The air was different and clean after the rain shower as the breeze flowed into the house. The world was fresh and ready to start off new, a clean slate for the world. We needed that new beginning after everything we went through. I felt that we at least deserved that much.
What was supposed to be another school year turned out so much differently than I ever could have imagined. Although we paid a dear price for survival, and lost many things we still weren’t ready to face, it had been the most interesting year of my life. Heart-wrenching and painful, but also inspiring and beautiful.
I limped inside the house and began to head back to the bedroom I shared with Paige and Sean. After everything that had happened, they wanted to stay close to everyone. The two still didn’t trust Tony and Kyle with their tricks. I couldn’t really blame Sean and Paige though, and I was happy to have them close by. After I fell unconscious, Jill and Cole came with the group, finding us where we were to take us back to the home in Pennsylvania. I still didn’t know how they found the place again.
All I remember though was waking up back in the house, not believing I was alive—in pain, lots of agony—but none the less alive, which kind of made the throbbing welcoming. Watching the little ones sleeping brought back those memories.
“It still hasn’t sunk in, has it?” A gentle whisper tickled my ears as her arms encircled my chest in the smallest touch, knowing I was still in pain.
Nuzzling against the top of Lauren’s head, I put an arm around her with the other against the wall, still feeling unstable on my own two feet.
“No, I can’t believe I’m alive,” I responded in a low voice.
“Just be happy Jill has seen too many medical television shows.”
I gave a small chuckle, which made me grimace—my ribs were still sore. I sighed, then took a shallow breath.
I intertwined her fingers with mine then let our hand fall to our sides as we watched Paige and Sean sleeping and cuddling with the stuffed animals they found the first time we came through here. Since this had been the first place we felt comfortable after the asteroids hit, we thought it was fitting we made it our new home.
“Hey, you couldn’t get rid of me that easily. It’s going to take a lot more than a beating and being shot for you to lose me. I love you too much to be able to get written off.”
A smile formed on her lips and her eyes twinkled. “Who says that’s a bad thing?” She gazed up at me, her chin resting against my chest.
I gave a short snort. “You’re stuck with me ‘til the world falls to pieces, and if we’re not still standing, we’ll still find a way to be together.”
A sneak peak at….
Family
Ties
Now published with Bucks County Publishing
Available through Nook, Kindle, and paperback!
Chapter One
Abby