The morning sun embraced the golden waves in Sophia’s hair, like the most expensive yarn from The Kingdom of Berull shining joyfully with her excited steps on the side of the road, leading away from the town. Their cabin was one of the last estates on the southern side of the town, leading into nothing for miles and miles ahead. Sophia held a basket in the crook of her elbow, carrying a water bottle for the dry fuming hot day ahead and gloves for the berry picking she was about to do for the entirety of morning and far over the noon. She had a skillfully weaved sun hat over her head decorated with some of the flowers from their yard, sheltering from the burning blaze.

  Finally the day for the one-hundredth celebration of The Great Independence had arrived, marking the impressive one hundred years of peace between the great five Land’s of Frahan. The peace treaty had been signed somewhere around afternoon, or so the history books stated, thus would began their annual speeches by The King from the city of The Kingdom, by the lavish white balcony of The Town’s Hall. The speech was broadcasted via radio through all of Agathen, and Sophia and Bill would then sit around the living room with glasses of traditional drink made out of lingonberries, sugar, wine and cinnamon—listening to the grainy, cutting sound after Bill’s efforts of finding the perfect direction to point the thin metal antenna towards. From there, the joyous celebrations would carry out until late in the early morning hours of the next day. Sophia knew it would be loud and chaotic, barely no sleep ahead either, thus she enjoyed her morning deep in the forest picking the lingonberries, blueberries and even wild strawberries if she happened to find those. In order to get to the best spot with endless shrubs of berries as far as the eye could carry, she had to walk further on the road, then turn astray through the trees’ with no trails nor paths created by the stomping human feet, and carry on quite far in the middle of nowhere. She had become an expert in those woods. Knew every nook and cranny. Each rock and each small stream of a rivulet, flowing peacefully through creating the lovely sough of ever moving force down the hill. A hymn Sophia would stop and listen to with admiration, eyes closed as if praying.

  In the distance, the road wide enough for a horse carriage or a car would begin to curve on the left, and on the right it divided into another road slightly slimmer. Sophia’s lips parted as her eyes became narrow from curiosity, hearing a rattling sound of wheels approaching. In the distance, she saw a black car a bit larger than a regular one turning towards the slimmer road leading on the western side of the town, which struck as odd since not many had cars in their town, and the distance between the next village would be easier and more reliable to go by carriage. It must’ve been related to the upcoming celebration, Sophia thought as she shrugged her left shoulder and turned away from the road. On any other day seeing unfamiliar people around would’ve earned a few more looks or whatnot, just like she herself once had been graced with, or curious glances at least—but not today.

  Sophia had to take long steps uphill, carefully choose where to find a footing. She had tied her calf long beige skirt with a pastel pink silky scarf from waist, bringing it down beneath the hem and up to create a slit over one thigh to help make moving easier. She had a thin white linen underdress on, shorter than the skirt, and with other people around it might’ve been inappropriate enough of an attire, but nobody would be there to see her in the compassionate loneliness of the nature. She had a short sleeved white shirt on with a v-neck and two copper buttons open, showing her delicate collarbones and slim neck. As she finally found the secret berry spot, after a climb rather scandalous, she happily dropped down and wore the gloves to begin her work. For many minutes she did not have to move, crouching down comfortably as her legs had gotten used to the position, for there were more than enough sweet and bitter berries if she only turned around.

  ’’You’re perfect.’’ Sophia smiled as she gently rolled the round and deep-red berry between the index finger and thumb before dropping it with the others. Soon she would not be able to see the bottom of the basket, but then again, she wouldn’t be satisfied unless it was filled up till the very edge. Sophia had her hair on a low ponytail but began to feel the heat between the thin shirt. She straightened her back for a moment which felt refreshing and opened the hair ribbon, placed it between her teeth waiting while she began to braid the luminous strands. It took a while, but earned a lovely ribbon bow at the end of it once finished.

  Amidst the shrubs where her eyes concentrated like a racing horse with blinders on both sides, she suddenly noticed the small, striking patches of bright yellow dandelions with their thin and frilled dark green leaves as comfortable beds, reaching higher than any other. Sophia blinked a couple of times, her pillowy lips curving into a smile. Welcoming an old friend.

