67 days after...

—Why don't you come alone?

—If you want to wait outside go, but if I get lost it will be your fault—I looked at him accusing him with my finger.

—You are not a kid.

—According to whom?—I opened my arms around me—how old are you?.

—27 years.

Yes!

—You see it? it's seven years apart, it's practically a boy—I crossed my arms—I can throw a tantrum right now—He arched an eyebrow and turned on his flashlight, blinding me.

I stepped aside to let him enter the toy store first.

Actually, by daylight, the toy store, despite being spacious, was well lit, but would need someone to carry the shopping cart while looking for fun toys to pass the time.

—In my day, toys were better...—I sighed when I saw some yellow dolls with glasses—What are you supposed to be?.

I threw it with the rest making the pile of dolls fall to the ground, I was not even disturbed by that disorder. Who was going to tell me something?.

—Hey.

I jumped in my place letting out a scream, dropping the flashlight.

—For God's sake, Rais, you nearly killed me with a heart attack!—I held my chest feeling my heart race. Seeing him through the light I knew I shouldn't have yelled at him—I'm sorry if? It was on my mind...

—It's the first time you've apologized.

He left, letting the lights get lost in the corridors of the shop. I sighed raising my flashlight when I went deeper into the dark knowing that he had not left me alone. To be honest, a toy store where children died is not a very pleasant idea. But the toy store was also clean.

What time did it happen?

The mall, the toy stores, the restaurants, the markets, most of the stores themselves, were either free of corpses or contained a couple. That made that day a strange situation, why would I go out with Mrs. Smith to the center of the city where Rais found me? Did it happen during the morning? Early in the morning? There was no reason for me to be out so early, and it was impossible for it to be at night because there were bodies of children in the street.

I don't usually ask myself these questions because it just makes my mind a mess. I was unconscious for two days of the most incredible event that happened to the earth, there is no way I could manage to find out something, of course not on my own...

Rais...

I know that he knows more than I do, even though he had denied it and made it clear in our first contact, but why not hesitate? After all...

I don't know who it is.

—Stop, police!.

His look was not at all pleasant. It even scared me, I didn't keep the gun pointed at it for long, what's more, let go of the toy letting the impact noise alter the silence.

—A-ah...

His eyes returned to the object in his hands and I breathed. Did he do something to me? Or was their reaction threatening enough to "disarm" me?

—Did you want to scare me?.

—Maybe...

—You didn't make it, maybe if you hadn't hit the bookshelf you would have made it.

I smiled at my clumsiness and picked up the weapon to continue my search.

—This is all?—I look at the half-empty shopping cart.

—I guess the internet did less for the production of good toys—I looked into the shopping cart when I saw him put something in, a rubik's cube—Do you know how to put it together?

—Yes.

—I never managed to put one together, in fact I took it apart and put it back together in order...—I got into the shopping cart and looked at the bucket in its box—I guess I have no patience... It takes a lot, right?

—Not as much as it takes to bear you—he crossed his arms—I'm not taking you home in the shopping cart.

—Why not? just push the cart and avoid the potholes—I settled between the toys—I'm tired of walking.

—Well, when you feel better go to the house, I'll be waiting for you there—He took the bucket out of my hand and started to walk away.

—Please! don't go, don't leave me alone!—I tried to get out of the cart when it was no longer visible, the night was falling and he had my flashlight—Rais!.

My leg got entangled with a wire dog and I tripped when trying to get out quickly, but big hands grabbed me by the waist preventing my fall.

—What?.

I held myself by his shoulders avoiding hitting my face with his chest and I watched him smile mockingly.

—It was not funny.

—Sure? For me it was fun...—I get out of the cart—Rais, Rais, please don't leave me alone, Rais!—I imitate myself with a very high pitch.

—I don't sound like that—I crossed my arms taking a few steps back so I could see his face.

—Sure.

He put his hand in my hair and shook it in amusement. His action took me by surprise. He walked behind the cart and started walking.I was still surprised by his action. I touched my hair feeling his hand on me.

—Are you coming or what?—He turned his gaze over his shoulder and I hid my hands behind my back as if what I had done had been wrong—And what are you doing now?—He grunted and turned back to me, bumping the shopping cart with my legs—Get in fast or you will walk.

I jumped into the cart and settled in quickly, I looked up at him. He looked away from me, almost hiding his face as he pulled back just enough to reach for his flashlight and drop it on me.

—Light the way.

I felt a bit uncomfortable in the silence, for some stupid reason having him so close upset my nerves and the casual contact he imposed was... What the fuck am I thinking?