Judy woke up, and found her face stuffed into a pillow. Her face was hot and red, and her pillow kept her head warm. She sat up, and looked around. She was in her room, her room a mess with clothes lying all over the floor, her bedcovers almost on the floor as well. She slept diagonally on her bed, as if she were too lazy to straighten herself up. She tried to remember last night. She knew something happened, but she couldn't quite get the right picture. Then, she heard Ralph bark outside. She thought that again.

Ralph was outside, unsupervised. What was Ralph doing?

"That stupid dog," she spat, and got up from her bed.

Every time there was a problem, it always had something to do with Ralph. That dog just didn't know when to quit, and it frustrated Judy. She just wasn't a dog person.

Judy ran downstairs and through her living room, but froze when she looked at her front porch.

The boy, Evo, sat on her porch, wearing the blanket that he tore as if it were a diaper. His bare back was faced towards the door, his cuts still visible from before, just not bleeding. His long hair covered his neck, and it wasn't glowing like she had thought it was. Maybe it was just in her head. It was the middle of the night at that.

Judy slowly opened the door, and stepped outside, the door creaking behind her as it closed by itself. She slowly sat down next to the boy, unable to keep her eyes off him.

His name was Evo, but she still referred to him as the boy. She couldn't help it. Evo just wasn't a name for a child.

Evo watched Ralph as he ran around and sniffed the edges of the crops like he found some treasure. Judy was relieved to see Ralph okay, but her attention quickly turned to Evo.

"Did you get any rest?" She asked, trying to study the child.

"No." Evo said tiredly, looking around the field of crops. His eyes scanned the crops like he were watching for something.

Judy looked down at her blanket, and how he tied it around his hips.

"Never knew my blanket could be used for that."

Evo looked down at the blanket covering him, and looked back to the crops.

"I was cold." He said, almost as an excuse.

Judy waved her hand with a smile,

"Oh don't worry, you're not in trouble."

The word, 'trouble' stuck out. Judy sighed.

"Speaking of trouble," she said, placing her hands on her knees, "if the police find you here, they'll think I kidnapped you."

Evo continued to watch the crops like none of that mattered to him. Judy expected to hear something back, but she didn't.

She saw how he was watching the crops, and tried to connect something together.

"Is someone after you?" She asked. She noticed Evo glance to the side with a slight movement in his leg. Maybe she was on to something. She leaned in closer.

"If someone is after you, the police can help." She told him.

"No police. No one can know." Evo told her, watching the dog sniff closer to him.

"Well, you've got yourself in a pickle, because now I know about you," she said, throwing her hands in the air.

Evo looked at Judy, and then the dog. A few moments later, Evo stood up.

"You're right. I must go." Evo said, starting to walk towards the dirt road.

Judy sat there, with no words. Just like that? He was leaving? She watched Evo walk onto the dirt road that split the crop field. It was a long way to town on foot, and for some odd reason, she couldn't let him leave.

"Hey!" She shouted, trying to stop Evo.

Evo stopped, and turned quickly, eyeing Judy down with pierced eyes.

"I didn't say you could just mosey on outta here," Judy said, waving her hand towards her vast field.

"It's a long walk to town. I can drive you there, maybe get you some clothes from a store that a friend of mine owns." She offered.

Evo looked at his diaper, and looked at Judy.

"Okay." He said, walking back to the steps and sitting down.

Judy stood there, and stared at the boy's neck. It wasn't glowing blue like last night.

It's probably nothing, she thought.

The phone in her house suddenly rang. Judy knew exactly who it was.

"What is that?" Evo immediately stood up, looking alarmed.

Judy turned around and walked back to her door.

"It's the house phone," she said, opening the door and looking back to the boy, "when I come back out, we'll head to town, okay?"

He nodded, and looked at the dog who was sitting down in front of him. Judy went inside, and left Evo and Ralph alone.

The dog was looking up at Evo curiously, and Evo stared back. They spent a few seconds studying each other before the boy could not take the sad eyes of Ralph.

"Stop that." Evo waved him away.

Ralph whimpered, and walked away to the back of the house, leaving Evo all alone on the steps.

Judy rushed to the phone in the kitchen, and picked it up, out of breath as she raised it up to her ear.

"Yes?" She tried to contain her breaths.

"Hey, it's Miranda," an excited, feminine southern voice said through the phone. Judy smiled.

Miranda was Judy's best friend since high school. Twenty long years of going through high school breakups, studying for tests, standing by each other's sides whenever they were down, but also the moments where they were at their most happiness. Miranda was Judy's maid of honor, and likewise was Judy for Miranda's.

"Oh hey Miranda, it's a good thing you called. I was wondering-"

"Jerry, you think you can put the shipment of coal out in the front?" She asked. Judy could hear Jerry through the phone yell, "I got it, woman!"

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Miranda spoke back into the phone.

"Getting ready for Winter?" Judy leaned in on the wall and twirled the wire.

"Heck yeah I am. I'm planning on being the first store in town to be ready for the dead season. Supplies run out fast. I just want to be sure my items are the first to go." She said.

Miranda and her husband, Jerry, owned a gas station in the middle of town. Whenever they needed gas, or someone to talk to, they'd go to their store: Rounding Bucks. Miranda was the girl talker, while Jerry had his Television set up by the cash register for him and the boys to see the daily sports games. Their gas station was many things: A grocery, clothing, and liquor store. They were the best business in town. Always three steps ahead of everyone else, and boy did they know how to treat customers like Family.

"Well, you can tell me more later, because I'll be heading into town-"

"AHHH! ARE YOU REALLY?" Miranda screamed excitedly into the phone. Judy distanced herself from the phone, her eardrums hurt after the scream.

"Yes Miranda, I need to buy a few things... for something." Judy thought about the boy, and how he wore her blanket as underwear.

"Well, I can't wait for you to come!" Miranda said, "It's about time you visited!"

Judy smiled weakly, and looked down at the tiled floor.

"I'll be there in a bit, okay?" She said quietly into the phone.

"Alright Judith, in a few then." Miranda said, also quiet.

As Judy was about to set the phone down, she heard Miranda yell with authority.

"Jerry! Tell your friends they have jobs to be at, like you! Judith is coming!"

Judy wasn't sure whether to be excited or nervous. She hasn't seen Miranda in weeks, even though they were close friends. She just never felt ready to be around anyone yet.

Judy hung up the phone, grabbed her keys, and went outside. She went down the steps, looking around for the boy who was sitting legs crossed in front of Ralph. Her dog sat still in front of Evo, not making a sound. The two stared at each other carefully, until Judy interrupted, opening the door to her ford pickup truck and yelling,

"Hey kid, get in! We're going now!"

Ralph got up, like he were trapped in a trance. He acted like every other dog: stupid. Ralph ran into the truck, and Evo slowly followed.

"Imma get you some clothes, and if you're still keen on wanting to leave, you can go right ahead." She said as Evo stopped in front of the door.

Evo looked at Judy, and went into the backseat of the truck with Ralph. All Ralph did was stick his tongue out. Maybe he was happy, but why? Then she remembered: he was stupid.

Judy closed the door, and got in the truck, starting the truck and driving momentarily out of her farm, and down the long dirt road that led into town.

She glanced at Evo through the rear mirror, and wondered why he wanted to leave so bad. There was nowhere to run other than town around here. And clearly, Evo didn't want to head into town. If he were to leave, it'd be no big deal. The kid was an absolute stranger to her. She was sure he'd be fine out there if he knew what he was doing.

Then she asked herself: What is he doing?