World War III by Heath Jannusch

cab and closed the separating curtain, leaving the children eating happily in the front seat. He sat down on the bed next to the children’s mother and gently lifted her so that she was sitting upright, leaning against his shoulder.
    “Wake up,” said Casey softly, “it’s time for your medicine.”
    The woman’s eyelids fluttered open and she looked up at Casey. “Who, who are you?” she asked, in a parched voice, her eyes wide with alarm. “Where are my children?”
    “My name is Casey Cooper,” he said. “Your children brought you to me.”
    “Sandy! Sam!” The woman tried to rise, but instead sank back down. She barely had the strength to sit up straight, let alone move.
    “It’s okay,” said Casey, reassuringly. “Your children are here too, safe and sound.” Casey reached forward and pulled the curtain back, revealing the two blonde haired children sitting in the front seat, each with a bowl of hot soup.
    “Thank God,” moaned the woman and Casey could feel her body relax in his arms. “How did they get me here?”
    “I’m not exactly sure,” answered Casey, “but from what I understand, a wheel barrel had something to do with it.”
    “A wheel barrel,” she repeated the words as though she didn’t understand their meaning.
    “I’ve missed you so much Martin,” she said, gazing up at Casey. She didn’t seem to be looking into Casey’s eyes so much as through them. She reached up and touched Casey’s chin. Before he knew what was happening she leaned back and kissed him softly on the lips.
    Casey was shocked and didn’t know how to respond. She was obviously delirious and thought he was someone else. For a brief moment, Casey desperately wanted to be the mystery man named Martin and return her kiss with all his passion, but instead he pulled his lips away from hers and closed the curtain. He didn’t want the children to see the kiss and misunderstand.
    “I’m not Martin,” he said, “but if Martin were here, he’d want you to take your medicine.” The woman nodded and Casey placed a pill on her outstretched tongue. He held the water bottle to her mouth and helped her take a drink. When he was sure the pill was swallowed, he leaned her back down on the bed and covered her with a blanket.
    As he gazed down at the sleeping beauty resting in his bed, all sorts of questions began to creep into his head. What’s her name? Who’s this Martin fellow? Would she remember the kiss in the morning? Casey desperately wanted to know more about the woman, but he knew that what she needed most was sleep, and he intended to give it to her.
    As quietly as possible so as not to wake her, Casey retracted the curtain and climbed back into the front seat with the children. He poured himself a bowl of the hot, delicious soup, scooped a spoonful of the broth and gently blew on it, before taking a sip. It was good, very good. Casey suddenly realized how hungry he was, as he shoveled spoonful after spoonful into his mouth.
    When they were finished eating he looked down at the children and realized how tired they must be. Their eyes were heavy with exhaustion and they both kept yawning. It was only a matter of time before they passed out. “How was it?” he asked, referring to the soup.
    “Yummy,” said Sandy.
    “Thank you,” added Sam, nodding his head in agreement.
    “Sure,” replied Casey, smiling down at the children. “What about your goat and chickens? Do they need to be fed something too?”
    “We already fed them,” answered Sandy, proudly.
    “Wonderful,” said Casey, glad that the task didn’t fall to him. “Then let’s get some sleep,” he added, reaching up and closing the curtains to the cab. Sam curled up on the passenger seat with a blanket wrapped around him, while Sandy snuggled in next to Casey.
    Casey wasn’t used to taking care of children or having one snuggled up against his body, but as he reached for another blanket, he realized how much he liked it. Pulling the