“Here!” Veena said, out of breath. They had been running for more than an hour. “We’ll be safe here.” Without hesitation she entered, walking among the simple shelters and into the depths of the colony. It was quiet except for an occasional baby’s cry. But the cry never lasted long. After walking away from the road a hundred or so feet, they met a woman returning from an almost-dry stream bed, which was used as the toilet, judging from the smell. Veena spoke to her in Hindi and the woman pointed. After a few more questions, Veena thanked the woman.

“We’re in luck,” Veena said after the woman moved on. “One of these structures is vacant. The problem is that it is close to the latrine. But we’ll be safe.”

“Let’s move in,” Jennifer said. “I don’t think I can run anymore.”

Five minutes later they found themselves sitting in a lean-to made with a length of cord strung between two trees and hung with a bolt of brightly printed Indian cloth whose ends were held down by heavy stones. Inside, the floor was a jigsaw puzzle of carpet scraps. Veena was leaning up against one tree, Jennifer against the other. Although the smell was rank from the proximity to the polluted streambed, the women felt safe, certainly safer than trying to hail a truck or other vehicle on the open road.

“Sitting down has never felt so good,” Jennifer said. They could barely see each other in the half-light of the moon. “I see you are still carrying the clothes.”

Veena held up the pillowcase as if she were surprised to see it. She tossed it over to Jennifer. Jennifer reached in and pulled out the shirt and pants. She felt the fabric. “Are these jeans?”

“They are,” Veena admitted. “I got them in Santa Monica.”

“So you lived in Santa Monica?” Jennifer commented. She eased herself out of the lean-to. Taking off the bathrobe and the sneakers so that she was completely naked, she pulled on the jeans, then the shirt.

Balling up the bathrobe to use to lean against, Jennifer climbed back into the makeshift shelter. She’d glanced briefly at Veena, who was motionless with her eyes closed. After Jennifer had gotten herself as comfortable as she was going to be, she again glanced at Veena. She did a double take. Veena’s eyes were wide open and sparkling like diamonds.

“I thought for a minute you were asleep,” Jennifer said.

“I need to talk,” Veena said.

“Whatever you want,” Jennifer responded. “I’m seriously indebted to you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for rescuing me. But your rescuing me begs the question: What on earth were you doing with those people?”