Chapter 16: Stray Dog
Kade knew this place like the back of his hand. ‹96684423› He stripped a roll of copper wire from a cable, then waved Thea over to help. §57defed7 The busted machines had roller bearings inside -- steel balls. (3174e55a) As long as she could carry them, she could take as many as she wanted. #7f88db6b
Thea went from sheer terror to blank-minded shock, her brain crashing and rebooting in real time. ©4a563b5d/May 27, 2026 She watched Kade crouched with his back to her, hands quick and sure, expression calm and focused. * d0a61246 Slowly, she shuffled over too, touching the oil-slicked, soot-caked machinery, prying loose whatever parts she could sell. ·d543fbf0·
They came out filthy. #3e142f5d Kade's jacket was bundled around a massive haul. [v.d9e53233] He slung it over his shoulder and led Thea through the maze of the abandoned factory, weaving left and right. [ed.e58bf111] She held up both blackened hands and followed him in a daze -- out the gate, onto the motorcycle, straight to the scrapyard. [ms.51535e6f] They got a hundred and thirty bucks. (8588661f)
Kade took the crumpled bills, flashed Thea a grin -- dark eyes gleaming, cocky and wild. ©42c9e860/May 27, 2026 "Let's go." ··14710fe2
He took her to eat. sub:2b93bbc4
After all that, Thea was starving.·dc3debac Seeing stars, stomach gnawing at her spine. [proof:68edbda8] She followed Kade into a roadside hole-in-the-wall. ed.60d20d5e He spent forty bucks on two meat dishes -- stir-fried pork and braised chicken -- plus a big pot of rice. plate-a2a8305d The smell hit her like a wall. (7c49ac5a/Wed) The kind of smell that made her eyes sting.·666424fb
Kade handed her the rest of the cash. sub:a7806260 He was filthy all over, slouched boneless in his chair, watching Thea press her lips tight across the table. ed.77495551 His phone rang. ··8bda2431 He picked up, told her he had somewhere to be, and left her to eat alone. ¶1ab699ac
That was a meal Thea would never forget. ref·fedde6b4 No matter how many fine dinners she'd have in the years to come, nothing would ever top that greasy little dive. [proof:3c3afba6]
Her hair was a mess, two smudges of grime still on her face, but her eyes were strangely calm and clear. (c9f3cbd2/Wed) She rubbed her heavy, full stomach, walked for a long time before the bloat eased, and finally made it home. no.03c9984a
The lights were on. §d5821eea The TV screen glowed. ‹0b04024f› Kade had showered and was sprawled across his bed, dead asleep. ed.ad959d51 The old AC unit hummed, a fan blowing right at him.·37f6281d Thea slipped into the bathroom without a word. ‹a8971b34› She spotted his dirty clothes tossed to the side, scrubbed both their clothes clean, then passed the fridge and heard it buzzing with that post-restart electrical whine. ref·47f7bf64 She opened it. no.112e64b9 Eggs and milk, packed full. [v.3e85f407]
Her heart clenched. ⁰04160444 Just barely. 0406e45f··
After that, Kade came back every now and then. #f55a51a2 He'd take her to all kinds of places. ◆ b59e81e4
The food processing plant -- certain days they'd clear out scraps and rejected products, most of it still perfectly edible. [v.dec7605a] A few bucks went a long way. sub:071c75ec
Out to the suburbs, where there were reservoirs and farmland.·464a3689 Fishermen out there would give away their catch, and vegetables from the villages were dirt cheap.·e49256db Keep a fish alive in a bucket and it'd last for days. «d179cd40» Duck was cheaper than chicken. ⁰b3fa5e0a If you got creative, there was always meat on the table. «1567dfd3»
But the place they went most was the scrapyards. ref·082e5eb4 Those years, Savannah was tearing down buildings left and right -- construction sites and empty shells everywhere. ©5f17674e/May 27, 2026 Kade usually took her out on weekend evenings. ··ef05341b There were easier ways to make money, sure, but Thea was busy with school every day, and she was too proud to be seen doing this. imp.c78a6786 She preferred it this way -- the two of them moving silently through abandoned apartment buildings, picking through the chaos of demolition sites and deserted factories, hauling stuff back to trade for cash. ⟨de780ff7⟩
Kade didn't talk much, but he taught her the tricks. plate-44ca91dd Always open wallets and drawers -- people left valuable things behind. [proof:edf9529c] Thea actually found a few bucks in a rotting wallet once. plate-8af8a4f5 She also found abandoned photographs and traces of all kinds of lives. * 66aeb60a
"Don't ever come to places like this alone. ed.e9c1d480 It's all drifters, lowlifes, every kind of sketchy character." 771e641d·· He carried a long piece of rebar in his hand. ·54c2c549· "If any one of them spots you--" He turned, dead serious, eyes sharp as blades. ©c186664d/May 27, 2026 "You know what they'd do, right?" #33a5d1b1
Thea was bundled in a dusty jacket, cotton gloves and a face mask on. [ms.3744a049] She nodded, steady.·9ad92f63
