She hands me the tin box containing the fire-starter kit. The easy-to-light cubes may be gone, but we still have waterproof matches and the flint stick for striking sparks. I’m so hungry my hands are shaking, so it takes three matches to coax a flame in a pile of slightly damp leaves.

Please don’t go out. Please, please, please.

The leaves are barely burning when I add twigs and carefully blow on the smoky pile that’s going to save our lives.

Come on, flames. Come on, fire.

The girls are watching, not saying anything. Hope in their eyes. They trust me, which is amazing. Nobody outside of my family has ever needed to trust me. It makes me anxious but proud.

When our little fire is strong and true, I place a pan of rainwater above the flames and wait for it to boil. The smoke from the fire, trapped under the tarp, makes my eyes water, but it’s a small price to pay for a life-giving fire.

Imani clears her throat. “I was thinking, how did Deke find that shelter last night? In the dark, without a flashlight?”

Mia cocks her head, considering it. Then she nods to herself. “He knew where he was going. He already knew it was there!”

I agree. “That must be it. He spotted a good shelter when we were hiking but didn’t tell us because he was saving it for himself. In case he lost the vote. He was planning to steal the backpack all along.”

The water comes to a boil, and we pour it into the food pouch. Ten minutes until it’s ready. My stomach is begging, Feed me feed me feed me.

“It means he plans ahead,” Imani says, very serious.

Mia nods. “It means he’s even more dangerous than we thought.”

At last, we eat, before the enemy can spoil our appetites.

19. Something Shining

We give up on jogging—the stitch in Imani’s side is still bothering her—and concentrate on fast walking. Putting miles between us and the enemy. Or so we hope. There’s no predicting what Deke might do. Except that one way or another he’ll want to get the food back under his control.

Food. Mushy-tasting freeze-dried food. Hard to believe that’s what this war is all about. It may seem stupid—it is stupid—but try not eating for a few days and maybe you’ll understand. Hunger takes over your brain. It’s all you can think about when you’re awake, and all you dream about when you’re asleep.

Food, food, food.

“We have seven packages left,” Mia reminds us when we take a short break. “Six if we leave one behind for the enemy.”

“What? You’d do that?”