Chapter 29

Author’s POV

[5 years ago]

The radio had been announcing the rainstorm of the decade all day, but Eternity had been under the bridge since breakfast, hugging her knees. It was boring, but infinitely preferable to high school. After a time she was startled out of her daydream, it was too dark. If she was late, her grandmother would start asking questions.

Aching with cold, she rose to stand, hunched like an old woman. With one glance, she breathed a sigh of relief – it wasn’t late; black clouds rolled like the midnight ocean in every direction. The air was so humid she could taste it, and the cars had already had their headlamps on.

Eternity dusted off her jeans and hitched her backpack higher. This couldn’t be a long-term plan, she knew that, but every way was fear: fear of angry-faced teachers, kids who bullied her. When the heavens broke, she stopped her walking, standing statue-like in the rain. Her long black hair stuck to her face and back, her clothes g