I was down to my last two or three bullets and R was down to fumes in her chainsaw when we managed to make it out of the open air artisanal slaughterhouse. The fire that Caterpillar Alex started managed to incapacitate the bronzing bodies enough for our escape. We stopped running once we were across the dried up river bed, back in the parking lot of our home, the dessicated mall. R and I hunched over. We braced ourselves against our thighs to catch our breath.

You should really put your hands above your head if you need to regain your wind. I looked up and saw Caterpillar Alex covered in blood and bronze, smelling like burnt skin.

How did you get here so fast? Caterpillar Alex gestered behind him and over his shoulder, I saw the ultralight helicopter, the rotor blades slowing down. Where...

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