“Are we allowed to open it?” Hope looked worried.

“It’ll be fine,” she said to Hope. “You’ll see what I’m doing in a minute. But for now, I want you to go stand on the front porch, and close your eyes, and count to…”

“Fifty!”

“A hundred!”

“Seventy-five,” Anna said. “Go on. Scoot.” It was a good thing they’d reached their destination, because she was running out of creative games to keep the girls entertained.

Hoisting herself up, she flung a leg through the waist-high window and eased through the casement, scraping her thigh on the rough wood. Blood beaded bright against her fading, yellow-green bruises.

She was in. She dusted her hands together, did a quick inspection to assure herself that the place was solid and safe, and threw the front door open just as the girls shouted “seventy-five” together. “Come see our new vacation home!” she said, smiling at them.

They walked in, wide-eyed but accepting, and the three of them explored the small cabin. Faded, vinyl-covered camp mattresses remained on rusty cots, a single in one bedroom and a double in another. The living room was fully, if only basically, furnished, and the pine paneling on the walls gave the place a cozy, old-fashioned feel.

“Where’s the stove?” Hayley asked.

“And the fridge?” Hope added.

Anna came into the kitchen area and looked around, putting her hands on her hips. “They were taken out because people don’t live here anymore. But we’ll be fine. We have our cooler, and we can cook things on our camp stove.”

“Or just eat cereal,” Hope added helpfully.

Anna blew out a breath. “No. We’re going to start having real meals again, just as soon as we can go to the grocery store.” If memory served, there was a small one in the coastal village of Safe Haven, just a few miles down the road. For more supplies, they’d take the highway to Myrtle Beach.

“Hey, the lights don’t work!” Hayley stood flicking the light switch in the kitchen. Hope ran to check the one in the living room, and then the girls ran from switch to switch, testing each one and getting the same result.

Anna tried the faucet: no water. Of course. It made sense given that the rustic little resort wasn’t open for business. Electricity they could do without, but they needed water.

She let the twins run as she looked around, planning. A worried glance out the window showed a low-hanging sun, so she had to get moving. They’d bring in what they needed, light the lantern, get out dinner. Probably peanut-butter sandwiches, but she’d fix the girls some fruit at least. She’d locate a flashlight and go hunting for the main water valve, set the girls to work wiping down mattresses. They’d find a broom and sweep up the dust and litter on the floor. For tonight, they’d be okay.

Tomorrow, she’d deal with the fact that she was in a strange state where she knew no one, with two little girls to support on very limited funds. She’d figure out their next step.