  ’’Well, hello again.’’ She leaned an elbow against the knee to rest her left cheek on a silky soft palm of a hand, eyelids heavy yet gleaming with somber reunion, ’’Mean, is it not? They keep pushing you away.’’ Sophia sighed, knowing how the town’s people did not want their yards filled with only dandelions, thus they always got rid of them early in the spring. Sophia, however, much welcomed those cheerful happy weeds with open arms. Perhaps getting a few glares meanwhile, since she refused to pluck their yard clean as they would choose to phrase it. Who were they anyway? Not anyone Sophia would have to mind about—said Bill once. And thus the dandelions could stay.

  They grow and grow and graze the sky,

  Their goodbye sound like foreign rhyme,

  Goodbye my mother,

  Goodbye my father,

  I shall now fly, thou should not cry—

  Suddenly, an uproar reminding of a thunder in the sky—unexpected and without a warning—a loud wretched boom of what seemed like metal clashing echoed around Sophia, through the trees’ and against the hill, unable to identify from which direction, forcing her to suck in the lyrics of her soft song as the ground beneath her seemed to rumble. A faint force. The sound was loud, but gone as fast, and nothing she had ever heard before. Yet it was the eery silence which followed that sent shivers through her spine. Too quiet, hauntingly so. Was the forest truly as silent before the loud noise? Or were every creature living in it frozen just like her. Sophia forced her locked limps to move so she could look around. Perhaps the Town Square preparations? A stall being prepared had maybe given in. No, something so simple would not be able to create a monstrous sound as such.

  An accident.

  Sophia gasped sharply, the whole body going tense as her eyes kept shaking, unable to focus nor concentrate. The colors of green, shades of brown and yellow and red of her surroundings all mixed like the colors on a paint palette being frantically smeared together. She couldn’t breathe. Her heart pounded seeking to come through with a desire to flee. There must’ve been a perfectly good explanation. Surely it was nothing more than a load falling from a carriage. After all, the town stood between shallow mountains, forests and hillside perfectly echoey for a dramatic effect.

  Yet somehow, Sophia’s mind and body refused to wind down no matter how much it tried to make perfect sense. She could not move, the only sound being her own suffocated breathing and the pounding of the heart forcing through the throat now, echoing inside the ears. Slowly and shaking she let her eyes travel higher towards the tips of the trees’. Sophia dreaded looking but she had no other choice—for a split second while blinking she feared to see a thick cloud of dark smoke rising from the direction of the town. And once she finally opened her eyes with chin held high—

  Nothing.

  A sense of solace rushed through each limp of her body, greeted with the bright blue summer sky above the forest. As it should. It must’ve been noon my the position of the sun by now. Surely there must've been a clear explanation for the explosion sounding crash, and she could later then laugh at her anxious reaction with ease. A smile rose the corners of her deep red lips, the air flowing through yet again. Perhaps even a small chuckle to joke with her own expense, look at you getting all worked up for a single loud bang.

  Preparing to go back to the previous task of berry picking, Sophia adjusted her feet and admired the gleeful color of the sky a minute longer—when it all came back to her—eyes went round and wide with pure torment, behind them the picture of her ten year old self peeking from the small window in their old bedroom, hurriedly taking in the rags which had been drying outside—when her tiny chin had gone up and met with the swarm of swans fleeing, their pure feathers striking against the thick, dark heavy smoke.

  Just like then, a huge loud swarm of small birds flew above her still in the process of forming their own places amidst the hurried escape—away from the direction of the town.

  Sophia forced herself to snap out of the past, her hopeless eyes flooded with tears already. She did not mind kicking the basket filled with her hard work as she began to urgently rush down the hill. She did not care about the stumps and roots and bushes nor tree branches which tried to scrape her body and slow her down. Running down the hill she stumbled down on her bottom, the sun hat left behind, but was able to place a hand behind so she could effortlessly bounce back up without slowing down. Her clothes were dirty, her skin sticky with sweat, breathing heavy yet she would not stop.

  Sophia reached the road and looked both sides. Nothing. She picked up the pace and ran towards their cabin, keeping her eyes up towards the sky dreading to see the worst possible option. The forest flashed on each side unsure of what she’d find. Surely Bill would nag about being too cautious and explain the whole ordeal, then top it off with a rare laughter which deep chortling sound Sophia had made sure to memorize over the years. Despite all the agony clutching her each and every bone, Sophia still expected the anxiety to be serving only as a silly build-in precautionary measure.

