In the time that passed, everyone's injuries had gradually healed. Wendy's and Zoe's hearing had returned to normal, and even Annie's skin condition had improved. It seemed like everything was getting better, yet the smiles on everyone's faces were fewer. Zoe no longer asked for her mother; she now understood what death meant. She would only call out a few times while talking in her sleep. Even when she woke with swollen eyes, she had learned to tell a white lie, telling everyone she'd just been bitten by mosquitoes.
But in this harsh environment, there were no mosquitoes to be found.
Rhys Chase couldn't find anyone to play chess with. He often lamented that he would never again find a kindred spirit and opponent like Taylor Vance.
Everyone had long since lost track of the days, numbing their minds and bodies with endless labor. The trees they planted taking root was their only hope, their only anchor.
