(More questions abound thanks to the last scene.)

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Not finding Dawn in the shed, Kara takes her time getting off the creaky cot and packing up her belongings. She stops at the sight of folded fabric on a shelf that has a note with her name on it taped to the side. Still groggy from a restless night, it takes the girl a minute to realize that she has been given clean clothes. Curious and excited, she strips off her dirt-covered garments and uses a bucket of water in the corner to wash herself. Haphazardly drying herself off, Kara puts on the jeans, green t-shirt, and sandals. She stops when she gets to the bottom of the pile and finds a pair of underwear, which she considers stuffing into her bag. Feeling foolish for the thought, she finishes getting dressed and grabs her baseball cap off a box. After a final check of the shed, the girl hurries into the canvas tunnel, which is shaking due to a mild breeze. Spots of light are all over the pathway and she can hear the faint jingling of the charms, which are tiny shadows against the colorful walls.

The smell of food urges Kara forward, but she stops at the door when she remembers that Dawn may already be inside. She remembers how she stormed off and how the marionettes tried to explain that it was a misunderstanding. The fact that the woman never came back into the store fills her with worry and anger. It is a painful mix of emotions that nearly drive her back into the shed where she knows she can be alone. The rumble of her stomach is too much for her to ignore, so she stares at the ground before pushing the door open. A chorus of clacking limbs greets her and she glances up long enough to see that the aisles have been moved around to make room for a table. Pancakes and bacon have been put on a platter with a bottle of maple syrup on each side. There are no drinks, but Kara knows that she can take something from the coolers. It is a simple feast with a delicious smell that coaxes her into the room. Not seeing Dawn, she moves a little faster in the hopes of getting a few bites before having to face her friend. The girl is halfway to the table when someone coughs behind her and she freezes. Slowly turning around, she sees that the woman has been leaning on the wall next to the door, her hand gripping the knob and a red bump on her forehead.

“So, I owe you an apology,” Dawn says, ignoring the fact that she was hit in the head by the girl’s excited entrance. Sticking a piece of bacon in her mouth, she walks to the table and takes a seat. “It was wrong of me to get upset with you. With everything you have gone through, it makes sense to shrug off death so quickly. I have trouble understanding that because I haven’t been in existence for that long. While I have the body and mind of an adult, you have much more experience with this world. So, I’m sorry for what happened.”

“Well, I shouldn’t have gotten upset either,” Kara admits as she sits down. Not wanting to ruin her new clothes, she puts her satchel in her lap and tucks a cloth napkin into her shirt. “I have seen a lot of people cry even these days. So, there are those who grieve and mourn like you want them to. I always thought they were wasting their time. You never know if the thing that killed a loved one is going to come back for you. I’ve seen beasts attack funerals and corpses explode. Maybe I let it get to me too much, but I’m still alive. If being cold and not mourning has given me an edge then I’ll stick to it.”

“You aren’t nearly as cold as you think,” the woman points out. Watching the marionettes move about the store, she picks her words carefully to avoid another fight. “I mean, you were willing to fight for me. You could have let me fend for myself when we were escaping Ian with the Grand Caravan. Instead, you got the door open and fought those doctors, who were fine with leaving me outside. That was a sacrifice, which cold people don’t make. Again, I thank you for doing that.”

Neatly cutting a pancake, the girl eyes the maple syrup that she has only seen used as bait for humans in the wild. “You would have done the same for me, but that’s what you’re like. I hope you don’t change. Being a caring person is why I like traveling with you. You make me feel warm and comfy like my parents. Everyone else is like me where they’ll save themselves before helping another. You help others, so I want to return the favor. Do you think you’ll always be like this?”

“That’s a difficult question,” Dawn nervously replies. Seeing the cashier marionette reflected in a cooler’s glass door, she takes a sip of water and tries to relax. “You see, I can’t even be certain how long I will exist. Contrary to how I move and look, I’m not really a human being. I’m not that different than the giant beasts that prowled my forest. All of us were created from the mind of monsters and released into the world. That also means I’m technically younger than you, which is why I still have so much naivety. Never leaving my forest meant that I didn’t know what was going on out here. So, I think I have to follow your lead when it comes to choosing our path and how I react to death. The last thing I want to do is let my emotions get you killed. Where should we go?”

