Sister Cities

Part 29: Powder (14 Years Ago)

And I ain't gonna hang my head for them, for them

And I ain't gonna let them paint the truth with sin

And I ain't gonna tell you it's okay, when at the end of the day

You were just something to blame

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I keep smelling smoke a long time after we're off the bridge. There's people running and shouting. I make sure my eyes stay closed in case there's any more dead bodies.

Vander doesn't talk until someone yells "Oi!" and sounds like they're coming toward us. I look up and it's Benzo from the pawn shop I picked Vi's necklace at. He's also carrying a kid that looks around my size, and him and Vander seem like they're gonna crash into each other before they remember about us and stop running.

"All right?" Vander says. "Is he lost, or—?"

Benzo nods at the kid. "Mine now. Them?"

"Mine now too."

Vi scowls a little bit and reaches to touch my side. Vander shifts me a little bit closer to her, and she pulls my hand over.

"How many people did you see alive?" Benzo asks. We're moving again and he's next to Vander, so his kid is next to me.

"Five? Seven? God."

I stretch my other hand over and poke Benzo's kid. He opens his eyes. It looks like he was crying before.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Ekko."

"I'm Powder."

He doesn't say anything else, but he keeps watching me, so I keep watching him. He's gonna be my best friend.

"You want a drink?" Vander says.

"Not much of a question," says Benzo.

They take us to the bar called the Last Drop where we go sometimes to have apple juice and watch Mom and Dad play cards with Vander and the others. That probably won't happen anymore since a bunch of those people just died. Vander puts me and Vi down inside the door while Benzo takes Ekko to the counter.

"Violet and Powder, right? How old are you?"

"Ten," Vi says, pulling me against her side. "Powder's five. And it's Vi, not Violet."

Vander nods and calls for someone named Mylo and someone named Claggor. They turn out to be two boys that look a little bit younger than Vi.

"Meet Vi and Powder," Vander tells them when they come over. "They're gonna be staying with us from now on."

Claggor shakes our hands. Vi looks suspicious about it. Mylo asks, "Did we win?"

Vander kneels but is still taller than me. "No, Mylo," he says gently. "We lost."

"Oh," Mylo says.

"I know. Come on. Let's have something to eat."

There's not enough stools, so me and Ekko get to sit on top of the counter. I've never done that before. Vander gives us juice and sandwiches that Vi won't touch, I think because she's too upset. Ekko's the same way, only he takes a couple bites before deciding it, so I get to have two and a half, and they're the best sandwiches I ever ate.

Usually there would be a ton of people here right now, but nobody comes in.

Vander and Benzo drink a lot of alcohol and Benzo picks Ekko back up.