"Wife," Alex says with a sigh. "I think so. We were sticking together until the town...well, you saw it."

He's not even sure what to call it. Alex doesn't believe in magic or any of that crap, but he does know he can't explain the walls peeling the way they did.

Alex resists the urge to crane his head and watch Steve work, just looks stonily ahead because he doesn't want to look at the hole in his side and see wiring or oil. Whatever it is that's there instead of skin and blood. He'll assume he knows what he's doing. Maybe it's just like patching up a car, he thinks, and realizes after a few seconds that isn't that reassuring.

"You got anyone out there?"