Unseasonably warm. A common phrase but an apt one. Even sitting on the back porch in the shade, Marlene could feel the sweat running down her neck. She sipped at a glass of water. The back yard was small, barely enough room to accommodate an oak tree and a small shed.

She looked at the shed. Locked door and faded paint, the roof collecting leaves and debris. The creature forbade her from even entering it until after it started the sleep. It was insistent that she check on it afterward, to make sure the offspring survived. Offspring. Another one. Marlene watched people march through the house into the shed. She knew some stayed behind in their homes, controlled like Mr. Meeks. But what about the rest? They never left. She had seen what the creature had done, and feared what it was doing.

There were no strange sounds, no scratching at the metal paneling. The ground was bare around it, not a single blade of grass. But then again, the grass across the lawn remained yellow and dry, no recovery as summer became fall.

"Whatcha doing?"

Marlene jumped and dropped her water, the plastic cup thudding on the bottom step and the water pouring out. "Jesus, you scared me!"

Sebastian grimaced. He was standing by the corner of the porch. "Sorry, I just wanted to say hi."

"How did you even get back here? The fence is locked."

"No fence can stop me! Wait, I didn't mean that sound that creepy."

Marlene chuckled. "You're not creepy. I know creepy."

"That's not good," Sebastian said.

"Sit down if you want," Marlene said. She took a seat on the top step. Sebastian sat on the bottom step.

"When did you move in?" Sebastian asked.

"Just a few days ago," Marlene said. Days? It's been weeks. No, months.

"I haven't seen you in school," Sebastian said.

Marlene nodded. What should she say? Should she tell him to get help, say something alarming to get his attention? Would the creature just kill him anyway?

"I haven't started yet. When I do you can show me around."

"I don't know if you want that. Not to brag, but I am very much a loser."

Marlene laughed. He didn't seem that different from any other kid. But being around kids, being in school, all felt like a lifetime ago. A place lost in fog, beyond discovery.

"Really, there's a number system. Some guys came up with it. They assign a specific insult to a number, it gets passed around. So people can yell numbers at me and the teachers don't care, but I know they're talking about having sex with my mom or kicking my ass."

"That's horrible," Marlene said.

"Eh, when I'm not there I can forget about it, just feel normal you know? When I go back it's like it hits me that oh yeah, they're gonna yell 47 at me. That's the worst one."

"What does 47 mean?"

"I don't even wanna say."

Marlene looked around her, and snatched up a doll that had been left on the back porch. She handed it to Sebastian.

"Do you want to show me on the doll?"

Sebastian guffawed and dropped the doll. "That's messed up. We gotta hang out more."

"Okay." What? Marlene knew they couldn't. Would the creature sees him as a threat?

But talking to Sebastian, for a moment there was no cloud over her. She never saw a future anymore, there was a blank space. Only tomorrow, waking up in a bed surrounded by toys while a monster rampages. Just a blank space. But now, she pictured school. Maybe a dance? Did they have a skate park here?

"Whatcha got in the shed?" Sebastian asked.

The dance, her moving around a gym filled with kids and a strobing light, vanished.

"The shed?"

The blank space returned.

"Yeah? Anything cool?"

"No," Marlene said. "It's locked anyway. I can't go in."

"Hey, I know we just met and all. But as someone who is definitely not, are you okay?"

Marlene nodded again. Don't cry, she ordered herself, trying to will the tears back down.

"I can call someone. If you need help."

"You would only make it worse."

"That's not true," Sebastian said.

"Trust me. I have to go inside. Maybe we'll hang out later."

"You can come over to my place if you want."

Marlene stood up. She made a move to lean down and get the cup, but abandoned the mission. She walked to the backdoor and pulled open the screen door.

"I got your back, just saying."

Marlene stopped. "Why? You don't even know me."

"Well, I know we're friends."