Water in Shaft 37

A man stumbled out the back doors, drenched in sweat and clutching a box fan instead of water. He screamed, “There are no beds in there! They said there were a thousand beds, but it’s fans and floor mats! My mother went in and never came out!” The crowd erupted. People rushed the doors. People ran away. The volunteers were shoved sideways. The officers raised their weapons to hold the line, which only made everything worse. Erin was hit hard enough to nearly drop the child. Marcus hauled her back with one hand and looked up just in time to see a federal truck’s rear doors swing open. Inside were stacked cases of bottled water. Only the outer row had been left visible. “They’re staging it,” Lena spat. Lin felt his stomach drop.