Page 49 of Undone
Shavontae pulled back and looked at Tyree. “You can be super fast, right? Run in and get a couple of your favorite things? Something that reminds you of your mama? And then we can go somewhere safer?”
He snuffled and nodded.
“Did you leave anything in the cellar?” Rylen asked him.
Tyree shook his head, so we all climbed in the vehicle. He settled onto Shavontae’s lap, and Devon turned around to hand him an opened granola bar.
“Eat it nice and slow.”
Tyree shoved it in.
“Whoa, whoa,” Devon gently scolded. “Smaller bites than that.” Tyree watched Devon as he took his next smaller bite and chewed slowly. “That’s it.” Devon smiled and Shavontae rubbed the boy’s back.
After a few wrong turns, we ended up at the gates to Elmendorf base.
“You live on base?” Devon asked.
Tyree nodded. “Aurora.”
“That’s one of the neighborhoods,” Rylen said.
It was easy enough to find his old place, but walking through it with him broke my heart all over again. Pictures of Tyree with his mom in her uniform. It had been just the two of them. She had sacrificed herself to keep him safe.
We packed a bag and grabbed his bedding and some pictures, but hearing Tyree’s mournful, innocent wailing as we left the apartment had all seven of us drooping with weariness. Sometimes the emotional strain was worse than the physical. Today was definitely one of those days. But at least one boy, one precious human, had been brought to safety. I considered that a win.
