"Che, come now," he commands and takes off jogging at a slow pace so Che can keep up. Running the child into the ground will be a good start to his coming punishment. Che takes a last look at me before deciding his only chance to continue living is with King.

When the noise of their departure fades to small animals and crickets, I drop Ruth on her head a few inches from the ground. She tumbles into a scrambled mix of arms, legs, and curses that shouldn't come from the mouth of ...