They buried Mrs. Hart in the small courtyard behind the dentist's office, using a piece of broken shelving as a marker because nobody had anything better. Reyes dug the grave himself, refusing help, needing something physical to do with his hands. Priya stood off to the side, arms wrapped around herself, saying nothing.
Elena wouldn't let go of Marcus's hand the entire time.
"She kept me safe," Elena said quietly, staring at the freshly turned dirt. "From the very first night. She let me hide upstairs and she didn't even seem scared."
"She was scared," Marcus said. "Grown-ups get scared too. She just didn't want you to see it."
"Why didn't she run with us? Osei said she went back down the stairs."
Marcus knelt down to her level, choosing his words carefully. "Because she loved you eno
