Morning came bright and early, as always, but with a heavy wind that blew a cold push at our backs. I'm at least grateful that it isn't against us, that would take every ounce of our energy to fight against it. This way at least we have an extra push in our step. Sunggyu looks truly miserable today, his face buried down into his jacket as we walk; since it was summer when the bombs fell, none of us have anything heavier than sweatshirts or jackets and it can be downright miserable sometimes. I can imagine how the wind must be cutting through the back of his hoodie and so I stop to dig in my pack for a moment. 

"Everything okay?" Derek asks, voice concerned though his eyes are focused down the road; to his kids, I know. I give him a smile and a small nod of assurance, though, waving him on.

"Yeah, I just need to grab something," I say, and so the other three move past me, a spring in the couple's steps as they head for their home, Sunggyu merely tagging along behind them. I am still curious as to why he didn't jump at their offer of a home, but I brush it off as I figure it's none of my business. Maybe he wants to try to find a way back to Korea.

Pulling the blanket out of my pack, I buckle the straps back down and throw the bag over my shoulder once again. A quick jog and I've caught up to Sunggyu, who is downright shivering now with the chill from the wind. I reach out and wrap the blanket over his shoulders, and his eyes widen in surprise before his lips curl up into the first smile I've ever seen from him. "Thank you, Luke," he says quietly, grasping the edges of the blanket and pulling it tighter around him.

My own lips smile back without any forcing of my will, and I dip my head in acknowledgement. "Don't lose it," I say, the worrier in me wanting to make sure that my supplies for the trek to Alaska aren't lost, but he nods in agreement. 

"I won't. I promise."

We arrived at Marissa and Derek's house to find what I had long dreaded; the house was empty. The couple ran through it in panic, but after finding the front door busted in we all already knew what we'd see. The inside of the house was ransacked, any food or objects of value stripped from their home, their children missing. After a full search of the house, Marissa sank down onto her knees and began to sob in earnest, uncaring of what we may think of her and just wanting her children.

To my surprise, Sunggyu kneels beside her, wrapping his arms around her hesitantly at first, then holding her tight when she clung to him. His eyes meet mine for a moment before I look away, the sight too much for me to want to think about. It makes me think of my little brothers way too much. 

Looking around the kitchen, I see the edges of a piece of paper peaking out from underneath the dust and grime that covered the floor. I would have just ignored it, but something in my mind urges me to take a closer look. Picking it up, I brush off the dirt and read it silently before a flicker of hope blooms in my heart.

"Derek," I call over my shoulder, not wanting to take my eyes off the note in the irrational case that it might be a hallucination, and the big man comes into the kitchen. His eyes are dead as I hand him the note, the look of utter loss there tearing at me, but then he suddenly smiles and leaves the room to tell Marissa.

Their children were taken to live with the babysitter's family.

It is already sunset when we step out of the house, but the couple are not to be dissuaded. Their children are only a few blocks away and who cares if a bit of darkness is between them. I can understand their eagerness but I also understand that we are now in a city; being out after dark here only welcomes gangs to try and rob or kill us. I shoulder my pack and grip the heavy stick I had picked up back in Seattle, ready to use it as a club against anyone who dares to attack us.

I can feel the eyes of the city dwellers on us as we make our way through the darkening streets, the calculating glances as they consider if we might be an easy target. Derek hoisted his walking stick over his shoulder as if in challenge to anyone who watched, though, and he cuts an impressive figure as he leads our small party to our new destination.

Apparently that