"I've seen snow," Thomas said but didn't elaborate for a few seconds, letting himself run quietly and soak up the smell of the trees, the feel of the dirt and the brisk breeze that blew through his hair and turned his cheeks pink.

"In pictures," he finally added, rubbing his arm across his brow again. "Too hot for snow back home. The sun's not gonna cool down for awhile, I think. If it ever does. I guess we're lucky enough that the radiation's died off a bit so people can manage to live longer than a week there, if they're prepared."