Page 179 of Dark Endures

I bash my hip to the side as hard as I can. The chair tips…too far.

Noooooooo.

I bang my head on the floor. Stars flood around my eyes.

No.

No.

No.

Why did I do that?

Because of the roach!

Its cousin Bob scurries under the desk.

No.

No.

No.

Maddox, please come rescue me. Please.

There’s a loud explosion, and all the glass in the front of the office shatters at once.

I close my eyes, hoping it doesn’t hit me.

The way my day has been going, it’ll sever my scalp or something traumatic like that.

“Mindy?” Maddox shouts.

“I’m here. On the floor. With the roaches and rats.” He came.

Please say this isn’t a delusion from bashing my head on the floor.

“Why are you on the floor? Where is Rudy?”

My chair shifts until I’m sitting upright. “Are you real? Or am I imagining you? Because if the rats are eating my brains right now, I don’t want to know.”

“What? Did they give you drugs?” Maddox squats down in front of me.

“There’s a gun in your hand. I knew you’d come with guns blazing to save me. Are you real?”

Instead of saying anything, Maddox leans down and kisses me.

Mmmmm.

“Does that feel real?”

“Very real. Though, could you try it again just to make sure?”

He laughs.

Then my hands are somehow free.

“Let’s get you out of here.” Maddox lifts me into his arms. “Are there any other wounds I should worry about?”

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