Michael is surprised and unnerved by Lee’s comment, but he doesn’t say anything about it. Violence and death frighten him in a way he can’t completely confront or describe. It’s too much to think about right now, and he knows Lee is frightened and upset too. Everyone is. It feels like the whole world is.
“Yeah, okay. Let’s go,” is what he says instead, because going outside sounds good. There are too many people in here; he’s suddenly feeling their presence and it’s making it hard to breathe. Both of them are weak and tired (and it embarrasses Michael because Lee is the one who’s been injured in a riot and he’s only been sitting at home all weekend), but he manages to take a deep breath and help his girlfriend out.
The stairs are interesting, and their height difference doesn’t help anything, but they make it outside and lean against the dirty wall of the motel, Michael pressed up against Lee’s side again. He’s loathe to stop touching her. There are a few other people out there, too. One of them, a thin Asian in worn-out slacks and a vest, looks over at them. He(?) has beautiful hair just as long as Lee’s and is smoking a clove. Michael can smell it from where he’s standing.