“It’s your turn to talk. I want to know who you were before the invasion.” Javintore poured gravy over his meat. “I was sixteen then.” “You were still being educated?” “I was in high school—that’s the last section of school you have to go through. After that you were an adult.” “Go on.” He tore some green bread (which Monica found tasted similar to wheat bread, except it was sour). “Remember what I said about always being honest.” She nodded and brushed a brown strand of hair off her forehead. “I um…I lived in a wealthy country. One of the most advanced ones, you know, with space travel and other things.” “The English speaking country. Where you were in the bunker.” “Yes. That’s the United States. I actually lived not that far from the bunker. And, it was nice. My dad managed these office buildings for this big company and my mom worked at this semiconductor company. She was born in Kroatia. That’s another country, with a different language.” Monica realized she was meandering. She sat up straighter in her seat. “So, I didn’t have any brothers or sisters. It was just me and my parents. And exchange students. Those are…well, never mind about them.” Why am I so nervous? “I was into swimming.”
