Eventually, Yan turned her head. "Do you think people can know when
something bad is going to happen?"
Bai did not answer immediately. It was an unusual question, or perhaps
it was not unusual at all after the last few weeks. Since the apocalypse
began, everyone had learned to read small signs and make choices based
on incomplete information. A strange silence could mean a street was
empty, or it could mean something dangerous had driven the zombies away.
A radio message could be a warning or a lie. A person could look safe
and still be preparing to take everything from you.
"Sometimes people notice things before they can explain them," Bai said
at last. "Sometimes they see enough pieces to understand that something
is wrong. Sometimes they're afraid because they know how much they stand
to lose. But a bad feeling doesn't tell you everything. It just tells
you to pay attention."
Yan listened carefully. "And if you can't do anything about it?"
