They stared at the landscape. Nothing moved except the wind, which murmured through the array, lifting dust and bits of grass and leaves. The debris flashed and swirled. Long clouds warped the sky. Three hundred yards away, the shed with the generator sat beside the residential home. The windows were empty eyes. Unnerved, Marcus thought, Is anyone waiting there? At the base of the nearest dish, the low weeds rustled like a hand or a snake. “Watch out!” Marcus said. He jumped back. Drayer jumped with him—but the noise was two small lizards, moving clumsily. “Sorry,” Marcus said. “I’m sorry.” Cold-blooded life must be affected much harder than we are, he thought. Humans were adept at shifting from hot to cold and back again. Lizards couldn’t regulate as much energy. “We should find hats and sunglasses and wear as much sunscreen as possible,” he said. “My guess is skin cancer and cataracts were always a major problem once we got down from the trees.” Drayer froze again.
