SHADOW IN THE STORM
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The rain hammered the roof like a thousand frantic fists as Ava trembled beside me. "Val, I'm really scared," she whispered, her nails digging into my arm.
"Shh," I hissed, my eyes darting to the silhouette of a claw hammer on the nightstand. Thunder growled outside, drowning my heartbeat as I gripped the cold metal and slid off the bed. The floorboards creaked—a traitorous sound—as I crept toward the door.
Ava clung to me, her breath hitching. "Don't—"
"Stay back," I mouthed, easing the door open. A sliver of light sliced through the darkness—a flashlight beam. Matt's hunched figure tiptoed down the hallway, his shadow grotesque on the wall.
Burglar? Stalker?My pulse roared.
I lunged, swinging the hammer. He twisted—too fast—and we crashed to the floor. The flashlight skidded away, casting wild shadows.
"Ava? Val?" Matt blinked up at us, his face pale. "What the hell—?"
I scrambled up, chest heaving. "Why are you creeping around like a thief?!"
He raised his hands. "I was just getting a damn Wi-Fi signal! Didn't want to wake you!"
Ava flicked on the lights, revealing his rumpled hoodie and guilty shrug. "You nearly gave us heart attacks!"
"Sorry, babe." Matt sidled toward her, all charm. "Didn't mean to scare you."
Ava folded her arms, but her glare softened. "Just… make coffee. And keep the noise down."
As she retreated to bed, Matt lingered, his gaze sliding over me. "You're kinda terrifying, you know that?"
"Good." I gripped the hammer tighter. "Eyes *up*, Matt."
Ava mentioned you needed a job.
He smirked. "Relax. I've got a job lead—decent pay, no clubs. Interested?"
I hesitated. The offer hung like a lifeline. "…Maybe."
"Cool." He tossed me his phone. "Put your number in. I'll text details."
The screen glowed—2:17 a.m.Beyond the window, lightning split the sky. Texas was drowning, and so were we.
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Four Days Earlier
"Mom, call her. Please." Daniel's voice cracked. Rain lashed the kitchen windows as he glared at their mother, her hands trembling around a teacup.
"You know your father's rules," she whispered. "Valeria made her choice."
"Choice?" He slammed his palm on the table. "She's nineteen! Do you even care if she's alive?!"
A tear splashed into her tea. "You think this is easy? Your father—"
"—is a tyrant. And you're his shadow." Daniel recoiled as she flinched. Regret choked him. "I'm sorry, Mom. I just… miss her."
She pulled him close, her lavender scent masking the stale fear in the air. "She's strong. Like you." Her voice dropped, barely audible. "Use the burner phone. The one in my sewing box."
Daniel's breath caught. "You've been—?"
"Shh." She pressed a finger to his lips. "Tell her… tell her I'll fix this."
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Now
The coffee burned my tongue as Matt's text buzzed: Diner off Route 12. 08 pm. Ask for Eddie.
I stared at the screen. A job. A chance.
Ava snored softly, oblivious. Outside, the storm raged—a mirror of the tempest in my chest. Mom's face flickered in my mind, followed by Daniel's laugh. Traitors. Liars.
Yet as lightning flashed, I typed: Thanks.
Somewhere, a phone chimed in a quiet Texas kitchen. A mother smiled through tears.
But in the shadows, darker things stirred. Matt's smirk. Dad's wrath. Secrets buried beneath the flood.
Survival had claws. And mine were just getting shaper
: A New Dawn
The golden glow of 10 a.m. sunlight spilled through the curtains, rousing me awake. The intoxicating aroma of freshly baked bread tugged at my senses, and my stomach growled in eager response. With a smile blooming on my lips—a silent vow to embrace the day—I rose, savoring the promise of new beginnings. A warm shower revived me, and I dressed carefully in a flowing denim skirt and a soft, cream-colored blouse, smoothing my straightened hair and dabbing on a hint of pearlescent lip gloss. When I stepped into the kitchen, the little dining table gleamed with a spread of buttered toast, scrambled eggs, and a pot of steaming tea. It felt like a feast.
"Val!" My roommate, Ava, smirked, her mouth half-full. "God must adore you. One minute later, and I'd have devoured everything."
"And let your best friend starve?" I teased, sliding into the chair. My hand hovered over the toast, but hers shot out, blocking me.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" She raised an eyebrow, nodding pointedly at my clasped hands.
"Right. Thanks." We bowed our heads, murmuring gratitude for the meal, then ate in comfortable silence. After a hurried goodbye, I set off for the address Matt had texted—a restaurant he'd promised was "charming."
Charming didn't do it justice.
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