For the next few weeks, nothing happened.
At least, nothing that Mara could see.
The boys went to school.
They played in the alley.
They argued over food.
They came home with dirty clothes and excuses that were usually worse than the stains.
Life went on.
But Mara had changed.
She checked the street before letting the boys outside.
She watched unfamiliar cars.
She stopped talking to strangers.
And every time someone looked at her sons for too long, she noticed.
Kane noticed too.
One afternoon, he found her standing by the window.
"Mama?"
She turned.
"What?"
"You've been looking outside for ten minutes."
Mara smiled.
"I was thinking."
"About what?"
"Nothing."
Kane didn't believe her.
But he didn't push.
That was one of the things Mara loved about him.
Kane was only six, but sometimes he behaved as though he were much older.
Outside, Kade was trying to climb a fence.
Kian was sitting beneath it, watching.
"Kade!"
Kade looked down.
"What?"
"You're going to fall."
"I won't."
"You said that yesterday."
"And I didn't fall."
"You fell."
"I landed."
Kian shook his head.
"That's not the same thing."
Kade grinned.
"You're getting boring."
Kane stepped outside.
"Come down."
Kade sighed.
"Why does everyone keep telling me what to do?"
"Because you keep doing stupid things."
Kade climbed down.
The three brothers started walking toward the market.
They had been sent to buy bread.
Mara had given Kane exactly enough money.
"Don't lose it," she had warned.
Kade immediately asked, "Can I hold it?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you'll lose it."
"I won't."
Kane kept walking.
"You lost a shoe yesterday."
"That was different."
"How?"
"I knew where it was."
Kian laughed.
They reached the market.
It was crowded.
People pushed past them, sellers shouted prices, and motorcycles squeezed through gaps that didn't look wide enough for them.
Kane held the money tightly.
Then Kade stopped.
"Look."
A man at a nearby stall was selling small toy cars.
Kade's eyes lit up.
"Kane."
"No."
"You haven't even heard me."
"I know what you're going to say."
"Just one."
"We came for bread."
"I'll pay you back."
"With what?"
Kade thought about it.
"Something."
Kane laughed.
"You're impossible."
They walked past.
Kian suddenly stopped.
"Guys."
Kane turned.
"What?"
Kian was looking behind them.
"The man."
"What man?"
"Across the street."
Kane followed his gaze.
A man stood near a parked black car.
Dark jacket.
Hands in his pockets.
Watching them.
Kade turned.
The moment the man noticed him looking, he walked away.
Kane's expression changed.
"Let's go."
They hurried home.
Mara was waiting.
She looked at their faces.
"What happened?"
Kane told her.
She went pale.
"Where?"
"The market."
Mara immediately closed the door.
"You're not going outside again today."
Kade frowned.
"But we have the bread."
Mara looked at him.
He was holding nothing.
Kade slowly realized.
"I forgot."
Kane stared at him.
"You forgot the bread?"
Kade shrugged.
"I was distracted."
Mara almost laughed.
Almost.
Then there was a knock.
Everyone froze.
Three knocks.
Slow.
Mara looked at Kane.
"Take your brothers into the room."
"But—"
"Now."
The boys obeyed.
Mara opened the door.
It was Mrs. Bell.
She stood there holding a basket.
"I brought you some food."
Mara exhaled.
"Mrs. Bell..."
"You look like you've seen a ghost."
Mara forced a smile.
"I'm just tired."
Mrs. Bell looked past her.
"Where are the boys?"
"Inside."
Mrs. Bell handed her the basket.
"Tell them I said hello."
Mara nodded.
When she closed the door, Kane came out.
"Who was it?"
"Mrs. Bell."
Kade looked inside the basket.
"Food."
Mara smiled.
"Yes."
Kade looked at her.
"Are you okay?"
Mara touched his cheek.
"I'm fine."
He nodded.
But he didn't believe her either.
That evening, rain began to fall.
Mara sat on the edge of the boys' mattresses.
They were already half asleep.
"Listen to me," she said.
Three sleepy faces turned toward her.
"If anything ever happens to me..."
Kane immediately sat up.
"Why would something happen to you?"
"Nothing will."
"Then why are you saying it?"
Mara smiled sadly.
"Because mothers worry."
Kade yawned.
"You worry too much."
Mara laughed softly.
"Maybe."
She looked at each of them.
"Whatever happens, stay together."
Kane nodded.
"We will."
"Promise me."
"We promise."
Mara kissed Kane's forehead.
Then Kade's.
Then Kian's.
"Good."
She stood.
"Sleep."
She turned away.
Kane watched her.
"Mama?"
She stopped.
"Yes?"
"I'll protect them."
Mara looked back.
"You shouldn't have to."
Kane smiled.
"I still will."
She smiled.
Then left the room.
Later that night, Kane woke up.
Something had disturbed him.
He sat up.
The room was dark.
Kade and Kian were asleep.
Kane walked toward the window.
He pulled the curtain aside.
The street was empty.
Almost.
Across the road, the same black car was parked beneath a streetlight.
Kane stared at it.
The driver's door opened.
The man stepped out.
He looked directly toward their apartment.
Kane froze.
The man didn't move.
Neither did Kane.
Then the man slowly raised his hand.
Not threatening.
Just a small gesture.
A wave.
Kane dropped the curtain.
He woke Kade.
"Kade."
"What?"
"Wake up."
Kade opened one eye.
"What?"
"There's someone outside."
Kade sat up.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
Kian woke too.
"What happened?"
Kane pointed toward the window.
They looked.
The car was gone.
Kade frowned.
"Are you sure?"
"I saw him."
Kian walked toward the window.
"He was watching us."
Kane nodded.
"We need to tell Mama."
They ran into the other room.
"Mama?"
No answer.
Kane looked around.
"Mama?"
Her bed was empty.
The front door was open.
Kade's face changed.
"Where is she?"
Kane ran outside.
"Mama!"
Nothing.
He searched the alley.
Nothing.
Kian followed.
Then they heard footsteps.
Mara appeared at the end of the street.
She was carrying a small bag.
She stopped when she saw them.
"What are you doing outside?"
Kane ran to her.
"Where were you?"
"Getting medicine."
"For who?"
Mara didn't answer.
Kane looked at the bag.
"You're sick?"
"No."
"Then who is it for?"
Mara looked at her sons.
She knew she couldn't keep lying forever.
Before she could answer, headlights appeared at the end of the street.
A black car.
Mara's face went pale.
"Inside."
Kane looked toward the car.
"That's the same car."
Mara grabbed his hand.
"Inside. Now."
The three boys hurried back.
Mara followed.
The car stopped.
The window slowly lowered.
But nobody stepped out.
A man's voice came through the darkness.
"Mara."
She stopped.
The boys stood behind her.
"Who are you?" she asked.
The man didn't answer.
Instead, he said something that made the blood drain from her face.
"You know why I'm here."
Mara stared at the car.
Then at her sons.
And for the first time, Kane saw something in his mother's eyes that he had never seen before.
Fear.
Real fear.
The car drove away.
Kade whispered,
"Mama..."
She closed the door.
Locked it.
Then leaned against it.
"We're leaving."
Kane stared at her.
"Where?"
"I don't know."
Kade frowned.
"Why?"
Mara looked at them.
"Because someone has found you."
Outside, the rain began to fall harder.
And somewhere in the city, the man across the street made another phone call.
"The mother knows."
A voice answered.
"Then we don't have much time."
End of Chapter Five