Summary

Maddie relaxes with George in her mother’s bed to watch I Love Lucy before the power goes out. She wishes she could go back to her boring math class and find any way to recapture her life. Soon, the water stops running, as the power has gone out and Maddie tries to find a way to flush the toilet.

Two weeks later, she and George have finished the food left in the pantry and begin eating soup and canned vegetables from the house next door. The summer days are long and filled with light, so she does not need to light her lantern or the candles often. She tries to conserve her resources and time her activities with the daylight. All the while, she tries to convince herself that her parents are on their way home.

Maddie struggles to maintain a positive...