its engine a low rumble

was

ng apprenticeship progr

icket out o

tood blocking the narrow

street, a fro

ing for Bri

onvenience store, agonizing ove

his bus, our c

d dragged him

ly wrestled him aboard jus

became apprentice

ft behind, h

d up pregnant and alone, died from complicat

ver for

, the same hands that had held

ed, full of a c

"You killed her. She deserved that cha

dar

I was

the same impatient

to me, still loo

d been about to grab hi

e, he co

eap what

Mike Johnson asked, his voic

ed in the line of duty. This app

't even t

. Brittany's

iss our shot!" anothe

clutching our acceptance

nally f

e letters right here. And the bus tickets Mr. Hender

pient, posthumously. His legacy was supposed to protect me, open doors. Instead,

ss, ever

vor benefits, his reputation. My apprenticeship slot was likely due

nyone tries to rush me, well, accide

Mike breathed,

d down at me as I died, glinted. He pulle

lame

y m

one f

efense contractor, was a dream. A way out

eaded. "You want to wait for Britt

dripping with false sincerity. "We don't leave people behind. Brittany's

now. This calm, this

rebor

hit me like a

ther girl, whispered, her eyes w

a flicker of something unreadabl

ingly steady. "He's right. We

stared at

azy?" Mike explode

them, I swear..." Tom trai

Emily gets it. She's not s

believed it.

out. "Folks, I'm on

voice called out, "S

one hand, reapplying lip gloss with the other

t?" she asked, oblivious. "The bus is

s smile genuine now as he looke

rittany with a flourish. "Here you

er fingers brushing

hissed, start

led, lunging f

and stumbled bac

r grasp, papers scatterin

pneumatic sigh, its

e curb, a cloud of die

o

cended, thi

rough it, calm,

t. I guess we're

few days. Your father, the County Commissioner, he must know the commander, right? I'm sure he can pull so

The confidence in his eyes wavered

ew I