with a hushed reverence, tiptoeing around Sarah as if she were a fragile, holy relic. They made her a special brea

dining table, a napkin tucked

bites of pancake. "It will be sporadic at first. Dropped calls. Slow internet. The

cet, was listening with rapt attention, his coffee growing cold in his han

the grid. We need a secure location, a bunker. And we need sup

t had terrified me. This time, I just felt a cold, detache

es sense," I said, my voice carefully modulated to sound earnest and a little naive. "If the pr

ome of us are just more sensitive

expression was relieved. "I'm so glad you're finally understanding,

of the knife. Support your sister. My entire life had been a series

d to pierce through the fog of delusion. "Honey, this... this bunker and supplies... t

tioning me? Are you questioning the prophecy? Money isn't going to matte

ng under her glare. "I just mean... logistically. We have th

a significant chunk of their savings, had gone bankrupt in six months, leaving them with thousands of dollars in debt and a

We have to sell the house. We have to sell everything. The sto

lying to the pearl necklace

eating your face! We need to be ruthless. We need to be smart. And we need to

l accountant, was clearly a shock. He looked from Sarah' s furious face to my mother' s anxious one. For a s

ht, Sarah, this is crazy." It had backfired, pushing him fi

ds. I said nothing. I offered him

d in defeat. "Okay," he said softly. "O

gh her hand still nervously stroked

rcissistic demand, my parents' weak-willed capitulation, and my own calculated silence. The power in the room had s

trol, pulled out a notepad. "Okay. Let's make a lis

e's a meteor shower. But it won't be normal. One of the meteors will be green. A brilli

ch conviction that

ote it down.

in college had once explained that meteors containing high levels of nickel and magnesium can sometimes burn with a green or blue-green hue. It

that random piece of space rock burned green, it would cement t

my lips, but I quickly suppresse