Jared gave Annalese a dark look.

“You know perfectly well what would happen if you died,” he hissed. “Are you really willing to bring that down on me?”

She looked guilty, but still retaining the want to leave life.

“One punishment is enough, thank you very much,” Jared said, and he helped her up to her feet.

The pair walked on in silence as the cars flashed by. Both brother and sister reached a small pocket park, near a string of fast food joints, and they sat down on a bench. Suddenly Annalese burst into tears.

“I’m sorry, Jared, I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “It’s just – I can’t take this life down here! This planet, it’s so putrid and unfriendly and…I don’t want to live anymore.”

Jared gave her a stern look at first, but then softened up, wrapping his arms around her and rocking back and forth.

“It’s okay, Anna…” he murmured. “I don’t like it either. It wasn’t your fault that the drought came…”

He hugged her harder, and she cried harder.