“There’s a camouflaged hatch in the shed’s roof that opens to the ground.”

“I was told nobody has ever found it.”

“There was a ball in there and I was throwing it around.”

“That’s it?”

“It made a different sound when it hit that part . . . and I may have broken a window.”

“So, shall we eat, pack, and head out?”

“There’s no rush.”

(Totally forgot what I was going to write here. Dang phone.)

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The front door creaks open and a marionette is launched out to land in the mud a few feet away from Dawn. Standing near the edge of the clean area, she crosses her arms and turns towards the puppet. As the door slams shut, the limp figure’s joints creak even though it remains motionless. Leaning closer, she sees that it is the cashier, but there is a small hole in the back of its head. With its grinning face turning to the sky, the marionette shudders in the muck as its strings worm through the grass. Dawn moves away and draws her knife, but is unsure of where she can effectively stab the animated puppet. Moving faster than expected, an awkward swing of its hand knocks the weapon into the gas-filled area. It cocks its head to the side and stares at the blade, which is tuck in the seat of a rusty bike. The strings erupt from the mud and connect to a small cloud that is in the shape of a slender hand. With a bow to Dawn, the marionette hurries to get her knife and kneels to present it to her like it is a sword.

“Why do you travel with the girl?” the puppet asks in a mechanical voice. It dances away to prevent its strings from being cut, but gets one of its legs tangled. “I mean you no harm, but I am curious. Our job is to help those who come to our store. That includes talking to travelers who are fighting. Your friend did not mean to offend you. She is sad and crying on a cot in the guest shed. Are you angry at her?”

“I can’t believe I’m about to talk to a marionette,” Dawn replies with a nervous laugh. She puts her knife away and rubs her neck, which is feeling stiff from days of exertion. “I’m not angry at Kara. She caught me by surprise with her cold reaction to so many people dying. I didn’t know what to say. For the first time in years, I wondered if the human race was too damaged to continue. Even if the monsters are destroyed and Earth returns to normal, nothing can heal the type of wounds that she’s carrying.”

“Perhaps you do not understand her because you are not a true human,” the marionette suggests. Sensing danger, it gives a sharp tug to its strings and is yanked into the cloud to avoid getting tackled. “That was not to offend, but to point out a difference. You were a part of Dawn Addison and then appeared as an adult. It is something you have admitted to being a problem in terms of understanding others. You are also her sanity and have a more positive view of humanity than either monster. The cold words make you fear that the actions of your other self has erased the defiance and hope that you love about humans.”

Walking over to a folding chair, she takes a seat and sighs when a mojito rises from the plastic arm. “That’s part of it, but I can understand them. I know how horrible this world has become and that death is a daily occurrence. I can’t remember many people mourning while I was with the Grand Caravan. There was rage in the moment and crying from some people, especially very small children and the elderly. Yet, they would move on within hours. At first, I thought it was because it was rare that we’d have a body to bury. Funerals had more emotion and tended to take a day, which made me forget the numbness I witnessed every day. Maybe I ignored what I was seeing in other people until Kara showed the same callousness. Hate to call it that, but I can’t think of a better word.”

“Humans are fragile things.”

“I’ve never known them to break this much.”

“That is your lack of experience talking.”

“But I-”

Dawn stops herself from arguing with the marionette, which sways in the breeze that carries the faint smell of roses. She eyes the puppet and watches for signs of it being more than an animated toy. The mouth changes from a straight line to a smile, which lets its tongue slowly slip out of the splintery lips. Sipping at her drink, the woman leans back for a moment, but rocks forward when she fears that the straps are about to break. With her feet feeling comfortable for the first time in days, she remains in the flimsy chair and stares ahead. Dawn chuckles at how there is a dark tint to the area to mark the boundary between clean and toxic air. She reaches down to grab some pebbles and casually flicks them over the border. After a few minutes of mindless activity, she relaxes enough to talk again, which draws the marionette closer. It hangs a few feet away like a limp body, except for its head rhythmically bobbing from one side to the other.