  Out of breath, Sophia finally reached the small curve on the road and those first small couple of cabins before their own. As the familiar grey stone fence marked her arrival, she noticed something unusual in the neighboring cabin of the Monree-Klonfar’s—the front door spread wide open and items scattered through the yard, ripped pages of newspaper danced in the warm breeze near Marié’s favorite handbag which she'd never leave behind. Sophia bit her teeth, jawline tight, her surrounding now seeming like the beginning of a ghost town. Many marks of carriages on the road led on another branching road, away from the one Sophia had just arrived from. She noticed a few sets of horse shoes pressed heavy, human as well. It was clear that a group of at least twenty or more had passed their cabin. And even more clear was the silence and absence of Marié and little Marvy who had been home alone at the time she had left early.

  With a heavy headache on the way, Sophia turned the attention towards their cabin and noticed the door shut with no signs of chaos. Complete opposite. She walked slowly towards the door and stepped on the porch, her senses on high alert, and pressed an ear against the thick wooden door to listen closely. Silence. Sophia filled her nervous lungs and opened the door.

  There, from the entrance where they typically left their shoes and by the chest of drawers holding the miscellaneous items, straight forward she came face to face with Bill, sitting on one of the chairs by the kitchen table—legs wide open and elbows leaning against the thighs as he cleaned the old, barely ever used shotgun. Upon the door opening he shot up a heavy cautious glare, yet the eyes immediately softened after realizing she’d returned. For a second it seemed like he was about to flick the shotgun shut ready to point its target.

  ’’Grandpa Bill? What are you—we must go!’’ Sophia rushed in, ’’What happened? There must've been an accident, we—’’ She couldn’t take it all in at once. Seeing Bill with his weapon was odd in itself, but asking all the right questions in a state of urgency proved to be impossible. Sophia was about to tuck him by the crook of the elbow but Bill yanked it back, the man unyielding. The firearm still bent in half, a large bullet now placed inside.

  ’’An attack.’’ Bill’s voice was a low, raspy groan as he got up and with a swift flick of an arm he closed the shotgun ready to serve, ’’They came from the western side of the town, is all I heard. Haven’t reached us yet, but soon.’’

  ’’Attack? Who would ever?’’ Sophia’s eyes flickered trying to grasp the situation. Impossible. And they had no time for that.

  Bill turned to face her, his familiar features clouded by the shadows of the dim room, curtains pulled over the windows as a minimum effort to keep them hidden, ’’This part was evacuated first because of the road leading away and the less steep hillside. Now listen to me very carefully. They had to forcefully pull Marié on the carriage without her consent. Marvy—she’s by the old Pepper’s house. They wouldn’t let Marié go. They say it’s already chaos there.’’

  Sophia covered her mouth in sheer terror. Old teacher Mrs. Pepper and her husband were over sixty years old retirees and would often gladly look after the town’s kids. If the attackers had taken the western side and center, who was to say they hadn’t reached the houses where the Pepper’s lived.

  ’’Then why are you still here?!’’ Sophia grew angry, but noticed Bill’s expression fall heavy. It became painfully obvious. He had been waiting for her. The silence spoke volumes, broken by a commotion somewhere in the distance. Approaching. Breaking off glass windows, harrowing evil yells of orders. Sophia flinched, tight nervous fists coming against the chest and forcing her to become smaller.

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  ’’What would I have done if you came back to an empty cabin.’’ Bill trapped Sophia’s arm in a firm, tight hold after those few sweet words, and without a warning began to drag her outside with a state of urgency enough to force her stumbling behind his huge figure. Outside, by the fence, he pushed her towards the forest enough to make her lose balance and fall on the ground, followed by a crossbody bag which landed directly on her lap, ’’If you go now, you might still make it.’’ He said, grabbing the shotgun with both hands and turning his back on her. Essentially telling her to go. Leave with the stuff you came with and do not return. Her greatest fear of being sent away. She knew that Marié had most likely kicked and scraped and hit with all her might trying to get away. Forced to flee and leave her child behind, told that her little child was already unsalvageable. Sophia couldn’t even begin to imagine the agony she must’ve been in that very moment. And as of right now, she couldn’t begin to think of all the possible outcomes once reaching the Pepper’s. Her mind wouldn’t allow to envision, like a shield protecting the crumbling castle.

