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.

call connected, though Esmeralda's voice crackled and broke with panic. “Elodie?! Where are you? Are you still there? Someone just pulled me out, I'm okay-are you all

distance. Elodie had always known that her home country was strong, that ordinary citizens rarely experienced this kind of violence. But outside her borders, the world was a very different place-one forged in blood and

pressed a hand over her ear, raising her voice to be heard over the

Bang!

violent explosion rocked the car. The driver swerved and Elodie's phone flew from her grip,

signal seemed to

her face

find the

least she knew Esmeralda

.n

safe;

had to

reach Jarrod.

found her phone, the screen was

pricked her

to stay calm, she turned to the big,

I please borrow

hesitate. His phone was old and basic, but he handed it over

always had a sharp mind and a flawless memory-she tapped in

nothing. The signal here was too weak, the lines jammed or disrupted. She

forced herself to breathe, to keep her nerves steady, and gazed out the