The sun rose grey. It didn't warm the kitchen. It just made the shadows visible.
Ezra stood at the counter. He zipped the duffel bag. The sound was loud. Zzzzip. He winced. He looked toward the hallway. The bedrooms were silent.
He opened the fridge. Light spilled out. Cold. He took out water bottles. Juice boxes. Bread. He packed them methodically. Left side. Right side. Zip.
His hands shook. He set the bag down. He gripped the counter. The granite was cold. Colder than it should be. Frost lined the edges of the sink.
He looked at the window. The glass was webbed with ice. Ferns of white spreading from the corners. Outside, the ocean was flat. Black. No waves. No whitecaps. Just a sheet of obsidian.
" Dad?"
Ezra turned. Ash stood in the doorway. He wore his pajamas. Barefoot. He did