  Bill heard the unknown approaching, estimated a couple of more turns until they’d appear from behind the Monree-Klonfar’s yard. For the last time he turned just enough to glare down at Sophia, without spoken words urging her to go. Demanding. Sophia’s lips quivered, but she forced herself with gritted teeth, knowing now he wouldn’t be coming with her. Bill had made his choice, to stay behind and buy some time for his granddaughter so she could get as far of sight as possible.

  You know what to do.

  Sophia couldn’t hesitate no more and began to run towards the forest without looking back—and just as she disappeared in the midst of the thick familiar trees’, she heard the firing echo of a single shotgun—and the harrowing silence which then followed.

  The fastest way to the Pepper’s house on the side of Town’s Market was by simply following the side of the hillside forest behind all the alleyways and houses. She would only need to move deep enough to avoid being located, and hope the attackers hadn’t planted men in watch outside the town as well. Sophia was on a higher ground, giving her a much needed advantage. She ran the first couple of miles in the thick forest recklessly, rising higher on the over-grown hill, but as she finally came closer to her destination, she moved with a hunched back above the brick ceilings of the tightly build houses. What made the situation worse was the fact that she had no idea of what she was against with.

  Where?

  Who?

  Why?

  All questions unanswered. Those thoughts nearly pushed her to a nervous breakdown. Would she even know if she came across one of the attackers? And yet still, Sophia found herself running towards the very direction of the danger, fearing that once she’d stop moving, she’d freeze solid on the spot.

  In the distance by the western side of the town and near the Town Square, Sophia saw destruction on the buildings and thinner stripes of white smoke arising.

  To keep herself going and the nervousness at bay, she set goals on the way telling herself until I reach that rock in front of me—until these tall buildings move on the side, until the tall buildings hiding her away subsided. The bright sun forced Sophia to squint her eyes, revealing the destruction and more buildings catching on fire as the flames spread uncontrollably in the skyline. The white smoke now gathering thicker. Sophia’s memories tried to push through, glimpses of the old cold concrete house. Flashes of the thick, dark smoke above The Kingdom Capital. Echos of the faint sounds of agony and loss.

  Sophia moved down the hillside, balancing with one hand behind on the ground to prevent her from slipping down too fast. She’d have to cross the small alleyway between two buildings, keep going a little longer and then, she’d finally be by the Pepper’s small backyard porch. She looked both ways and determined the coast was clear, leaped from behind the last tree and straight pressed against the brick-walled building. Sophia held in her breath and listened.

  She moved closer towards the opening between the buildings and peeked carefully. The small gap between the buildings would lead to a larger road towards the Town Square, but nothing could’ve prepared her with the scene which loomed and waited unraveled. At first, it looked like a pile of clothes, shoes and hats—but within closer look, it was much more than that. Dark, wet shadows against the grey cobblestones. Cold skin on top of one another. Eyes which could not see, gaping mouths which could not talk. Sophia forced down the vomit trying to force its way up. Her skin turned green, nails blue with even her blood running away in pure terror. They had been near.

  Sophia crouched down, suffocating the nausea with one hand and held on to the hoarse surface of the brick wall with another, nearly breaking her skin from dragging down as her knees went weak.

  I can’t do this right now, Sophia pushed herself up. She had to. For Marvy.

  She leaned out from behind the building once and began to run. Kept running and passing a couple of more backyard porches until finally the familiar one filled with gardening tools and other junk appeared. Sophia zig zagged on the small backyard through the buckets and flower pots, got on the two steps of the porch and tried turning the knob.

  Locked from the inside.

  They could still be there.

  Sophia looked up to see if she could perhaps climb through a window, but it didn’t seem possible. The window too high to reach. A fun little game came to mind which Sophia had with Marvy if she was the one to come and pick her from Mrs. Pepper's care—a secret knock. Sophia raised her shivering fist and knocked the rhythm of four. It echoed frighteningly loud in the silence she sought to keep hold of. But with her desperate attempt came an unexpected reward, when the clicking sounds of a chain lock could be heard from the other side along with an attempt to muffle the small child's saddened whimper. Sophia felt the relief wash over her.

  Marvy was safe.

