Chapter 48

• I woke to a thick silence, the kind that pressed against my ears and made the room feel oddly empty. The safe house, though safe, had a some stillness to it that felt unnervingly calm. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and trying to shake off the remnants of my restless night. The events of the previous evening seemed almost surreal now, like a bad dream I was struggling to remember.
• I wandered into the common area, hoping to find someone who could offer a semblance of normalcy. As I walked, I noticed Jess in the kitchen, busily preparing breakfast. Her face brightened when she saw me.
• “Hey, sleepyhead,” she called out, her voice light despite the gravity of our situation. “I thought you might sleep the whole day away. How’re you feeling?”