Page 72 of If They Knew

“No, everything is not fine,” Theo growls as he continues removing blankets from each person. “It was right here next to me. Where is it?”

“Where is what?” I ask.

“The food! It’s gone; the beans are gone, and the boxes of saltines are gone. They were right beside me,” he snaps, his voice growing louder and his face turning a deeper shade of red with each breath. I step back, preparing for him to explode any second now. I’ve seen him when he gets this upset before, and the aftermath isn’t pretty.

“They have to be here somewhere; we are all here. No one is missing,” Julie says.

“Where is Mary?” demands Theo.

“I'm right here.” answers Mary, who is standing directly behind Theo.

“Where were you just now?” asks Theo again, accusingly. What does he know that I don’t?

“I’ve been right here the entire time,” Mary says, her eyebrows furrowed and clearly annoyed by the accusation.

“Someone has taken the food. Everyone, get up now!" Theo demands so loudly that saliva sprays from his mouth as he speaks. We all jump up and do exactly what he says, too afraid to move or say anything. Theo begins throwing whatever he can get his hands on, searching for the food. I look around and see there’s no sign of it. In the corner, all the water bottles are lined up exactly as they were the night before. “Tyler, this is your fault. You were supposed to stay awake and keep the fire going,” says Theo, his eyes filled with an anger I’ve never seen directed at me before. I’ve never feared my brother before, but now there’s something about him that makes me feel uneasy.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall⁠—”

“Theo, don't talk to him like that. I get that you're upset but that doesn't give you the right to take it out on him. If you were so worried about the fire going out or someone taking the food, you should have stayed awake yourself or done what Mary suggested and locked the food up,” says Kelly, defending me. I feel small that she has to defend me, but I can’t hide that I love seeing her stand up for me.

“Shut up, Kelly, and sit down,” shouts Theo right back at her.

“No,” I say, jabbing my finger in his face. “Don’t talk to her like that. I don't speak to your wife that way, so don’t talk to my girlfriend that way. Do you understand?” My reaction must have an impact because Theo steps back, stares at me silently, then looks around the room.

“You're right. I’m sorry, Kelly. That was our only food and now we have nothing left. Someone has taken it all.”

The room remains silent as everyone glances around.

“We have gone too long without food. We’ll die soon if we don't find some. I don't care who took it at this point, just return it so no one else dies,” he says, and I watch his shoulders droop as a look of defeat washes over him.

“If no one comes forward, what will we do?" Karissa asks softly.

“Well, I'm not sure,” replies Theo.

“Starve,” whispers Julie, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

I close my eyes and take a breath, knowing she is right. I do my best to keep my emotions in check. I don’t want to think about dying.

“I have the baby formula; we can share it. I know it's supposed to be just for me, but I won't sit here and feed myself while everyone else is starving. That's not right, and I'm not that kind of person,” says Kelly. I smile, watching her. She's so caring and so beautiful. It’s just my luck that I finally meet someone I truly love, and it's all going to be taken away from me.

“Yeah, but Sophie is,” mutters Chris. We all gasp, shocked that Chris said that.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean any harm; I just meant that Sophie wouldn’t share,” replies Chris. It’s sad, but Chris is right. If Sophie were here with us, she would never offer to share.

“It's okay, Chris. I get it, and you're right. We need to make sure she doesn't come out again,” says Kelly.

“Okay,” I answer before anyone has a chance to argue. “But let's only use one can because the baby will need it.”

46

THEO

Two weeks have passed, and there's been no food besides baby formula. The last of it has been used, except for a single can reserved for the baby expected any day. Each day, people walk the halls to stay warm and stretch, speaking little and keeping their distance. No one has confessed or returned the stolen food. Tensions rise as everyone weakens with each passing day. According to a marked calendar, if it’s accurate, it’s March 3rd, and temperatures are beginning to rise. I keep my thoughts to myself, but I’m optimistic the fish will return. Every day, two people go out onto the icy, snow-covered deck to cast a net, hoping for fish, but only ice and trash have been caught. Fear and anger are mounting, and arguments have become common as starvation sets in. I’ve noticed Mary and Julie keep their distance, speaking only when necessary. I also keep my distance and stay quiet. I’m convinced that everyone is against me and I feel like I’m the only one who truly believes we will be saved. Xander and Karissa are always together, which makes sense. Sara, Kelly, Tyler, Chris, and Cyrus never leave the medical center. With the baby expected soon, Mary has the bag of medical supplies ready. Only she and Kelly know where the single can of baby formula is kept– a safeguard so that no one takes it. With the hunger we are all feeling, people are no longer themselves.

“It’s going on day three without any food. We need to open that last can of baby formula, or we’re going to die,” says Cyrus, and it sounds more like a demand than a statement. Each of us has lost a lot of weight, some more than others. The only person who’s eaten more than anyone else is Kelly, which is as it should be.

“No,” Tyler responds with a sigh. “That's for the baby; please stop asking.”