Science Fiction: Welcome to my Worlds

his cheek you will die. Your son may not fare much better."

"How did you know… You're just saying that so I won't take the painting!"

"I don't care about the painting. It isn't mine and I don't know where it came from. It isn't even good art. I have no idea why someone would kill for it, but that is what will happen." He also didn't know why he cared about this woman and her son, but it seemed that it was so.

Isaac could hear the woman sink onto the cushions of his couch. No one had sat there since his wife… He wrenched his mind away from that thought. Her low sobs tore at him. "Why do they want this painting? It isn't worth anything."

"I don't know. They just told me to bring it or they'd kill my son." She took a deep breath and he could hear a wheezy rattle as if her chest was congested.
He was no doctor, but he'd had enough medical training in the military to know an early sign of pneumonia. She hadn't been taking care of herself. There really was no excuse for anyone getting pneumonia these days. He almost mentioned it, then decided it really wasn't the time.

"Look-- uh-- what is your name?"

"Sylvia."

"Sylvia, I'll help you if you'll let me."