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I worried for my parents and for my sister But worse than that, I worried for myself, and I felt selfish for it

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Max took the pack filled with food and offered to take Angelina as well, but she clung to me It was just as well; I needed her as o to the mines!" I called above the constant wail "We can hide there until C thćthe fighting ends" I led the ondering which was the right way to go Above the tops of buildings in the distance, I could see intermittent flashes that could only mean the ruin of homes, businesses, and schools Flaht

And, still, the sirens screamed

Almost no one ventured out now; the streets were desolate The power grids had fallen, and as we ran, the lights flickered and then vanished all around us I didn’t kno the sirens continued, but I guessed that they were tied to another systeency backup power--that kept the even when the rest of the power failed

The blackness felt like it was reaching down into elina must have felt it too, because she dropped her face to my neck and refused to look up

I envied her I wished that I could hide my eyes, buryaround ht It wasn’t round at our feet so ouldn’t stu, and elina to meMax at my side made me feel better as well

Sydney didn’t slow us down, and that, at the moment, felt like a ed, and rated, like so many pieces of a written promise set to flame

Ahead of us, the white flash of an explosion, followed by an earsplitting crash, rippled through the air I could practically taste the concussive shock wave as it rattled the night

Angelina jolted inand curled ernails dug into edat the other side of the street, away froer distinguish the sound of the sirens fro that came from inside my own head The two became one, and I kneasn’t just me as ers into her ears She was shaking all over, and I squeezed her tighter, trying, without words, to comfort her

A second explosion detonated so us in the opposite direction Away from the mines, and away from the latest assaults on the city