  The door opened ajar and Sophia stealthily squeezed through the gap, instantly in the embrace of Marvy who almost jumped from Mrs. Pepper's arms and nuzzled her shaky tiny nose in the crook of Sophia's neck, wrapped her small legs around her waist and grabbed fistfuls of her thin shirt. Sophia noticed her shiver like a leaf in the stormy wind, hiccups of cries which had lasted exhausting the small soul. Sophia kneeled down and hugged Marvy close. Her warmth and familiar scent of wooden resin and dried flowers soothed gone the shaking of the child for now.

  ’’Mommy—’’ Marvy could only muster the faintest little whisper, ’’Mommy?’’

  Sophia sighed gently and kissed the side of her head, "I know, child. We'll get to mom. I promise you." A dangerous thing to do—promise something one couldn't be certain of. But her promise was all she had to offer, and perhaps the one thing which gave her some much needed stamina for what was to come.

  While the two reunited, Mr. Pepper stayed by the door in watch, leaning against the wooden arched cane giving him support. He had hurt his back while working by the fields for years on end, leaving him with mostly half-sleepless nights and a limping leg. Mrs. Pepper, the retired teacher had also rushed somewhere, returning already. She dropped beside Sophia and Marvy, holding a white large scarf which she now began to skillfully tie around Sophia and the little one, creating a comfortable sling for the two year old to be carried in.

  ’’There. All done.’’ Mrs. Pepper pressed her reassuring hand on the back of Sophia, her tired old grey eyes glimmering with diamond tears, her lips in a slight, knowing smile. Just as urgently, she helped Sophia carrying Marvy up and led them towards the door where Mr. Pepper already got ready to hold the doorknob, pressing his ear against to listen. Their house was dark, windows covered with closed curtains and lights turned off. Sophia’s eyes had barely began to get used to the dimmed shadows. Only then did she truly see the solemn calm expressions on the two elders. What is this, Sophia had thought. The answer coming on itself.

  Acceptance.

  ”Wait—I cannot leave you.” Sophia turned while Mrs. Pepper’s hand against her sweaty back kept leading on. Sophia's lips pressed together, not again. She knew. She knew the unknown was approaching, some already near. She knew there were no more evacuations, no more saviors to come and help. Now, it was everyone for themselves. And Mr. Pepper would not leave his home, while Mrs. Pepper wouldn't leave her husband. Sophia let out an agonizing huff and hugged the old Mrs. Pepper tightly, placed a kiss on her cheek before holding it, ’’Thank you. May the God's of Agathen grace thy.’’ She held in the trembling tears as Mrs. Pepper smiled and pressed against her delicate touch.

  ’’Go, my child.’’ Mrs. Pepper gave her a slow and tender push while Mr. Pepper nodded, showing he was ready and opened the door, the bright sunlight gushing in instantly, dancing with the hovering dust. Sophia swallowed hard and squeezed from the gap. She did not look back. Could not, for her heart would not be able to without shattering into million pieces watching the door close and trap the two most gentle old souls inside their awaiting grave. And before she managed to even step out properly, Mr. Pepper had locked the door behind them, shutting the elderly in their most certain tomb.

  As Sophia held Marvy with both arms, hugging her close even though Mrs. Pepper had tied the scarf well enough to support the child pressing against her, Sophia carefully avoided the scattered items on the yard and began to climb up the hill, then run through the forest. The sight of the burning town of chaos spreading behind them, Sophia held Marvy's head on the side so she wouldn't be able to witness the destruction of their once peaceful haven. Keeping them both from the heartache. She couldn’t bare to see another cloud of heavy thick darkened smoke, either. Forcing her to leave once again.

  Sophia knew where the road that the evacuees had taken would lead. She knew which direction in the forest they’d need to set on. There most likely were some of those who escaped through the eastern road, but if there were, they probably had reached too far for Sophia to catch up with. Besides, the top priority was to get Marvy united with her worried sick mother. Going through the forest offered shelter and a shortcut without all the curving roads and buildings. She estimated, if further complications shall not arise, she'd be able to reach the carriages and evacuees in a few hours. Some of the people escaped by foot, which meant that the carriages couldn't go any faster. On top of that, the chaos had erupted without any prediction, thus they were no more prepared than she was.

  Sophia felt her legs beginning to grow tired, but something kept adding determination to each long step. The ground mostly shrubs of berries and dry moss due to hot weather, thankfully, since running on a wet forest soil after rain would no doubt slow them down. Not like the blazing sun above made it any easier, either. Sophia's sun hat had dropped earlier when everything enfolded, but thankfully Marvy had her lovely lace-frilled white scarf tied from beneath the chin, sheltering her from getting a painful kiss from the sun.

