or anything.
    I keep staring at her.  I know it’s making her nervous, but I’m not one for small talk and I don’t want her to get the impression that she’s going to stay here and gossip away the evening with me.  I consider picking the rifle back up and making it clear she needs to be on her way.
    On her way where?
    If I kick her out, she’s dead before the sun sets .  What am I supposed to do – o ffer her a fucking ride somewhere?  I don’t even know – or care – where she’s going.  I’m also supposed to stay right where I am except when I need to go somewhere for supplies.
    Getting low on gasoline . , I remind myself.
    Fuck.
    I push the thought from my head.  I don’t want to have to spend at least a couple hours in a truck with some chick I don’t know.  She’s an idiot for even being here.
    I reconsider almost immediately.  She is an idiot , but that is for getting herself in the situation at all, not because she is here now.  She doesn’t have a choice at this point.  Going back out into the desert is suicide.
    “Hungry?” I hear myself ask, and I want to slam my head into the wall.
    “Um…a little, but really – you don’t have to go to any trouble.”
    “Well,” I say, “it’s my din n er time, so I’m going to cook.  If you want something, speak up now.”
    She steps from one foot to the other a couple of times as she stares at the wood slats that make up the f loor .
    “I guess,” she finally answers.  “I mean, if you are making something already, that would be wonderful.”
    Too fucking polite.

Chapter Two
    We sit at the table , and I serve up what I managed to scrounge for dinner.  It’s a better meal than I would have made for myself – definitely.  Fried potatoes with peppers and onions mixed in with it, along with canned peaches and a couple bottles of water.  It still isn’t much, but the way she tears into it tells me how hungry she really i s.
    I leave the generator going , and the fan point s close to us so we c an at least be a little more comfortable while eating.  Odin plop s himself down next to the fan to reap the benefits as well.   He watches Lia pretty closely but backs away when she reaches out her hand.  When she asks me if he’s friendly to strangers , I can only shrug.  He really hasn’t been around too many people.  It’s always been just the two of us.
    “This is really good,” Lia says as she takes another bite of the potatoes.  “Where did you learn to cook?”
    “Camping,” I tell her.   It is close enough to accurate.   “We did a lot of hiking in the middle of nowhere, so I can make a meal out of most anything as long as I have a fire to cook it.”
    “We?” she pushes.  “You and your family?”
    I hesitate before shaking my head.
    “I don’t have one.”
    “I’m sorry,” she says quietly as she bows her head.