Chapter 29 | Positions

Quirina

I stare at the stranger in front of me. A thousand emotions racing through me because the last thing I want to do is turn away someone that is truly in need. But… I don’t know this woman, I don’t know how many people are hiding behind her.

And my parents just left. Doesn’t this all seem just too coincidental?

I ask, “Where did you come from?”

Her eyebrows furrow deeply as she frowns, obviously annoyed that I even asked instead of just welcoming her into my home. A small child runs out and then clings to her side, the child is caked with mud and sweat and the woman pleads, “Could you please let us in?”

My eyes flicker down to the child and up to the woods behind her and I ask, “How many are accompanying you?”

A flash of anger goes through her eyes and I take a step back, back into my border, back where if she tried to attack me that she would be crossing our lines. Her eyes flicker to my feet as she took in my movements. She shakes her head, “We’ve heard good things about this