Stories by Claudia

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CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
The Very Bad Day
November 14th – 4:30 AM
“I’m sorry, Jill. I want to understand, but I don’t,” Jacob said.
“Maybe you should try harder.” Jill turned her back on him to look out the window.
“Ok,” Jacob said. He went to her side so that he could see her face. “We picked up our [...]

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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Alex breath caught. The words – our home is destroyed – ripped through her. Her sanctuary, her one safe place, her home was gone forever. She siphoned out a breath.
“Our neighbors?”
“The bombs were designed to have full impact on our homes. Your neighbors have some damage but no one was home. Oh my [...]

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CHAPTER FIFTY
Six weeks later
October 30 – 3:40 AM
Jacob stood near the cash register at Pete’s restaurant while he waited for Jill to appear from the back. When he arrived, she was arguing with a male customer. She slapped at his hand while he fondled and rubbed her butt. Then, she stopped cold at something [...]

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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Three weeks later
September 8 – 10:15 A.M.
Denver, Colorado
“I’m sorry to bother you. I’m looking for Alex Hargreaves,” a medium sized muscular man said when Cian opened the front door.
“And who might you be?” Cian said.
It was the eight of September and everyone was on edge. Well, Cian was always on edge having [...]

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CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
One hour later
Her first sensation was radiating warmth. Lazy, easy, happy, drenching warmth. She had no sense of herself as separate, no sense of her own body. Just warmth.
Then searing pain. She tried to scream but there was something in her throat. Jerking, her eyes opened to blinding light. She tried to move.
“She’s [...]

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
August 20 – 2 A.M.
Denver, Colorado
Alex crept into the quiet house then stood in the entry. Max gave her one more hug for courage and left her at the front door. Switching off the entry light, she climbed the stairs. Unsure of what to do, she paused at the landing wondering if [...]

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CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Tuesday morning, 12:12 AM
MJ woke with a start when someone touched his shoulder. He had been sitting in a chair beside Honey’s bed. Raising his head, he saw a man move along the opposite side of her bed. Because Honey’s wasn’t supposed to survive the night, Sam had forced the crowd of [...]

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Three hours later
August 19 – 11:24 A.M.
Cherry Hills Estates, Denver, Colorado
“Pumpkin, I need to speak with you,” Patrick Hargreaves said.
Alex was standing on their back deck of her parents’ Cherry Hills home. When her parents were in town, the family met at their home after Sunday Mass.
Today, Alex and Max were inseparable. [...]

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CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Monday morning, 5:45 AM
“Did we get married yesterday?”
MJ touched the gold band on Honey’s finger then tugged on his matching gold band. They were sitting in the back of a limousine on their way to Craig Hospital. They had been so caught up in each other that this was their first moment to [...]

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CHAPTER TWELVE
August 19 – 6:17 A.M.
Denver, Colorado
“They are here,” John said.
“Cool,” Alex said. She hopped to the entry way of their home where she hugged Raz. “Good morning.”
“Still unmarried?” He asked.
“Sort of. How was the shooting range?”
“We worked on this stuff instead.” Raz caught her eyes then kissed her cheek. “Are [...]

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