Free Behind Our Walls by Chad A. Clark

getting killed as well. You can't blame yourself."
    "It's not that," she said. "I just wish I had tried harder with them. He died thinking that I was angry with him. He's dead, and I never had the chance to make things right. I'll never get the chance to talk to him again and tell him—" She lost any train of thought as her body shook from the force of her sobs.
    Rowen did the best he could, holding her tightly to him. He didn't bother with trying to soothe her, or talk her down from her grief. He held her and let her cry. She leaned into him and let it all out. The anger over what had happened to her family, the agonized pain of having to lose both of her parents and see her once close relationship with her sister burn to the ground.
    She wouldn't have been able to guess how much time had passed before she calmed down. It was like waking up again and she looked around, confused as to where she was or how she had gotten there. Her reaction to the memory coming back was less severe this time, but she still let out a whimper, clutched in Rowen's grip.
    "I know that promises don't count for shit anymore," Rowen said. "I know that you have no reason to believe me and every reason to give up. I know how much you've lost and had to sacrifice. But I will make this all as right as I can. We will take care of each other. I don't know where we will have to go but we'll get there."
    She looked into his eyes and knew instinctively that she could trust him, and that he would never betray her or let her down. They might end up getting killed, but she knew at least that it wouldn't be for a lack of his being present and with her. He was going to be a partner in all of this, and maybe that was the best anyone could ask for.
    Sophie pushed away from him and sat up. Wiping both hands across her eyes, she looked up at Rowen, feeling steady for the first time.
    "I'd like to see my sister."

-20-
     
     
    Sophie put up a hand to block out the sudden light from the outside as she and Rowen stepped out of the RV. The sunlight and birds chirping above them in the trees would have made her think that she was meeting her sister for a picnic. There was a make-shift tent closer to the trees with Corrine lying underneath.
    Lot spotted them approaching and walked up. Despite barely knowing him, he stepped forward and hugged her.
    "I'm sorry about your father," he said, turning to face the tent as they released each other. "Your sister is going to be all right. Most of the wounds were superficial and we were able to get her pretty well cleaned up. We need to get clear of the area before too long, but I want her to have some time to rest before we leave."
    "Can I see her?" Sophie asked, barely aware of the fact that she was whispering.
    "Of course." Lot led her to the edge of the tent and then fell back, letting the lingering touch of his fingers on the small of her back guide her the rest of the way in. Rowen held back as well, letting the two of them have whatever privacy could be afforded.
    Corrine was sleeping as Sophie approached, and she didn't think that she had ever seen her sister as weak as this. She always had a pale complexion, but now her color seemed to have dropped to the point of looking deathly. Sophie knelt down in the grass next to the air mattress and reached out, brushing a strand of hair from Corrine's face. At the sensation of her touch, her eyes opened and she looked around for several moments before locking in on Sophie, who felt like she was dying on the inside as she watched the look of realized misery blossom onto her face. Her cheeks trembled and soon there were tears flowing for both of them.
    "I'm so sorry." It was already hard to understand her. Sophie held her sister and tried to comfort her, kissing the top of her head and holding her tightly. "I'm sorry. I lost him." The continued apology made Sophie feel like the lowest person alive, to think that Corrine thought she needed to provide some kind of explanation for what had