  The sweat dropped from Sophia’s hairline, shirt soaked from the back but she could not stop. Once they came by the ground filled with large rocks, which had hundredths of years ago rumbled down the side of the hill, Sophia was surprised of how far they’d come already. Slower and faster, saving her energy and keeping the breathing steady. Thirst began to tighten her throat, threatening to shut it close if not offered a beverage of easement soon, but Sophia knew that beyond the rocks, a clean, streaming spring would soon come their way.

  Marvy had fallen a sleep tired from crying and worry, the stress too much for her little mind. Her eyelids began to feel heavy in the swaying, soothing motion of being carried. Sophia began to feel the exhaustion taking over. She knew if she'd fall down now, she wouldn't be able to get up again thus kept her mind sharp with the fear. From her heavy, steady breathing she could soon hear the water splashing gently. She could smell the wet ground nearing, filling her with even more determination to carry on.

  Finally by the side of the quietly flowing spring, Sophia's tongue felt like sandpaper, her mouth as if she had been eating dust, as she held on to one of the larger rock and let her legs give in, falling on the aching knees, ’’Marvy, child, wake up.’’ Her voice was barely there thus she gently touched the child's red curly hair. Marvy squirmed against her, opening the swollen, stinging eyes. Sophia washed her own hands first, then leaned over the spring as much as she could and used her own hand as a cup, offering Marvy first. Marvy gladly drank four palmfuls, and shut her eyes with refreshment when Sophia used the fifth one to wash the small face, the cooling sensation of the cold water in all that heat feeling nice. Then, Sophia drank as much as she could, washing her own face and neck as well to keep the heatstroke at bey. If not for the flowing spring, Sophia wouldn't have been able to go on, thus she caught her breath a second longer and closed her eyes to thank the nature.

  ’’A little longer, sweet child. We’ll be there soon.’’ She patted Marvy's back gently. Sophia wetted her hand in the chill clear water once more and brushed the hand through the sweaty long locks of the fringe behind, preparing to hoist herself back up, praying desperate whispers that her knees wouldn’t give in. With the left hand under Marvy and right hand high against the large rock, Sophia pulled up with a heavy grunt, leaned against the rock a moment to find the balance and stepped over the stream.

  A few more miles until she’d reach the road, hoping the estimation was correct and they’d meet the evacuees soon along the way.

  With the last efforts, Sophia couldn’t help the right knee giving in as she fell hard against one of the harsh dark brown stems of a pedunculate oak. Groaning in tiresome agony, Sophia tried to catch her breath and leaned the side of her head against the tree, biting the lower lip to distract the pain elsewhere. Her shirt tore from the spot, a small cluster of wounds began to tear with blood.

  Marvy seemed to fidget, sensing something was wrong, ’’It’s okay. I’m okay. I’ll keep moving soon. Don’t worry.’’ Sophia was able to get out with small pauses between heavy breaths. She closed her eyes to calm down, knowing there was simply no other choice. Refusing to fail. Just when her heart seemed to quiet down, breathing back to somewhat normal, Sophia felt a tiny hand land over the wounds making her jolt from the small stinging—until the pain all went away. Just like that. Sophia opened her eyes and couldn’t believe the sight, blinking once then twice to make sure it wasn’t a hallucination perhaps caused by the sun above finally claiming her.

  Marvy’s stare was focused on her own small fingers above the wound now losing it’s ache. Her dark eyes began to faintly glow with honey golden.

  ’’Thank you.’’ Sophia said despite her mind racing with questions, and earned an aloof smile from the child. First the bird and now this—Sophia thought, well aware of what the child was, of what she could become in the future. Sophia had come across a child blessed with the energy of Yumne Dir. As rare as it was for one to be born, ’’You have given me strength.’’ Sophia smiled and pushed their foreheads together, ’’We must go. Not long, I promise. Only a little more.’’

  And soon enough, Sophia could see the road ahead, stumbling the last few steps—a shallow trench and up again she came upon the same markings on the gravel path continuing, fresh and noticeable trail leading left. The evacuees had passed the spot already, yet could not be far. Sophia kept rushing, running with all she had left while supporting Marvy.

  Gaze up front when finally—

  ─?~???~?─