It was harder going even than he would have guessed. In an hour they'd made perhaps a mile. He stopped and looked back at the boy. The boy stopped and waited.

[The Man:] You think we're going to die, dont you?

[The Boy:] I dont know.

[The Man:] We're not going to die.

[The Boy:] Okay.

[The Man:] But you dont believe me.

[. . .]

[The Man:] How long do you think people can go without food?

[The Boy:] I dont know.

[The Man:] But how long do you think?

[The Boy:] Maybe a few days.

[The Man:] And then what? You fall over dead?

[The Boy:] Yes.

[The Man:] Well you dont. It takes a long time. We have water. That's the most important thing. You dont last very long without water.

[. . .]

He [The Man] studied him. Standing there with his hands in the pockets of the outsized pinstriped suitcoat.

[The Man:] Do you think I might lie to you?

[The Boy:] No.

[The Man:] But you think I might lie to you about dying?

[The Boy:] Yes.

[The Man:] Okay. I might. But we're not dying.

[The Boy:] Okay. (155.1-155.32)