The drive back from the base was a blur of grey asphalt and saltwater. Briar didn't remember passing the checkpoint, nor did she remember the winding turns that led back up the ridge. Her body moved on autopilot, a shell performing the mechanical functions of driving while her mind remained anchored to the tarmac of Hangar Four. It wasn't until the tires crunched over the gravel of her own driveway that the silence finally hit her.
It wasn't a peaceful silence. It was the sound of an ending.
She sat in the car for a long time, the engine ticking as it cooled. Through the windshield, the house on the hill stood tall- a home of peach-colored walls and dark wood. It looked exactly as it had hours ago, but the soul of the structure had flown south on a C-17.
Finally, she stepped out. Th
