Ethan stood on the porch of the new community center.
The building had taken six months to complete. Log walls. A metal roof. Solar panels. It was beautiful. Functional. A symbol of everything they'd built together.
The sun was rising over the mountains. Golden light. Birds singing.
Nora walked out. Her eyes were brown. Peaceful. "You're up early."
"Couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind."
"Like what?"
"Everything. Marcus is gone. Chimera is gone. The government is backing off. For the first time in years, we don't have an enemy to fight."
Nora stood beside him. "That sounds like a good thing."
"It is. But I don't know what to do with myself. I've been fighting so long. Running. Hiding. Planning. Now there's nothing left to plan."
"Then you learn to live. Like everyone else."
Ethan