“You’re right,” Dawn bluntly states. Finishing her drink, she puts the glass down and watches it sink back into the chair. “I don’t have enough experience with this world to understand what Kara has gone through. All I know is what I saw while in Addison’s head and the few encounters I had in my forest. What I’m dealing with now is denial. She’s right about everything. With death being everywhere, you can’t let it grind you into dust. The only way to survive is to harden yourself, which I never had to do. Maybe I can’t become so cold since I’m the opposite of a monster.”

“That is a possibility, but one that is difficult to prove,” the puppet mentions with a nod. It opens its chest to reveal a wooden heart, which beats every few seconds. “We only have a little flesh left to us, but we still feel things. More so than the humans we help because we see them at their lowest. Dying and in search of comfort, it is impossible for us to ignore the suffering and let them die. Yet, my family and I know that we have very little effect on humanity. Those who leave our shop never return. I believe many of them die in the gas since they never find the underground tunnel. Since you are her, I feel comfortable telling you this secret and not fearing reprisals.”

“Not sure I like getting special treatment because of her,” the tired traveler admits. She yawns wide enough for her jaw to pop and slumps in her chair, which is feeling more comfortable by the minute. “I’m sure some of the people you helped have made it out of town and are still alive. Addison can be playfully cruel, but she would have found a few that caught her interest. If Ian was involved then this place wouldn’t be here. Do you mind if we stock up on supplies before we leave?”

The marionette scratches its head, which sends a few splinters falling to the mud. “That is what we are here for. We can prepare packages for both of you while you sleep. In spite of us being restricted to our store, we have been able to learn about the surrounding ten miles. My wife and daughters have already picked out clothes that will fit you perfectly. My sons are salting some meat we recently received to make sure you have the freshest supplies. Please let us help you before we disappear.”

“Why would that happen?” Dawn asks, surprised by the revelation. For a moment, she thinks the wooden face has real eyes, but the change is too fleeting for her to be sure. “I think I get it. Ian and Addison want to end their game because I’m roaming around. Once there is only one left, the entire world will be changed or destroyed. That gives me another reason to avoid the whole mess.”

“Thank you, but the end is inevitable,” the puppet declares with a wave of its hand. Spores float off its skin and drift into Dawn’s, who gradually falls asleep. “The three pieces need to meet and put an end to this insanity. You know this to be true. It is the nightmare that has been waiting for you since your birth. Reserve your strength for you are the weakest of the monsters, but also the one we all wish to win.”

(And move on they did.)

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The small store sits among the empty foundations of the buildings that once made up the quaint town. Exposed pipes hiss and fill the air with gas, which has made the area too dangerous for the animals. Charred ground shows that there have been explosions, but there is a circle of lush grass around the store. The hanging sign has faded letters and the patio has rotted until only three planks remain, but the rest of the structure has been untouched by time. An angel-shaped weathervane spins on the roof, the bells on its wings jingling a tune that is soothing to those who enter the protected space. Holy symbols have been drawn on the walls and runes are etched into the roof. A shed in the back has been attached to the main building by a pathway that is made from several canvas tunnels being sewn together. Religious charms dangle from the seams and send dots of light around the area whenever they are struck by the sun. A collection of dead animals are just outside the clean zone, the beasts having been mesmerized by the glinting baubles and drawn into the toxic gas.

Covering their mouths and noses with handkerchiefs, Dawn and Kara rush into the building and gasp for air. The sight of fully stocked shelves is a welcomed sight, but they are too weak from running and inhaling the gas to do more than slump against the front counter. Breathing in the fresh air, the travelers recover enough to stand and nearly scream when a marionette walks out of an aisle. Another puppet stirs behind the register, which causes them to back away and look for weapons. Clicking can be heard from all over the store as more of the life-like figures go about tending to the shelves. It takes Dawn a few minutes to notice that there are grooves in the ceiling, each one connected to an individual marionette. Patting Kara on the shoulder, she gets closer to the puppet manning the register and waves a hand in front of its smiling face. Its mouth opens with a click to reveal a fleshy tongue that is branded with a Star of David. Remaining cautious, she puts a candy bar on the counter and watches the cashier flail against the register, which eventually opens. As soon as the drawer opens, the marionette pushes it closed and turns away to straighten the cigarette boxes behind it.