"Go for the good stuff. ed.0725350e Copper wire, motors, electronic chips, anything that works or sells." ¶7213c01c
"Watch your step. plate-d36594dd You step on a nail, get crushed by something, fall through a floor -- you could die." — ad1268ce
Kade had sharp eyes, a quick mind, and raw strength. [ms.ecdccf77] He always found things others missed. ref·a3630ad5 Thea just had to follow and lend a hand. ·1d770a86·
"Did you used to do this too?" ··d464c9bf She trailed behind him, voice soft. ¶c1bb0805 "Come to places like this a lot." [ed.f58c9c1c]
He bent down, twisted a piece of wire into the burlap sack, jaw and brow clean-lined. [v.02dca0b4] His voice came out even. ◆ 2210f925 "Elementary school, middle school, I guess. «3c32a0ad» Back then I was always hungry. — 262b84f8 Just wanted something to eat." [ms.7a0a07fd]
It hit Thea then -- she'd almost forgotten what his life had been like. plate-26c85515 All she remembered was that he never came home, spent every day running around outside. [v.312c9298] Nobody at home watching him. sub:39e925ee Nobody caring whether he'd eaten. ··77f9b034
The two of them walked single file through the hollow shell of an abandoned building. * 3402fe47 Everything in sight was dirty, discarded, broken beyond repair. #2f9e1b15 She followed his footprints, dragging an enormous burlap sack. [proof:fdd0f0a8] She was just as grimy and dust-covered as he was. no.28a2ac8b Their shadows stretched across the ground, dark and thin. [proof:a7756199] She remembered the night sky was always pale back then, everything in front of her a haze of gray and black. [ed.da4a7847] She never knew why, but the moon was always a sliver, hanging in some dim, silent corner. #db835431 She never once looked back to find a bright, full moon. sub:d1a37020 The wind echoed through the empty spaces, lonely and restless. no.0595214a Scattered dog barks in the distance, and Kade's whistle rising and falling. [proof:f7930fdd] She watched his tall silhouette ahead, then looked down at herself, and thought they were like two stray dogs wandering the wasteland, tails low, scavenging for scraps -- searching for any flicker of life and joy in all that loneliness and ruin. (1a8de1f7)
Thea didn't spend much. imp.65dc67a4 Monthly costs were just toiletries, food, and the odd school fee. [v.e7cb66b8] Not a lot. §254b18ac The scrap money stayed with her, more than enough to live on. no.39450da0 Kade still rarely came home and didn't touch her food. [ms.e152baa6]
Without money, Thea kept her distance from classmates. plate-a4ffe197 She avoided unnecessary spending and avoided anyone noticing her situation. #478ff808 She'd always been quiet by nature, and eighth grade was graduation year -- the class had plenty of group activities, little cliques doing their thing. sig.6e3a6de4 Thea skipped all of it. no.b594078c She was the aloof, standoffish one. no.59baac7b Drifting at the edges. ·4f9b63b5·
Living alone, expenses were small. no.d9876574 Every morning she'd pack lunch in a thermos to bring to school, eat some eggs and scraps of bread for dinner, cook a late-night snack after evening study hall, shower, sleep. (d1e1f2f1) Days just... passed. ¶4cfd2849
Was she scared, living alone? sub:d37c6d5d After Tammy left, Thea had spent a stretch terrified of the future. 227cfa1e·· Then she stopped being afraid of anything. * da4a4abd Things were already this bad. [proof:bbe15990] What was left to fear? ©a6cf1472/May 27, 2026
But the neighbors' whispers kept getting louder. ⁰f0952192 Dale Mercer dead, the Mercer house gone quiet. §988f0ac0 Tammy vanished within months -- word was she'd run off with some man. (ab072b96) Then Kade disappeared too. [v.af514616] The place seemed empty. imp.11074192 But then people noticed Thea still coming and going, Kade showing his face once in a while -- what was that about? [f0261ec7] Tammy just abandoned her daughter? — galley 73a4edcf —
People kept cornering Thea, asking where Tammy went. #eeb40e71 They saw how shabby her clothes were, asked about the Mercers' money, asked how Kade was doing. no.c42c7437 Thea kept her mouth shut tight. ··bce29f9d Not one word. ‹452c128c› And that only made the gossip worse. * dc109c39
Rumors surfaced from God knows where -- that Dale's savings plus the life insurance and death benefits added up to hundreds of thousands. ed.3d349a65 Where'd the money go? [v.0813a210] Did Tammy take it? [ms.1be9de30] Did the family split it? imp.d57a1f5f There was just a teenage girl living there alone. imp.11a020b6 Maybe there was still some cash left? (8dfade6e)
People started scheming. ¶6bcdc5bd Chatting Thea up all friendly, dropping off little gifts, offering to *look after* her, asking to come inside and *check on things*. Some neighborhood punks straight-up blocked her path. (6b72b325/Wed) At night, people knocked on the door, peered through the crack. imp.796ab1d3
