Z for Zachariah

(May 25) Ann is surprised when her dog Faro suddenly returns. He belonged to her cousin David and had disappeared months earlier. Now Faro is thin, dirty, and clearly struggling, but he finds his way back after hearing the stranger’s gunshots. Ann watches as the man notices Faro and tries to get the dog to come closer by offering food. Faro stays cautious but eventually eats the meal the man leaves for him.

Afterward, Faro starts sniffing around and picks up Ann’s scent. Ann is scared when she sees him tracking up the hill toward her cave because she does not want him to lead the stranger to her. The stranger follows briefly but loses sight of Faro in the thick trees. Faro finds Ann and runs to her happily, but she stays quiet and does not show too much affection, afraid he’ll give her away. After sniffing around the cave looking for David, Faro leaves again and returns to the house.

Ann is deeply worried. She has always dreamed of someone finding her valley and helping her build a future—but now that someone is finally here, she realizes that not every person can be trusted. If the stranger is kind, things might turn out well. However, if he is cruel, she will be powerless. That evening, she sees the man using scissors and a mirror to trim his beard and cut his hair. He looks much cleaner and even a little handsome now.

(May 26) It is a warm, sunny Sunday, but Ann does not go sit in the church like she usually does. Instead, she watches the stranger begin a long walk down the road to explore the far end of the valley. Before leaving, he puts food in Faro’s dish. Faro eats it once the man is gone, then follows him for a while. Ann quietly follows from the woods above, using secret paths. When the man reaches the store, he comes out wearing fresh clothes. With his haircut and new outfit, he looks much neater and younger, maybe around 30 years old.

The stranger continues walking all the way to the far end of the valley, where the two streams meet. Ann realizes he is only now starting to notice the difference between the clean stream and the poisoned Burden Creek. Still, he keeps walking until he reaches the southern gap in the hills—the exit from the valley. She waits for him to return, knowing he’ll see the dead land beyond and turn back. When he does return, however, he looks sick. He stops multiple times to throw up and eventually can barely walk. Ann guesses that bathing in the poisoned stream has made him ill. He finally crawls into his tent without starting a fire or eating. Faro sits outside, waiting, but the man does not come out again.