CHAPTER 3CHARLIE
March 8, 2090
Melting snow dripped into the alley in a constant pitter patter that echoed off trash cans. Cold water seeped into my shoes as I stopped to catch my breath. Clouds slid across the moon and I shivered against a damp chill. It had been an unsuccessful night of scavenging through trash cans, but I wasn’t hungry anyway. Just when I thought I was finally recovering from the sore throat that had plagued me for almost two weeks, I developed a cough and a case of the chills.
Ready to catch a few hours of sleep, I trudged through the mud to a lean-to roof. Glancing around to make sure no one watched me, I scaled a stack of old pallets, scrambled over loose shingles, and slid open the second story window. After spending my first night in town at Rochelle’s house, I