“I think I know what’s going on here,” Dawn says as she grabs a basket. She jumps back when a puppet emerges from the floor to hand the two customers oxygen tanks. “Addison must have been amused by all of the holy symbols, so she played along. She made this a safe zone while the rest of the town was destroyed. Probably used these people as toys until she got bored and then left them to tend to the store for travelers. The Star of David on their tongue is what she thinks was used to make a golem. I remember her looking at mythology for ideas soon after her resurrection. Guess one of them stuck. Don’t eat or drink anything until we bring it to the counter. I wouldn’t be surprised if these things get violent against shoplifters.”

“Are we going to be allowed to stay here?” Kara asks after spending a few minutes on the breather. Feeling lightheaded, she sits on a stool and nearly topples over when a marionette hands her a sleeping bag. “So . . . What was it that you saw in the lake? You said we could talk once we found a place to rest. Don’t be a liar. It had to be something bad if it scared you so much. Was it another monster? Are there more of you sleeping under there? Was it something naughty?”

“I’m going to take care of this food first,” she replies while holding up the basket. She turns to find one of the puppets blocking her path, its head constantly nodding towards the girl. “These things sure are intrusive. Look, I didn’t want to upset you since we had to keep traveling. From what I could tell, the ice cream valley was where the Grand Caravan made camp. Only it was probably normal when they stopped. Either Ian or Addison wiped them out, which is why we saw tents and trucks under the ice cream piles. All of the people were frozen solid and placed in that popsicle lake. I know it was them because the rack fell on Melissa. Sorry to-”

“Good thing we didn’t stay with them,” the girl interrupts as she gets to her feet. Taking a package of tissues, she puts them in the basket and heads for the drink cooler. “Do you think they have any iced tea here? I haven’t had that since I was five. Hey, they have a sign here that says we’re okay to eat and drink as long as we pay before we leave. That means we don’t have to wait to eat.”

Glancing back at the cashier, Dawn watches it hit the register every time they pick something up. “I know it must be a shock, but you can cry. They must have been killed because the monsters thought we were there. Addison doesn’t always look before she attacks and Ian sometimes destroys things that he thinks are dangerous. You have to be upset since you wanted to travel with them so much. There’s no reason to act strong because keeping things inside will drive you mad.”

“I just had a thought.”

“What?”

“This means they won’t be hunting us, so we can move quicker.”

“Are you kidding?”

“They’re dead and we’re not, so there’s no reason to dwell.”

Feeling her legs go weak, Dawn falls to her knees and can only stare at Kara, who is searching the cooler. A wooden hand lands on her shoulder, but she does nothing to push the marionette away. It finally leaves when the woman shakes her head and slumps further towards the floor. The only noise she can make is a choked grunt, the words in her head never reaching her tongue. Her exhausted mind struggles to accept that her friend is taking the slaughter so casually, but she repeatedly wonders if she is missing something. Dawn has no idea how many minutes have passed when Kara returns to takes a seat in front of her. The girl opens a package of cookies and stacks them on the floor before taking a drink of chocolate milk. A blue baseball cap is on her bald head, the silver and orange team symbol one that neither traveler is familiar with. Sensing the tension, the marionettes abruptly freeze in place and let the drafts from the ceiling fans move them from side to side.

“Are you going to be okay?” Kara asks while wiping her mouth with her sleeve. She bends forward and puts her face under Dawn’s head in the hopes of getting a reaction. “There’s no reason to be sad for them. People die while others don’t. My parents are gone, but I’m still alive, so I shouldn’t be sad. Crying means I’m not surviving. You probably don’t realize this because you were alone for so long, but not many people mourn these days. It’s a waste of time since you could lose someone else the next day. We’re lucky if we can bury a body since there isn’t always one left.”

“You’re ten,” Dawn whispers in a low voice.

“So were a lot of the kids in the Grand Caravan, but they’re dead now,” the girl bluntly replies. She moves away when her friend stands up and turns away, the basket falling to the floor. “I thought you understood this. You didn’t get upset when those strangers were getting killed. Sure, people can be scared, but you can’t do anything once a person is gone. That’s just how it is. For all you know, I’ll be eaten by a monster tomorrow or you will disappear in your sleep. Whichever one of us survives, the other has to go on. That’s the only way to live in this world. Are you angry at me?”

