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thank you.  I sat the pitcher of water on a table next to her and sank
deep into my chair. I went out like a light.
    I awoke hours later to the smell of
something burning.  No, it wasn’t something burning exactly, it was something
roasting.  I sat up in my chair.  The young woman was awake and crouched by the
fire cooking a piece of meat.   I didn’t say anything at first, I just watched
her, too caught up in the surrealism of the moment to speak.   She was wearing
the same filthy, torn clothes and was too keen on the food she was cooking to
notice that I was watching her.  She still smelled of death.  Finally, the
aroma of the roasting meat broke through the stench of death and reminded my
stomach that I hadn’t eaten in a day.  I stood up out of my chair and started
for the kitchen.  The sounds of my steps startled the young woman who flipped
around like a spooked animal to face me.
    “It’s ok.” I said, holding my palms
forward.
    An awkward moment passed with us
staring at each other.  She looked at me expectantly like she was anticipating
me saying something to break the silence, but I was instantly transported back
to high school and frustratingly speechless.  Eventually, I stammered out the
first words that came to my head. “You smell bad.”
    She flashed confusion and I caught
myself.
    “What I meant to say is that if…if
you want to take a bath, I’ll run some hot water.” 
    She looked at me strangely, like
she couldn’t quite figure me out. 
    “I’ll go take care of the water for
you.” I said awkwardly as I turned away. “My name is Blake by the way.” 
    Forgetting my hunger, I went to the
back porch and fired up the generator.   It had been a while since I used it,
so it took a few good pulls to get it started.   I figured by the time the
young woman finished her meal, the water would be warm enough for her to take a
bath or a shower.  While the young woman was eating, I went upstairs and got
some of my old clothes from when I was younger.  I grabbed a pair of purple
sweats and a Ninja Turtles t-shirt and carried them downstairs.   I held
the clothes out in front of me like they were a peace offering and she took
them without saying a word. 
    I nodded to a nearby door.  “The
bathtub is in the bathroom and there are towels and soap and stuff inside.” 
    She flashed an uncertain smile and
headed toward the door.  I paused for a second and thought about how ridiculous
I must seem to her.   Of course the bathtub is in the bathroom, where else
would it be you idiot?   I shook my head and walked away.  I was almost to
the kitchen when I heard the sweetest words.
    “Blake.”  The young woman said
softly.  “Thank you.”
    I smiled to myself and said over my
shoulder, “You’re welcome.”  
    The young woman disappeared into
the bathroom and I into the kitchen.  I pulled a can of vegetable soup from the
cupboard.  After opening it and pouring it into a plastic bowl, I put the soup
in the microwave and pressed the one minute button.   I watched the bowl of
soup spin in the microwave for the entire minute like it was my favorite
television show.  The microwave dinged and I opened the door to a steaming bowl
of soup.  It was a thing of wonder, hot soup in a minute, no fire required.   I
let the soup cool a bit while I went and retrieved my journal from my bedroom.
    I sat down at the table with my
soup, tossed in a couple of pieces of jerky and began to eat.  In between
spoonfuls, I detailed the past two days in my journal.  It was easy to write as
the words just flowed from the pen.  Soon, I had filled two pages and emptied
my bowl of soup.  Just as I finished my last sip, the young woman appeared in
the doorway. Instinctively, I stood to my feet.  Her hair was wrapped up in a
towel and she was holding her old clothes.
    “Umm…What should I do with these?” 
She asked.
    I stared blankly at her for a
second before responding, “I can wash them if