Page 86 of Embedded

I waved at her and started to jog toward her. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nicole get out of the vehicle with Chase. She looked over at me, and I sighed. It was like gathering hens trying to get everyone settled. I shook my head at Travis as I trotted by him.

“Hard to round ’em all up.” He grinned.

I heard Easton’s laughter ring out in the clear air as I got to Liv. “Hey, kiddo, what’s up?”

“What’s this?” She had Easton’s jacket in one hand as she lifted her other toward me. My stomach hit rock bottom. A silver coin with a lion’s head stared back at me from her small palm.

“Where’d you get this?”

“Easton’s jacket.”

I swung around to the line of vehicles and saw Easton being flung into the sky. “Grandpa! Again!” Just as he disappeared from my view…BOOM!

Heat.

Flames.

Screams.

That was the moment I knew our lives had changed forever.

The End