The question causes all of the marionettes to look towards the woman, who gradually turns around. “I’m not angry. Just surprised by your reaction. I mean, you’re a child talking about death like it’s nothing. We’re tired, so maybe we shouldn’t have this conversation. Eat your fill and then we’ll turn in for the night.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong!”

“I never said you did.”

With an angry stamp, Kara grabs her sleeping bag and takes an empty basket from a nearby stack. She is followed by two of the marionettes while Dawn is left standing in the middle of the candy aisle. For a few seconds, she shifts in place and considers following to make sure nothing happens. The thought of continuing the fight gives her pause and she awkwardly bounces from one foot to another. Not wanting to upset the girl any more, the woman heads for the cashier and goes through the motions of purchasing her supplies. As soon as she is done, she leaves the food and toiletries on the counter and heads for the door to get some air.

(Know where you’ve been to understand where you are.)

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“Why does Addison do so much with food?” Kara asks as they sit on the crest of a flattop hill. Sitting in a patch of spring-like warmth, she stares at the snowy valley that is filled with piles of ice cream. “This means we don’t have to hunt, but it’s weird that she keeps making edible places. She reminds me of those witches with candy houses. Do you think it’s a clue that we can kill her with an oven?”

“I saw her get stuffed into one and she fell asleep,” Dawn replies with a sigh. The lack of movement below has her nerves on edge and she cannot shake the feeling that there is a pattern to the desserts. “From what I remember, Addison is driven by three things. The constant one is fun, which influences everything she does. The others stem from the few things that can make her feel pleasure. First is sex, but she only thinks of that vice once every six months. Wait, you’re ten and probably shouldn’t have been told that. Last thing I want is to be explaining the birds and the bees to you.”

“People don’t hide such things from kids these days,” the girl says before making a crude gesture with her hands. She stops when her friend blushes and rummages through their bags for a flask of alcohol. “So, the second thing she loves is food. That doesn’t sound very strange. Does that mean she’s human enough to beat?”

Stretching her arm into the cold region, Dawn tries to ignore the question about killing her insane side. “Our . . . Her mother wasn’t much of a cook. Breakfast was whatever cereal was on sale, lunches were jelly sandwiches, and dinner was something boiled. There were a few times Addison had friends and would visit their houses. She’d be introduced to candy, ice cream, pizza, and all the goodies that we . . . she never got at home. I know it was because her mom was scared of her power and thought doing anything complicated would risk a fatal failure. It still backfired because the food was terrible. So, Addison has this small obsession with treats that has grown out of control without me in there. Put on warmer clothes and we’ll get going. I think I took some snowshoes off a cart at the lake.”

Heading to the small car that was abandoned by one of the terrified families, Dawn stops again when she spots smoke in the valley. Waving for Kara to continue getting ready, she takes out a pair of binoculars and walks along the edge of the hill. She cannot see the source due to a pile of mint chocolate chip in her line of sight, but she can see that the ice cream has melted on the righthand side. The sun emerges from the clouds and a momentarily glint catches Dawn’s attention. A large shard of metal-edged glass can be seen sticking out of a long mound of cookie dough ice cream. Whistling for Kara to come take a look, she leaves the girl to check the area and gets herself dressed. Poking her head inside the vehicle, she taps at the fuel gauge that is on empty and sighs at the thought of leaving so many supplies behind. Dawn quickly removes a roof rack and creates a harness out of a coil of rope, which allows her to drag half of their gear through the ice cream-covered ground. She nods her head for Kara to a backpack along with her precious satchel, which is now covered in flower stickers.

“Don’t eat anything,” Dawn says as they step into the colder temperature. The shock causes them to gasp for air and groan at the pain rippling through their heads. “Give yourself a few minutes to adapt. I didn’t think it would be this bad, but it’ll pass. Did you happen to see anything out here?”

