Chapter 46: Chapter 46

“I worked out, I read, I kept my head down and stayed out of trouble. They let me out on good behavior after four years.”

“How much did you have left?”

“Two. But the overpopulation and all…I don’t know. I never want to go back inside and I don’t want anything to do with the guys I ran with before.” Izzy swallowed hard and blinked back some emotion that bubbled up from his chest. “I want to have a future. A good one. A family, maybe, one day.”

Suddenly a coyote bark-howled somewhere surprisingly nearby, and both of them jumped.

“Holy shit!” Izzy gasped, and they both started to laugh.

“That was close. Maybe we should go?” Wyatt sounded reluctant.

“Yeah, I think so.” As they got to their feet, Izzy asked, “Are we okay?”

Wyatt picked up the lantern while Izzy folded the blanket.