The Omega Protocol Chronicles (Book 1): Exodus by Courtney McPhail

purification kits we found in the bags?” Trey asked.
    “If the water looks nasty we can but I’d like to save them. We’ve got a long way to travel and we might need to get water from a questionable source. We’ll need the kits then.”
    “How can you tell if it’s bad water or not?”
    “Well, anything that is in a city is questionable. It could have chemicals or other toxic substances in it. Outside of the city, in places like this, you need to look for water that is moving. It means that there is a fresh source that is feeding it which will prevent stagnation. Water goes stagnate and it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.”
    Trey nodded, listening carefully to his advice. It felt good to be passing on something that was useful instead of stories of the questionable things he had done in his past.
    The sound of running water drifted on the breeze and Malcolm grinned when the creek came into view between the thick tree trunks. It was less than a dozen feet across and at its deepest point would probably only reach his knees but it was moving fast over the rocks and tree roots at its edges.
    “Is this good?” Trey asked and Malcolm nodded.
    “Exactly what we were looking for.”
    “We should hike downstream tomorrow, see if it gets any wider or deeper. If it does, we might be lucky enough to get some fish out of it.” He turned to Trey. “You ever been fly fishing?”
    “I went fishing off the pier with my friends a couple of times,” he replied.
    “Fly fishing is a bit different. Casting is an art form. We found some poles at the welcome centre. We can practice tonight once the camp is settled.” Malcolm made the offer before remembering that Trey was a kid and certainly not his kid. He turned to Kim with a sheepish smile. “As long as that is okay with you.”
    “Of course it is,” Kim replied and he saw a flash of emotion in her eyes, something like sadness. It was strange and Malcolm worried that he had done something wrong, maybe overstepped a boundary he didn’t know was there.
    “You want to start filling up those jugs, Trey?” he said and the boy nodded, toeing off his shoes and wading out to the stream with one of the plastic jugs. Malcolm turned to Kim, speaking in a low tone so not to be overheard. “I’m sorry for putting you on the spot like that. I wasn’t thinking. If you aren’t comfortable with me spending time with Trey, I understand.”
    “Malcolm, it’s fine, really.”
    “Are you sure? You didn’t exactly look happy when you agreed to it.”
    “That had nothing to do with you,” she replied, her gaze drifting to Trey and that same sadness filled her eyes. “I’m more than happy to have you teach him how to fish. It’s good for him to have a man around to teach him things like that. It just makes me think about all the things he’s missed out on without a father around.”
    “He doesn’t see his father often?”
    Kim shook her head, her mouth curving into a bitter smile. “Not since he was a baby. We were teenagers when Trey was born and when his father realized that having a kid meant he couldn’t be a kid himself, he bolted. I tried my best to be both his mother and father but I worry that it wasn’t enough.”
    His heart ached for Kim as she voiced her worries. He had heard them all before from Janet after Eric had died.  
    “It was enough,” Malcolm said, his words firm. “He is a good kid. That’s all on you. Never doubt that you have done good by that kid.”
    She turned to look at him and he saw her blinking back tears. “Thank you.”
    He put his hand on her shoulder, wanting to offer her some tangible comfort. She sighed and he felt the tension she was carrying ease. His thumb grazed the bare skin of her neck, sending electricity sizzling through his hand. She inhaled sharply and Malcolm saw the pulse at her throat flutter.
    His own heartbeat kicked up as he traced the pad of his thumb over her pulse point then continued up her delicate throat