Lara shook her head at them, her expression shifting to one of vague amusement. She glanced toward Celeste and motioned to the door with a slight tilt of her head. \u201cGo on, Celeste. Get out of here and stop worrying your brother. Check the snares, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight,\u201d the girl said quietly, casting another quick glance toward the four men, still strangers to her, before she ducked out the door. Thom watched the door click closed behind her.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow many children?\u201d Cameron asked quietly, giving voice to the question that echoed in Thom\u2019s head.<\/p>\n
\u201cCeleste is hardly a child.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust barely not,\u201d Seamus observed. \u201cWill answering his question hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI suppose not,\u201d she said, finally seating herself. She sighed, shoulders slumping a little. \u201cThere\u2019s Celeste, three other teenagers, and an eight year old boy. Most of us are in our twenties or thirties. It\u2019s strange who survived and who didn\u2019t. Maybe elsewhere it\u2019s different. I don\u2019t know. All I know is the way it is here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The lucky and the unlucky survivors, I guess.<\/em> Thom closed his eyes and exhaled. \u201cOur situation is similar, but it\u2019s explained by where we are. Seems strange, the demographic here.\u201d<\/p>\n She shrugged. \u201cI\u2019ve got no explanation for it. I wish I did.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFate knows what it\u2019s doing,\u201d Seamus murmured, gulping down half his mug of tea in one go. He set his mug down, resting the piece of bread Celeste had handed him on top of it, then wandered to the window, staring out at the sunshine and the snow. \u201cEven if we have no understanding of why it works the way it does, fate knows what it\u2019s doing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSeamus,\u201d Thom began.<\/p>\n The older man waved him off. \u201cSomething started that day, Thomas,\u201d he said. \u201cOr continued, depending on how you look at it. She has a plan\u2014the universe has a plan\u2014and always has.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSome things are meant to be,\u201d Cameron growled. \u201cBut not everything is written in stone.\u201d<\/p>\n Seamus turned to him, a strange light in his eyes. He smiled a small, tight smile and nodded. \u201cYes,\u201d he said softly. \u201cThat\u2019s true. Part of this is ours to write. The greater part, I dearly hope.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat one\u2019s strange,\u201d Lara said, almost as an aside to Thom. He choked on a laugh.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have no idea, Thom told her. \u201cTrust me, you\u2019ve got no idea.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Lara shook her head at them, her expression shifting to one of vague amusement. She glanced toward Celeste and motioned to the door with a slight tilt of her head. \u201cGo on, Celeste. Get out of here and stop worrying … Continue reading