“Pack these.” Shuffling through my pocket for a very familiar black card, I passed the groceries to the cashier. “How much?” I asked withdrawing it from my pocket.

“Two thousand. Card or-“ the kind-looking young woman started packing while typing the bill. I watched and looked around. I had been coming here regularly for the past seven months. This place was my end point, one step away from the downtown convenience store, and Silas would threaten to chain me.

“Card, please.” I handed over the card to her as she swipe it. Silas had given me his black card, and I had not used it once. But today, I was...