How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

The deafening roar all around made Elodie's heart pound in her chest. She stared at the rising dust clouds in the distance—they were coming fast, the danger nearly upon them.

She knew exactly why: the entire team was making an emergency evacuation, scrambling to escape with all their equipment.

Her expression grew tense. "All right, pack up the gear-make sure nothing gets left behind or broken."

She barely finished before stooping to retrieve her phone from the ground. The screen was shattered, jagged from where it had struck the rocks, but it still flickered to life-barely usable.

With the crowd surging around her, Elodie moved quickly toward the exit, punching in Jarrod's number as she walked. The situation here was spiraling into chaos; she had to stop Jarrod from coming anywhere near.

But-

"We're sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable..."

That sterile, automated voice squeezed her heart with icy fingers.

A vague, suffocating sense of dread swept over her.

She reached the car and paused, trying Jarrod's number again.

Same result-no signal, no answer.

Elodie drew in a shaky breath, climbed into the back seat, and immediately called Esmeralda instead. Esmeralda wasn't with her; Elodie had no idea if she was safe.

crackled and broke with panic. “Elodie?! Where are you? Are

her home country was strong, that ordinary citizens rarely experienced this kind of violence. But outside

her voice to be

Bang!

The driver swerved and Elodie's phone flew from her grip, cutting the call

signal seemed to

across her face

find the

least she knew Esmeralda

.n

safe;

had to

reach Jarrod.

found her phone, the screen was dead-black, unresponsive, finished after two

pricked her

she turned to the big, broad-shouldered

asked, "Could I

didn't hesitate. His phone was old and basic, but he handed it over without

a sharp mind and a flawless

nothing. The signal here was too weak, the lines jammed or disrupted. She couldn't get

keep her nerves steady, and