on their own. I haven’t been able to get in touch with them since the fallout.” A slight cloud of worry crosses Jim’s face before it slips away and his expression returns to a calm kindness. It’s another reminder of how many people have been affected by the solar flares and ensuing nuclear fallout.

Even though he doesn’t look like anyone I remember, the man seems familiar. His wild orange hair sticks up in all directions, making a sharp contrast to his hazel eyes, which are calm and clear. That’s why he seems familiar, I decide. His hair is like mine and his eyes are like James’s and Dad’s.

I have James walk behind me, putting myself between the man and him just in case, and we follow the handler to his cabin. It’s quite small, made smaller by...

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