Page 59 of The Wild Beneath

“It’s chaos, like you’d expect. They’re trying to get lumber from everywhere.” Evan takes a bite. “I asked about the hospital situation...”

Annie shifts forward on her chair. “What did they say?” She hasn’t been brave enough to broach the topic of transfusions with Ruth again. Her grandmother doesn’t like to talk about her leukemia—­she’s always said that giving it airtime is like feeding a weed.

“I mean... it’s not good.” Evan takes another drink and empties his glass. “But they managed to get an emergency wing open. The Red Cross is on-site, and they’re taking people.”

“That’s a relief.” Annie looks to Ruth.

“I’m glad they can help the people who need it,” Ruth says, putting down her spoon and dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin. “There must be a lot of acute concerns.”

“It got me thinking...” Evan starts. “Do you think you’ll need a transfusion soon?”

Ruth shakes her head. “That should be the least of our worries.”

Annie stares at her bowl. “It’s one of my biggest worries.”

“You could come with me, Ruth.” Evan leans forward over the table. “I’ll be leaving again soon with the other booms.”

“Other booms?” Annie’s eyes widen. “I thought that was supposed to be a one-off thing.”

Evan looks down at his forearms, folded on the table. “Dad says we can’t let up now, because the prices are so good.”

Annie moves to stand up, but Ruth puts a hand on her wrist to keep her at the table.

“As long as I’m going, Ruth can come with me,” Evan continues. “Why not get that transfusion and come home with me after?”

Ruth doesn’t take the bait. “I don’t want to leave Annie alone.”

Annie was about to take her first bite but puts her spoon down. “Maybe Evan’s right.”

“It could be a solution for now.” Evan shakes his head. “I don’t know what my dad’s endgame is. We’re surviving day by day. But we’ll all have to leave soon enough, won’t we?”

Annie doesn’t want to talk about Isaac and his plans. She wants Ruth to get a transfusion if she needs it, without Evan doing Isaac’s bidding. And she doesn’t want to think about leaving—­being forced to—­or what’s going to happen if Walker doesn’t go with her. “Are you finished?” Annie points to Ruth’s near-empty bowl.

“You haven’t eaten yet, honey.” Ruth squeezes Annie’s hand. Her fingers are cold. “It’s my job to make sure you’re okay.”

“We’ll figure out how to make it work, even if we stay,” Annie says, conjuring another future where they don’t have to evacuate, and Ruth remains Ruth: strong and well and unchanging. And Annie can stay inside the hum.

The rain drums through the downspouts. It’s getting dark. They’ll have to light candles soon.

“You could sail there and back to get the transfusions when you need them,” Walker says, leaning against the kitchen island as he eats.

“That’s not feasible,” Evan says.

Annie pushes her untouched bowl away and turns to Walker. “Is that what you think we should do?”

“Why are you asking him?” Evan’s voice is restrained.

“He’s been with us,” Annie shoots back. “He’s here.”

“You think I don’t want to be here?” Evan says, louder now. “That I don’t care?”

“Enough,” Ruth says firmly. She puts her palms up. “It’s not the time to argue.”

“Everyone has a path,” Walker says, as he retrieves the coast guard pamphlet and a pen from the drawer. Placing the paper face-down on the kitchen table, he carefully draws four lines on the blank side. Each line a differing length, some overlapping in places, some not. One line includes a dotted section, two spiral over each other repeatedly. “We each have a beginning and an ending. We cross over at different times, and it makes a pattern.”

Evan glares at Walker. “Where are you going with this?”

Walker draws small circles around each spot where the lines intersect. “We’re not separate, exactly, but we have to pay attention to the pattern,” he says. “Ruth knows the pattern best, because she’s been here the longest. She’s a good guide.”