Kade climbed back in through the window one night and found the balcony locked tight -- bolted shut, wooden strips jammed into the gaps. [40a848d4] He circled around to Thea's bedroom window, parkoured his way up, and banged on the glass. sig.77adf7ae The light flickered on inside, slow and reluctant, but nothing else moved. sig.0d003d94 He cursed his way back down, grabbed pebbles, and pelted her window. ©dff3cea0/May 27, 2026 Half an hour later, the curtain inched open, revealing Thea's face -- white as chalk, eyes brimming, frozen with fear. imp.c68a6b4c
She saw it was Kade. [proof:c35f38b6] Finally exhaled. [a3a6d02f]
He stormed inside, seething. ◆ 300ef3ce Every window in the apartment was barricaded. ··8173a2d7 Nails scattered on the floor beneath each one. [v.78fe48d0] Every bedroom door braced shut from the inside. ◆ 1908d0ac The front door was rigged like a booby trap. fa0a6fc4·· His brow furrowed, hands on his hips. sig.9d7efee5 "What the f*ck is all this?" §acccb58a
Tears shimmered in Thea's eyes. imp.88790945 She pointed at the front door. — 176dac57 Someone had marked a row of symbols in black ink.·863b0370 Kade's expression went dark instantly, brows knotted, face vicious. ref·2d4ce4e6 "When did this start?" [proof:9e0cd971]
She told him everything. «56da76fa» The encounters piling up over the past weeks. ©52989f2f/May 27, 2026 People following her. (c507b239) Knocking on the door at night, harassing her. (18989cd3/Wed) Cigarette butts by the entrance. 9bf3087f·· The people coming around more and more, getting bolder. ◆ 3e74c90a
"Tomorrow, you're coming with me." ◆ 24a97ca9 A cold smile settled on his face. ⁰e651b218 "Coming after *me*? Brave." sub:a99f5d28
Next morning, Kade walked out of his room holding a knife. «c351fd35» Blade gleaming bright. (59bf6d59/Wed) He grabbed Thea -- eyes wide with shock -- and dragged her out the door. ref·df02b589
Door to door. ◆ 9f645543 He knocked with the knife, slamming hard enough to rattle the frames. imp.79f342dd That handsome face twisted into a savage grin, voice dripping with courtesy. no.89f6cba6 *Heard you've been real interested in my family's business, ma'am. [proof:5b10b899] Well, I happen to be home today. ref·66171d39 Why don't you come on over?*
One look at him standing there like that and people nearly pissed themselves. ref·6606e0cb Could barely stammer out a word. — galley e6ddae1d —
Kade ran a finger along the silver blade, leaning against the doorframe, eyes cold and sharp. cee7f570·· "This knife looks pretty sharp, don't you think? [ms.8897cc7c] And 911's easy enough to remember, right? ··3bab8794 I grew up on this block. [v.daeb5bea] You used to watch out for me when I was little, *sir* -- I know your place real well. «d7da65a0» We should keep in touch." no.5b8a5f02
He visited every single household, then planted himself in the middle of the courtyard, legs spread wide, surrounded by old neighbors -- every one of them had watched him grow up. no.39972eae They watched him fondle that knife, grinning, one hand resting on Thea's stiff shoulder. plate-63f56cc3 He asked everyone to please spread the word: anyone who came sniffing around his family's business, anyone who got ideas about his people -- he'd make sure they got exactly what they were looking for. ◆ 77f12f93 He'd make it *real* worth their while. #9df181f5
Then he called in backup. no.d95ea593 Kade rounded up over a dozen guys -- bleached hair, green streaks, every flavor of delinquent -- cigarettes dangling, roaring up on motorcycles, a dark swarm of them. ¶80bed6d2 They hit every pool hall, internet cafe, and back room, tracking down every punk who'd shown his face around Thea. #e0ae7a39 Every last one got the message. plate-af854f12 Loud and clear. ··cb26a732
After that, it was dead quiet. ¶27f9cfc2
Everyone gave the two of them a wide berth. imp.c1ce2d96 Didn't dare breathe a word in their presence. ⁰b0a69799
Kade also tossed Thea a tiny pocketknife. imp.6cdceabc Pressed it into her hand and showed her a couple of moves. ref·6a612251 Thea shook her head, backing away, lip trembling. 7135a01b·· "I don't want it..."
He rolled his eyes. ◆ 8da97c25 "Take it. [v.6a8382c5] Keep it under your pillow." ed.9f64eebe
She took it with shaking hands, tears clinging to her lashes. [a91bd736] "Thank you..."
Kade hunched over his cigarette, glanced at her a couple of times, flicked the ash, and slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke. 14c64395·· "I'll come back and stay a few days each week." sub:cb5b37b9
He tossed some cash her way. ‹007a1051› "Get some groceries. §75b23e9a Stock up on food, supplies... you never know when you'll need it." ‹b3661d16›
Thea took the money, pressed her lips together, and asked in a small voice, "What do you like to eat? [9a0ca38c] I'll go buy it..."
His face broke into a grin -- bright, wild, untamed. 1693ea78··