Journal 156

I was feeling guilty. I had eaten the entire can and I still had no food for my friends. I kept looking at the cases of peaches stacked against the wall. I thought of stealing a couple of cans and running away. After thinking about it for a few moments, I realized I couldn’t outrun Cain and his friends. I was so cold, and my legs were barely holding me up.

Cain kept smiling at me. He had a nice smile and nice eyes. His voice was very comforting. He asked if I was still hungry. I said no even though I was certain I could eat an entire case all by myself. I was trying to get up the nerve to ask for some cans for my friends back at Bear Country. Cain saw me staring at the peaches against the wall. He said he was willing to barter for them. I told him I had nothing to trade. He said I had plenty to trade. He touched my hair and face and said I looked decent. That’s when my nightmare began.

I carried four cans of peaches home to Bear Country that day. I told my friends I had found them in an abandoned apartment.