Lunar City

by Samantha Cross

  “We should probably leave, too,” Lincoln said as he and Brinly came closer to us.

  “Where will you go?” Max probed.

  “I don’t know,” Lincoln responded, and looked to Brinly for confirmation on what their next step was.

  She sucked in her bottom lip and ran the back of her arm against her teary eyes. “I still have some family left. We’ll probably go find them, let them know what happened and then…try to put our lives back together.”

  Max dropped his chin and regretfully said, “I never got a chance to say this, but…I’m sorry about Aga. He was a good man. Try to forget about those last few minutes, all right?”

  “I want to forget about it all,” she admitted, frowning. She looked to be on the brink of crying again as her eyes bounced back and forth between Max and I. “You two take care of each other. Hold on and don’t let go.”

  “We won’t,” I said softly.

  Brinly hugged me tightly and the two of us let our tears flow as we held on to one another. We had both lost family that night, and we were the only ones who didn’t need to say a single comforting word to one another, because we knew what the other was going through in that moment.

  When she pulled away from me, she looked me in the eyes and tried her best to smile through the pain. “May we meet again someday,” she said.

  I nodded. “Hopefully.”

  The truth was, as she walked away holding Lincoln’s hand, I had no clue if I would ever see Brinly or Lincoln again. Would our paths cross? Would there be a logical reason for it?

  All I knew was that I wished her the best and prayed that she would now be able to live her life the way she had always wanted to: Free.

  It was clear to me as I stood there in the streets, cuddled up against Max’s side as his arms were coiled around me that my life had changed forever. Yes, I had endured the pain of loss before, but this was borderline war I had experienced.

  But I survived, and this time, I knew I wasn’t going to deal with the aftermath alone.

  My yellow Bug pulled up with Lyle in the driver’s seat, and both Max and I got in through the passenger side and slipped into the back together, where we could let our bodies crumble against one another.

  “Lyle, do you have a cell?” I called out to the front seat.

  It was one of those ordeals where he didn’t even ask me what I needed it for and simply handed it to me. I dialed and waited for the other end to pick up.

  “Hello?”

  “Priscilla, it’s me.”

  “Jesus Christ, it’s about time. Where have you been? Our last call got cut off so damn quick, I thought you were dead or something.”

  “No… not quite.”

  “When are you heading back?”

  “Tonight. I’m coming home. I’m coming home.” No words ever felt nicer coming from my lips.

  “Good. Your cat is driving me up the wall again. You have no idea the day I’ve been having.”

  I scoffed. “Yeah, well…”

  “Is something wrong? You sound weird.”

  “I, uh… I’ll be all right.” I tangled my fingers up in Max’s and squeezed. “I think I’ll be all right. I’m just really tired. I’ll fill you in later, all right?”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  I hung up the phone and the thing slipped out of my hand, I was so drained. I rested my head against Max’s chest and listened as the engine purred softly. I shut my eyes and let the exhaustion take me for the first time since this ordeal happened, and just as I was about to slip into a deep sleep, I heard the stereo begin to play a song. It was Come On Eileen.

  Lyle reached over to turn the radio off, but I popped open my eyes and stopped him. “Don’t,” I said calmly. “Let it go.”

  I knew he found it strange for, of all times, this ridiculous song to play, but hearing the melody and listening to the lyrics brought me closer to Melanie. It was like she was occupying the passenger seat in front of me. Like she was going home, too.

  Max kissed the top of my head and said, “It’s over. For real, this time.”

  “It’ll never be over for us, Max,” I whispered somberly.

  “I’ll just never leave your side again then. Deal?”

  I closed my eyes again. “Deal.”

  He promised never to leave me, and I knew that was a promise he would forever keep.

  Acknowledgments

  To my parents, who have so much for me that there is no proper way to sum up my gratitude in a tiny acknowledgments section. Just know that I wouldn’t be able to call myself a published author if not for your patience, understanding and love.

  To my grandma, Jean Miller, for being the best little promoter in town. You’ve done more for my book sales than I ever could have done! It’s your support and excitement over my writing career that helps me the most whenever I’m doubting myself. And let’s not kid ourselves, you were definitely the inspiration for Wendy. Don’t worry, you’re not that kooky.

  To my editor and fellow author, Frederick Crook, for letting me message him at any hour with thousands of questions, and never acting annoyed by me. And if you were annoyed, much thanks for pretending you weren’t.

  My final thank you is to everyone who read and enjoyed Lunar Rampage. All the exciting messages I got throughout the year was a truly overwhelming but wonderful feeling, and as a writer it’s all you hope for.

  Author Social Media

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