The Pole Shift

Lett scrutinizes Sean

Sean didn't  know what to do as they sat down and waited for the police. Lett gazed around the place, it was a mess. Something was bubbling away in a slow cooker, and there was a half bottle of vodka on the table. Next to it was what looked like a sling shot and on his laptop she could see he'd been looking up how to make one. This wasn't the Peanut Butter man, this was just a drunk and a wanna be survivalist. She could almost like him, something about him, his child like existence perhaps. She was reminded strongly of a middle aged Clarky.

                "You've been watching me from the trees, you're the one that hurt the kids I bet."  Sean said it almost absently, She sat back, not a complete idiot then.

                "So?"

                "I don't know. I thought I could close off and just try and survive the Shift, I didn't really get that people would like my chance better than theirs." Absurdly she liked him more, there was something , he was earnest, self aware. Her hand went to her stomach, these were mothering thoughts and she found it hard to push them away. Lett spoke almsot kindly to him:

                "Life isn't like that. Bet you've had things handed to you, not taken. Most people are defeated by what they are born into. Bet you've had it easy.  You don't understand."

                "They want this place, the kids families from next door, my ex wife, anything but that, you can have it as long as I can stay." No, not an idiot at all. She knew when someone was being setup to fight another's fight and the ember of her kindness was snuffed out.

                "You can stay and we will both die in the wave and if we survive  I'll chain you to a post then eat you when the food runs out." He thought she was joking and she let it ride. She smiled at him and so readily did he receive it that she thought she could probably tell him she had a few brothers that would 'visit' and he wouldn't object. This was too good to be true. Then the door banged and a steely voice announced loudly:

                "Police!"

                "Want me to get that?" She spoke as if she had been his partner for years, a partner that had lost faith in him, and he just nodded.  When she went to the door he stood up and went upstairs, sitting at the top listening. A man's voice spoke strictly,  but not about the supposed child abuse. The woman's voice hit a note of alarm, of question. Her composure had gone. Did the police man name her? He ordered her to sit down then:

                " Sean Waters! Come down stairs." The voice was soothing even though it was laden with authority. Sean crept down stairs and entered the room protesting his innocence, he was even going to offer up the food cache, so beaten did he feel.

                 "I'm not here about that, but to the police outside and everyone else you talk to, that is exactly what I am here about. I've been watching both of you. I know all about you."