We kept encouraging the girls to phone home and keep their parents from worrying about them. Those phone calls also gave the girls comfort, knowing th...ir parents were still alive. We had a dozen portable solar charger panels, and they provided plenty of electricity for basic needs and kept the phones charged for everyone.The next day was spent camouflaging our location, trying to protect us from marauding gangs of thugs and rapists. It’s hard to hide a gigantic fifth wheel in plain sight, but. ”“You are out of your damned mind Jack! I ain’t no savage.”A few more days passed by and finally the men agreed. They each pulled out their knives and cut off their little fingers. They quickly cauterized the wounds with a hot poker from the fireplace.“I can’t do it Jack. I can’t eat my own flesh.”“Well then give it to me and I’ll eat it. You can eat mine.”Rick watched Jack just begin to gnaw on the raw flesh of his finger and had to look away. He put Jacks finger in the fire and then closed. . It was painful; like... Itreminded me of a wound I'd had as a girl that went septic - thescratching feeling that had spread up my arm until I'd taken antibioticsto clear it.Like something was in my blood, spreading up my arm from..."Oh my God."The ring.I held my hand up in front of my face, fingers splayed, staring at it.It felt cold to the touch but that cold was burning me like ice would. Myhand was shaking.I reached to pull it off with my other hand but gasped, pulling myfingers clear when. Suddenly, she was just sitting there with a smile on her face and looking blankly into space. She was as high as a kite."Well this evening's over. I better go call a taxi and get her home", I thought to myself.I asked at the bar if they could phone a taxi for me. The barman said there was no need to since there is always a taxi outside. I thanked him and as I turned around I was shocked to see a guy sitting in the booth next to my wife. He seemed to be whispering in her ear. The next thing.