He’s younger than I realized, and like me, his plans for the future are as dead as the rest of the world. “Do you have a Snickers bar?” I say gently. “I’m kinda craving that right now. My dog could use some food; Emmy’s had nothing but tuna and Spam. Also . . .” I feel weird saying it to a total stranger, but I have to. “I need tampons.”

He doesn’t bat an eye. “Probably have all of that. C’mon, let’s go see.” He grabs the lantern and gestures me through swinging double doors and into the bowels of the store.

Trey Dawson, Trey Dawson, I think as I follow him. I know that name from somewhere. He’s broad shouldered and inches taller than I am. It’s not every day I meet a guy I can’t physically intimidate. But Trey could overpower me easily if he wanted to, especially as sick as I’ve been.

“You’ve been living here?” I ask, kicking trash out of the way.

“Three days now. My house . . . I just couldn’t stay there anymore.” He sets the lantern on the counter of the actual pharmacy part of the store. The sphere of light reveals shelves cluttered with pill bottles and white boxes. Everything has been partially looted, but maybe there’s an antibiotic back there somewhere.

“I love what you’ve done with the place,” I tell him.

He chuckles. “Well, I didn’t want it to look like someone was living here.” Trey heads down the nearest aisle. He moves cautiously, keeping an eye on the windows of the storefront.

“Why not?”

He bends down and grabs something, then tosses it to me. I catch it with my right hand. A Snickers bar.

Saliva floods my tongue. I tear open the wrapper and shove the candy bar into my mouth, tearing off fully half with a single bite. “Oh my gog thith ith the beth thig I ever hag,” I say.

The way he stares at my face makes me feel funny. I chew fast, swallow, and say, “Why did you want it to seem like no one was living here?”

“I . . . I’m staring, aren’t I?”

“You are.”

“Sorry.” He runs a hand over his head. His hair has about an inch of growth. “I keep thinking you’re not real. I haven’t seen anyone alive in days, and I . . . I’m just really glad you’re here. Hey, let’s grab what you need, then we’ll talk in the back, where nothing can see us through the windows.”

“All right.” Where nothing can see us, he said. Not no one.