Lazarus's Uncle Jack died a few weeks later after he saw him before his surgery. His parents mostly stayed at the hospital with him in tow, taking turns visiting with Uncle Jack. He watched as his uncle shrank from the many chemo treatments and surgeries he endured. Lazarus's Junior High let him graduate even though he stayed penned up at the cancer ward. Lazarus did his homework during the day and at night sat next to his uncle.

Uncle Jack seem to change from a man who told many stories to a quiet man who stared at the images on the TV. They watched everything from game shows to sitcoms. After the first week, his dad took him home to get a few clothes and to stay home for a while. His friend, Cindy, came over to visit with him. He was in his living room with their neighbor, Carol, an old spinster. Her husband had died several years ago. He heard a knock at the front door.

Carol stood and walked over to the door and opened it. He heard a girl speak to Carol.

"Is Lazarus here?"

"Yes, who are you?"

"I’m his friend from school. Cindy."

Carol didn't seem to know what to do. She turned to him.

"It’s fine. She’s a friend."

"I don't like this. You can’t have a small girl visit you. It’s indecent."

"Don't worry. We’ll talk in the dining room. You can see us from the living room."

Carol didn't move but then she nodded. "Ok. Sorry, I’m old-fashion. And you need to talk to a friend, under the circumstances."

He walked up to the doorway. Cindy lived in the house at the end of the block and they went to the same grade school and junior high. They had been friends because their parents were. They even shared a crib together as babies.

He led Cindy into the dining room and said, "Do you want something to drink? I actually don't know what we have in the fridge."

"Maybe something later. I wanted to know how are you doing?"

"I’m fine. And my parents want to thank you for getting my study guides and homework."

She smiled. "You would have done the same for me."

"Sure," he said with too much confidence. In a corner of his mind, he knew wouldn't have helped her if the roles were reversed and he felt foolish and sad. He had been so numb since he first heard his uncle was sick. He didn't know what he felt. Cindy looked at him with her big blue eyes, twirling her blond hair with her hand. For a brief moment, he sensed a stirring of adolescence come into his mind and body. He felt something for her, something he couldn't understand since his emotions had been in a maelstrom of sadness and fear for his uncle and for his parents, fear of the ultimate taker of lives - death.

Cindy touched his hand briefly. "Are you ok?"

"I think so."

Tears formed in his eyes and he had to look away from her. He wanted to embrace her and stay within her arms for a long time, but he heard Carol stirring behind him.

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She walked up and said, "Do you kids want some chocolate chip cookies? I can make a batch."

"Sure."

Carol lumbered into the kitchen. "There is also milk."

Lazarus said, "Thank you."

"Let's watch TV," Cindy said. "I think there is something funny on tonight."

"Do your parents know you’re here?"

"Yes, I told them. And today is Friday. I don't have any homework tonight."

They sat side by side in the living room. Carol was in the recliner. They watched a movie about aliens that tried to take over the world. Lazarus had seen this movie before and even seen this in the hospital, but he didn't care. He munched on freshly baked cookies accompanied by a glass of cold milk. For some reason he wanted to hold Cindy's hand, but he squashed that idea. She was way too pretty and the boys in her school always pestered him to introduce them to her.

The next day Uncle Jack passed away in his sleep. Lazarus vowed to himself he would never try to achieve more than he had already, that staying on the easy path was the way to go. His uncle showed him what would happen when somebody traveled the world and had rich experiences. Even after that there was only pain and death.

***

Lazarus didn't understand why he was thinking about his uncle and about his friend Cindy. Sammy walked next to him as they climbed the decimated sections of Los Angeles. Lazarus was perspiring and all his thoughts about his old life seemed inconsequential and naive. If he survived the next day or the next month, it would be a miracle. He didn't have survival skills like Matthew or animalistic senses like Sammy. He was ill prepared to traverse this new land. The forest started again with trees sprouting from the ground, breaking through the pavement and buildings. A smattering of colorful birds, all different shades of blues and green chattered away on the tree limbs.

He was amazed at first seeing so many avian creatures in the one place. He was thinking about the swarm of hornets and he froze. Matthew kept on walking forward toward the canopy of birds.

"Matthew, stop! Remember the swarm that I told you about."

The big man didn't slow. He held up his hands and the birds flew up into the air in a whoosh of feathers and squawks. Lazarus felt the stirrings of his magic, but it was different. He didn't feel any malice or rancor coming from the animals. He heard something. The birds landed close to Matthew, standing on any surface they could find.

Lazarus said, "Do you feel that?"

"Yes, the birds are talking to us. They are telling me the Grogs all left and headed east, away from the city."

Lazarus shook his head. He didn't hear any of this, but Matthew’s magic was different to his. He was about to ask Matthew another question but the birds all took flight and disappeared into the broken rubble and walls surrounding them.

"Why did they leave?"

Matthew was staring up at the birds. "I don't know. I thought I could talk to these birds, but they said a few things and left." He turned his face up and lifted his hands again but the birds flew away from him.

Lazarus had an idea, but he didn't want to alarm Matthew. He sensed that something, or someone, was directing them. Yet, he didn't feel like they were being led like marionettes attached to strings. Lazarus almost looked upwards to the sky wondering if these entities were watching them now. He wondered if it was the elves and then shook his head. He was being paranoid.

They started traveling again. The birds disappeared and no other animals came to them.

A thought came to him, that he should have gone back home to check on his parents before embarking on this journey. He was being selfish. But he knew that the reason he didn't go home was because he knew they were dead, or worse.

They found the jeep still parked at the beginning of the freeway before the broken debris destroyed the path. Lazarus checked his pockets and for a split second thought he had lost the keys, but then his hand touched them. He pointed the FOB at the car and pressed the open button, but nothing happened.

"Shit!"

They looked around. This was the only car in the vicinity that was not destroyed or lying on its side.

He said, "The battery must be dead."

It had half a tank of gas, so fuel was not the problem.

Matthew said, "What should we do?"

"Well, we can look for another battery or find another car."

Matthew nodded.