A sign flapping back and forth on its hinges advertised TUCKER'S HARDWARE AND FEEDS, but the store's front window was shattered and the place looked bare as Mother Hubbard's cupboard. There was a Texaco station with one pump and a garage whose roof had collapsed. He saw no cars, no hint of light or life. The dark town-just a scatter of wind-ravaged buildings and a few widely spaced houses on dusty lots-beckoned him onward. He headed for the next house, further along and across the road. He approached one of the houses but stopped when he saw a body curled up like a question mark on the front porch steps. She held onto that Cookie Monster doll like life itself and occasionally flinched in her tormented sleep. Josh was stiff with cold, and he knew Swan must be freezing, too. It took Sister about two more seconds to make up her mind. 'You broke my screen door,' a woman's voice said in the gloom. Josh had just put his hand on the knob when the door flew open and the barrel of a pistol looked him in the eyes. 'We ought to go with him,' Artie said to Sister. He looked to the side, and something small-a jackrabbit? he wondered-darted out of sight behind the ruins of the caf��. Something moved at the corner of his vision. Josh could see the outline of her head, but not her face her head angled toward Swan.

'Leo-' And then it was interrupted by a strangling, terrible spasm of coughing. 'Leona' a weak voice called from inside the house. we've got some corn, and green beans, and boiled potatoes.'

Pocket Academy