Page 87 of Sugarloaf Ridge Lies

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Liv

Red. It oozes out fromeverything. The trees, the ground, my hands.

In the middle of a dusty highway, the three of them stand there, motionless, like statues.

My family. The most precious people in my world.

I run, but no matter how fast, they remain just as far away.

“I’m having a baby,” I call out.

The ground quakes. Bitumen cracks and hisses as if the ground will swallow me.

“Mum, Nan, Pop!”

Lightning sparks. Thunder booms. Fire ravages.

My family crumbles, one by one, burned and incinerated to ash. A hurricane sweeps in, carrying the dust of their bones into the purple sky.

I blink, and I’m surrounded by green.

At their graves.

Alone.

“You’ll always be alone,” the wind whispers, its cruel icy breath licking at my cheeks.

Sobs wrack my body as something strangles me, taking me to the ground, burying me beneath the cold damp earth.

“No,” I cry as the light above fades into darkness. “Don’t take me!”

“Liv,” a distant voice says. Hands grip my shoulders, the voice louder now. “Liv.”

Heat swaddles my body, bringing me to the surface. “Wake up.”

Thunder booms.

I startle.

“Liv.” Light filtering in from the hallway, Jerry kneels and rubs my arm.

A sob bursts from my mouth. There were so many moments I took for granted because I believed there’d be many more. Yet, I keep reliving the worst moment, over and over.

“It’s okay, it’s a dream,” he soothes, his voice barely audible over the rain pelting against the window pane.

I throw back the covers, take his hand and pull him close.

Wearing a wrinkled T-shirt and boxers, Jerry crawls in and settles the blanket around us, guiding my head to his warm chest.

As a storm rages outside, and in my heart, waves of grief continue to crash over me.

Jerry cradles me through my tears until I can cry no longer. “I’m all alone, Jerry. The baby just has me. How am I going to do it?”

“You have me,” he says after a pause, his voice rough.

My heart pangs.I have him?I don’t deserve him. “I was awful to you.”

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