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Somewhere far away, as if in another life, Saff felt the tremor of the world around her.
But her body was no longer there.
It was as if she was nothing more than a thought drifting through the cold, empty darkness.
Like she was nothing at all. No one at all.
And when the second rumble came, it felt like the world had finally crumbled completely.
Like maybe it had just barely been holding onto the last thread of its survival before finally letting go.
Chapter forty-six
Maddie shivered against the cold, no longer able to feel any remaining rays of warmth against her skin.
The sun must’ve gone down, casting darkness across the world. And she couldn’t decide whether or not that was a good thing or a bad thing.
She blinked, tilting her head up to the sky.
One small spot of white light looked back at her.
“I never told you how much I loved the night sky,” she whispered into Saff’s ear, leaving her lips to rest against her still warm skin.
She wiped the back of her hand against her tear filled cheek as another shiver passed through her.
She wrapped her arms tighter around Saff, keeping one hand pressed hard against the bleeding wound in her stomach.
If she could, she would’ve given her every last bit of warmth. Every last bit oflife.
“I never really liked living in the city,” she mumbled. “The lake house was better. Less noise.”
Maddie shifted, pulling her numb leg out from beneath Saff’s body.
“I think you would’ve liked it there, too.”
Goosebumps rose on her bare arms as a light breeze wafted over them.
The air smelled of salt and something else. Something that evoked a long forgotten memory of a school field trip she’d gone on as a child when they’d visited an aquarium in the bay.
And beneath that, she could smell a metallic tang.
She sniffled, wiping the back of her blood-soaked hand against the tears on her face.
“You would’ve liked how calm it was.”
Saff’s breathing fell shallow beneath her arms, the small movements now barely noticeable.
“My dad and Josh used to go fishing at the lake almost every day when we were kids,” she said, running a gentle hand through Saff’s tied back hair. “I went with them a couple times, but I hated it,” she continued, letting out a dry chuckle. “God, it was so boring. I never understood why they went.”
She let out a slow breath, kissing the top of Saff’s head.
“But I think you would’ve liked it. I think you would’ve liked going with them.”
Wind rustled the leaves of nearby trees, and she lifted her head, letting the breeze wash over her face.
She knew what Saff would tell her if she was awake—what she would want her to do.
She’d tell her to leave. To leave her behind and never look back.