1. The men left out the rear of the house. Emlee strained to hear as they exited. When she could no longer detect any footsteps, she took deep breaths through her mouth and tried to will her racing heart to slow down. There was no way to tell how long those men would remain in the area as they searched for her, which meant she was stuck here at least until nightfall. With her black clothing and a little bit of luck, then she might try to leave. Until then, she would make use of the opportunity to collect herself, rest, and get ready for whatever came next.
2. The man took a step into the kitchen and reached a hand out to shove the refrigerator door, closing it. “Answer me, bitch. What are you doing in this house? Who are you?” His eyes narrowed. “Is that my shirt you’re wearing?”
3. Mykail stared out the passenger side window. “Back at the hospital, I was thinking a lot about what you told me. I tried to imagine, what if you were right? I wondered if there was some way we could warn our military. Tell the government what was about to happen, so that we could somehow prepare for this invasion, or whatever the fuck to call it. But then I realized they’d think I was as bat shit crazy as you are.”
4. Emlee pulled him against her, letting him press his face to her shoulders as he wept, stroking his face and hair as he dealt with his grief. In a way, she knew what he was going through. She’d also lost her family, friends, and loved ones in the holocaust. But, unlike him, she didn’t have the chance for one final goodbye.
5. The wind calmed just as the rain began to come down heavily. By the time Mykail got the boat docked and anchored, he was soaking wet. Overhead, lightning continued to spike across the underbelly of the clouds. At one point he thought he heard the distinctive sound of jet engines flying above them, when it was followed by an explosion. The clouds brightened with an orange-white hue, then all went black again. He didn’t need three guesses to figure out what had taken out the airplane.
6. It was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do, leaving her behind. And that’s what it felt like—that he was deserting her. What if something had detained her, and she’d managed to find her way to the marina, to find him gone? What if she’d met with trouble and needed his help? Dozens of similar scenarios plagued him and burrowed into his dreams at night. She was never far from his mind, and his sense of guilt continued to taunt him despite his belief she’d vanished permanently into the future.
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