Chapter 7 He's Not My Mate

• *Ainslee*
• Laughter spills from inside our house. I stand outside with my arms wrapped tightly around my body, watching the familiar forms of our neighbors’ pass between the candles lighting the small dwelling and the windows. A smile takes over my face. I can’t remember when I last heard that sound—laughter--but it makes me happy to know that, at least for one night, some of the people in the village here can find something to be joyful about.
• “Cold?” Lenny’s voice cuts through the darkness as he comes to stand next to me.