The girl shakes her head instead of talking, her eyes watering from the pain that is gradually subsiding. Not wanting to push her too hard, Dawn takes her time dragging the heavy load down the hill instead of letting gravity do the work. By the time they reach the bottom, they are no longer squinting in pain and on the verge of throwing up. Adjusting their fluffy hats, the pair march into the eerie valley that reeks of old ice cream. The combination of smells is more nauseating than enticing, which makes it easier to ignore the edible landscape. Spoons are scattered about the ground and stick out of the piles in the hopes of being claimed. The plastic ends a neon yellow that prevents them from being ignored and they occasionally release a low hum as they vibrate. There are no animal tracks, but they begin to find ruts that are similar to what would be left by several trucks moving along the same path. Faint footprints can be found in the areas that are thin enough to expose the mud below, but there are too few to figure out how many people have passed. Coming around the mint chocolate chip, Dawn is not surprised to find the smoldering remains of a bonfire. The final piece of evidence that they are not the first to cross the valley does little to calm her nervousness. Now that she is aware of the fact, she finds herself picking out various pieces of metal and glass that are barely hidden by the desserts. A wind blows away part of a slumping pile of strawberry ice cream to reveal the flap of a tent that is embedded in the food.

With a single step, Dawn’s feet go out from underneath her and she goes sliding across an icy surface. The roof rack skitters behind her until it builds up enough ice cream in front of it to stick into the gooey mess. A sharp, wordless yell causes Kara to stop at the edge of the slippery ground, so she crouches and digs through the cold food. Unable to get to her feet, Dawn pulls herself along the ropes to reach their supplies and find a pair of ice skates that she packed for an emergency. Strange protrusions poke at her body with some snapping off, but her thick clothes protect her from getting stabbed or cut. Crawling through the ice cream, she keeps her mouth shut and shivers at the numbness coursing through her face. She has to repeatedly stop to wipe the muck out of her eyes, which are stinging from some of the ingredients. Her vision is blurry and random flickers of rainbow light make her think that she is damaging her sense of sight. It is only when she clears a patch of the dessert and tries to catch her breath that she notices the frozen lake is a mix of colors. Shifting more of the ice cream, she exposes wooden popsicle sticks that are poking out of the surface.

Using the fragile protrusions to pull herself along, Dawn swiftly comes within reach of the rack. A small crinkling sound is the only warning she gets before the ground beneath their supplies gives way. Still harnessed to the heavy piece of metal, she is yanked forward and nearly falls into the hole. Leaping at the last moment, she manages to catch the far side of the opening with her hands and slams her feet into the opposite end. Spread eagled and unable to move, she is about to yell for help when she hears Kara’s footsteps on the frozen lake. Dawn can tell that the girl is taking her time to avoid falling, so she focuses on maintaining her grip. Even knowing that she should not look down, she gazes at what awaits her if she slips. Swirls of colorful mist are where she expected to see liquid and she can barely make out strange figures standing on the smooth bottom. A knot forms in her stomach, but she fights back the sensation to avoid curling up into a ball.

By the time Kara arrives, the girl is covered in sweat and dragging herself along by her elbows. Dawn holds her breath as her companion closes one eye and stretches over the hole with a pair of shears. Shifting enough to bring the rope in reach of the scissors, she bites her lower lip and tries to avoid imagining her feet giving way. The thought of her swinging into the sharp points and plummeting after their supplies almost makes the woman laugh. Her head twitches slightly, but the tic stops as soon as Kara frees her from the harness. Both of them watch as the roof rack bounces off the rainbow walls and crashes into one of the figures, which shatters like an ice statue. Pulling herself to solid ground, Dawn takes out her binoculars to get a closer look at the destruction and frowns at the sight of red liquid seeping out from under what she had hoped was a statue.

Without warning, the lenses give her a close up look at the remains and she sees the head of a woman. The figure’s color is a mix of a blue and red, which makes it difficult to see any details of the face. It is when she scans low enough to see a discoloration across the neck that the knot in her stomach leaps into her throat. Realizing that she is looking at Melissa Williams and the rest of the Grand Caravan, Dawn’s vision grows even more acute. She can see all of the icy corpses beneath the frozen lake and each one jogs a memory of how the people had been treating her during their short time together. A single wooden popsicle stick is embedded in every head, which has either an expression of terror or sadness. Many are on their knees as if they were begging for their lives before an instant death. Kara’s voice is a distant whisper as Dawn continues staring at the mass grave that she fears was done in her honor. She is on the verge of climbing down when all of the dead travelers move their heads in unison. Melting eyes stare in her direction and mouths open to reveal sharpened teeth. No noise comes from their throats, but she gets the sense that they are screaming and growling at her like a giant pack of enraged animals.

“Let’s keep moving,” Dawn says as she backs away from the hole.