Alone.
Her parents had each other when they’d disappeared all those years ago. She didn’t know why these people wanted her alone, isolated from support. Maybe they got their kicks from it. It didn’t matter why. They did. Would they run off Sarah, too? Or try to suck her into the slime?
Alone.
Her chest tight, she had a sense that someone was saying something, but she couldn’t hear. It wasn’t just the thunder. There was a roaring sound inside her head, inside her heart.
And that’s when it finally happened.
A shot rang out.
Alex heard the shot and saw the flash off to his left, where Nell sat. He dove for her, knocking her to the floor. The hard, unyielding floor. Felt her breath go out as they hit marble, cuz he sure couldn’t hear it over thunderclap.
And then he heard the sound of g
