Chapter 2
Linus slowed, breathing fast, his heart racing. Sweat coated his body, his T-shirt clinging to the small of his back, sleeves of his hoodie pushed up, strands of hair plastered to his forehead. The second he hit the end of the driveway he’d started running, desperate to put distance between him and the black cloud lingering over their house. He ran blind, unfocused, no clear direction in mind, and now his legs ached and his lungs burned. A droplet of sweat stung his eye. Linus wiped it away.
He paused, bent forward with his hands on his knees, drawing in deep breaths of the chilled February air, and letting them out slowly. It was a technique he learned years ago when he ran track in school. Already he could feel his heart rate decreasing to a normal rhythm.
When things felt m
