Trying not to prolong the inevitable, I strode over and peered into the bathroom. I swallowed thickly. Shards of glass covered the ground, blood pooled and streaked against the white laminate, and the entire mirror was smashed to pieces.
Vomit and blood. Why did it have to be vomit and blood? I pushed thoughts of my mother away as the lights flickered again.
There was no body, and as every bloody memory I ever had came blaring back to life, it pushed me too far to the edge, and I fell backward.
The day I found my mother had been the day everything changed—the day I lost the one person who I’d wanted to love me unconditionally to an overdose or suicide, whichever it had been. Regardless, I’d meant nothing to her, definitely not as much as him. My sister was gone, my grandma and horrible uncle were gone too. My entire existence felt tainted. I was discarded. I was alone.
I didn’t know what happened to Mr. Gunderson, but I knew it was something awful, and I couldn’t stay in the apartment a second longer.
“He’s not here,” I called, rushing out the door. “He’s not here, and we have to go.”
“Where are we going?” Thea huffed, and she sniffled behind me. “Where’s my daddy?”
I shook my head because I had no idea. I didn’t know where we were going or where their father was, but I needed air.
I smacked my hand against the elevator button, praying it still worked. I had no idea what had happened inside, but there was more blood than I was comfortable with, and the three of us opted for the stairs up, until now.
The elevator button glowed red when I pushed it, but it wouldn’t come fast enough. I needed to know if we were the only ones left, and the tenth floor was my last hope.
Finally, the doors opened, and I ignored the splatter marring the elevator walls; it was easier this time after what I’d seen in the bathroom, only minimal in comparison.
Beau and Thea hurried in behind me. “Come on, Thea,” Beau quipped. “Keep up. And close your eyes.”
As the elevator doors dinged to close us inside, I stared at the buttons. The tenth floor.
“Sophie,” I breathed. She was the only other person I knew. I leaned my head against the elevator door and squeezed my eyes shut as I pressed the button for the last apartment floor. I didn’t know what I would do if she wasn’t there—or if I found her dead too.
Please be alive. I let the tears drip from my eyes and splash onto the elevator floor. Please be alive.
“Alex . . .” Thea whispered.
“I just—I need a minute of silence, okay?” I told them, trying to keep my calm. “I need to think.” The bodies in the gymnasium. The scent of death. The blood. I needed it to be a dream. I needed it all to be a horrible dream.
If Sophie was dead too, we’d have to leave. We’d go somewhere, we’d stay off the grid until we knew what was going on—I’d figure something out. I tried to ignore the practical questions, like where we would go and how we would get there. I might’ve been a delinquent teen in the court’s eyes, but I was resourceful if nothing else. I’d figure it out. I always did. But I could use a teensy-weensy break.
The elevator doors opened, and Beau and Thea blinked at me, waiting for me to lead the way. Forcing myself to keep it together—telling myself I couldn’t help Kayla but I could help them—I wiped the tears from my eyes with my long sleeve and nodded. “Let’s go.”
The three of us stepped into the hallway, but I didn’t know which apartment was Sophie’s or which way to go.
I peered to the right and the left, hating that I always had to choose a damn hallway; there was never anything good on either side. I noticed two open doorways at the end of the right wing, and slowly, I started toward them.
Please be alive. Please be alive. Please be alive . . .
Beau and Thea’s footsteps were quiet behind mine, and they were likely holding their breath, like I was. Their jackets whooshed in the silence as they brushed against one another, and I was acutely aware of the breakdown I would likely have once I discovered the kids and I were all that was truly left in this place.
We hadn’t taken a dozen steps before I heard someone crying inside one of the apartments.
I froze. Licked my lips. Dared to hope. And I dragged in a breath. “Sophie?” My voice was firm and more certain than I felt in the quiet hall, but the soft mewing cries stopped.
I held my breath.
Thea slid her hand into mine, and I peered down at her. Her eyes were glued to the open doorway as she squeezed my hand.
I squeezed hers back gently, grateful to have the two kids, at least.
When I glanced up, Sophie stood like an angel on the threshold, her face swollen and red with grief. And she was frowning at me. “Alex?”
All I could do was stare at her, blinking and praying she was real.
She took a step closer and her chest began to heave. Her lips moved, like maybe she wanted to say something, but her eyes clouded with tears as she began to walk closer. “I thought everyone was dead.”
“Me too.” I thought I might’ve laughed with relief, but it was a sob, and in that moment Sophie ran toward me. Her arms were around my neck, clutching hold of me. “I can’t believe you’re alive,” she cried into my chest.
Faintly, a distant voice told me I shouldn’t be so relieved she was alive, I barely knew her. And yet, relief was all I could feel—and comfort that I wasn’t alone. It was more intense than I thought possible, more desperate, like the reassurance of her and I combined was humming through me, and it was all I could feel.
I tried to say something, but my voice caught in my throat. Closing my eyes, I inhaled the scent of her. She didn’t smell like clean linen anymore, but she was real and breathing. I tightened my arms around her, relishing the feel of a warm body. A familiar face. A living person.
“I’m really glad to see you.” My words were barely a breath—a ragged inhale and clipped sob. I’d never been so happy to see anyone in my entire life, and in that moment, it felt like everything might actually be okay.
With a sniffle, Sophie pulled away, and with her went my heightened sense of relief, like it retreated with the warmth of her body as she took a step back.
I cleared my throat and wiped my eyes, remembering Beau and Thea standing uncertain behind me. “When I saw the blood in the elevator,” I started, but Sophie quickly shook her head.
“It’s JJ’s.”
I frowned, uncertain who that was, just overwhelmingly glad it wasn’t Sophie’s.
“Her sister came to find her.” She glanced at the apartment door at the end of the hall. The sympathy on Sophie’s face, and the blood on the carpet and in the elevator, explained the rest.
“It’s just the five of us then,” I said.
Sophie dipped her head. “Yeah.” Her voice was so quiet I barely heard the words, and she glanced up at me with glistening blue eyes. I wasn’t sure what the past couple of days had been like for her, but if they were remotely like mine, it was as close as she’d probably been to hell.
“For now,” I added, more reassuring than certain, and I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath. “We’ll figure this out.”
Whether Sophie believed me or just hoped it was true, she seemed to cling to the words, and pursed her lips with a nod, trying to be strong. “We’ll figure this out,” she repeated. “Together.”
Also by Lindsey Pogue
THE ENDING WORLD
Savage North Chronicles
The Darkest Winter
The Longest Night Prequel Novella
Midnight Sun
The Ending Series
After The Ending
Into The Fire
Out Of The Ashes
Before The Dawn
Beginnings: Ending Series Origin Stories
The Ending Series: World Before
OTHER SERIES INCLUDE:
Forgotten Lands
Dust and Shadow
Borne of Sand and Scorn - Prequel Novella
S
aratoga Falls Love Stories
Whatever It Takes
Nothing But Trouble
Told You So
For more information visit: www.lindseypogue.com
About the Author
Lindsey Pogue has always been a sucker for a good love story. She completed her first new adult manuscript in high school and has been writing tales of love and friendship, history and adventure ever since. When she’s not chatting with readers, plotting her next storyline, or dreaming up new, brooding characters, Lindsey’s generally wrapped in blankets watching her favorite action flicks with her own leading man. They live in Northern California with their rescue cat, Beast. You can follow Lindsey’s shenanigans and writing adventures...just about everywhere.
www.lindseypogue.com.
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