"I'm heading out!"

  She looked up from the kitchen counter, where she'd been spreading peanut-butter as evenly as she could. "Have a good day at work!"

  Her fiancé shut the door. She went back to finishing lunch, carefully spreading, making sure it was even on every single edge.

  Can't miss a single one. It has to be perfect.

  Once she'd made sure it was as even as possible, she got out the jelly—grape, the best jelly. She wouldn't ever accept anything else on a sandwich, and she knew for sure her son wouldn't either.

  "The latest news from the Northwest," blared the TV. She started to pick up the remote to change it—her fiancé had left it on the news, but she didn't enjoy watching the news anymore. It was all fearmongering and alarmist nonsense, and it set her off like nothing else.

  Except this time, she couldn't turn it off. Something had caught her eye.

  "Today, officials finally received word that Brian Hendricks, the notorious leader behind the anti-magic movement, has been arrested. Hendricks is currently being held inside the blackout zone at the National Guard forward operating base, and will be transferred out to Olympia for trial at the earliest opportunity. We aren't able to show a photo yet due to difficulties getting reporters on the scene, but witnesses describe him as a man in his late thirties. One described him as 'terrifying', and the sentiment seems common around the camp."

  She shook her head. It was all rotten.

  "Mom!"

  The boy rushed out of his room, backpack already on, struggling to put on his socks.

  "It's almost ready, Nick," she said as patiently as she could.

  "But I'm gonna be laaate!"

  "Just a few more minutes."

  A knock at their apartment door. She nearly dropped the knife, but caught it at just the last moment. "Just a minute!"

  "Moooom!" Nicholas tugged on her pant sleeve. She felt the emotions rushing up to her, and she couldn't hold them back—there was just too much, it overwhelmed her.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "Nick!" she snapped. She turned, knife in hand, to stare down at him. "You will be patient."

  Her son was suddenly very quiet. She glared at him for a few more seconds, before finally turning back to her work. Two final even swipes and the jelly was perfectly spread as well. She took the two slices of bread and placed them together, and as she squeezed down, it merged into one perfect sandwich.

  She put it in the lunchbox, zipped it up, and finally handed it to Nick.

  "Where's your coat?"

  "...I forgot it," said Nick quietly. "It's at school."

  She sighed. "All right. Make sure you keep warm all the way there, okay?"

  "Yes, Mom."

  Another knock at the door.

  "Coming!" She hurried over and swung the door open wide. "I'm so sorry to keep you waiting."

  "It's all right, Mrs. Alderson," said the kind young woman standing there, a gaggle of elementary-school kids around her. "We were playing a game. Hi, Nick!"

  "Hi, Kimmy!" said Nick.

  "You know her?" she asked her son, surprised. Kimmy wasn't the normal person to walk their apartment block's kids to school, but she had the badge and everything. To hear her son recognize the girl was a bit of a relief.

  "Yeah! She comes to our class sometimes." Nick rushed past the kids. "Come on!"

  The whole group hurried off to the next door, leaving Kimmy in the dust. She laughed as they ran off. Neither of them were concerned—the kids were just chasing each other up and down the walkway. They all knew better than to leave Kimmy behind once they actually set off for school.

  "It's nice to meet you, Kimmy."

  "I'm pretty new to the walking program, Mrs. Alderson," added Kimmy. "I'm so sorry we haven't met before. It's just been a little hectic lately."

  "That's all right. And it's Miss Alderson, actually."

  "Oh, I thought—"

  "I haven't remarried yet," she said.

  "Okay. No worries." Kimmy winced as one of the kids tripped on the ground, but they were up and running again in no time. "I'd better get going. See you tomorrow, Miss Alderson!"

  She smiled as the kids set off for school, before turning and walking back inside. The news was still playing, still droning on and on about Brian Hendricks—until something else happened.

  "And what about this so-called 'blackout zone'?"

  "Created by his daughter, apparently."

  Her fingers tightened on the edges of the kitchen table. She stared at the TV, not daring to believe.

  "Natalie, right?"

  She gasped. The story played on as she stood transfixed, struck dumb, utterly unable to move a muscle.

  "Lori?" called a voice from the front door. It was her fiancé. She hadn't heard the door open, and still, she couldn't turn to look at him. "I had to come back for my… are you all right?"

  Lori Alderson couldn't answer him. She couldn't say anything at all, because once upon a time, Lori Alderson had been Lori Hendricks, and there on the television screen was her long-lost daughter, one who she'd believed forever taken from her. She gripped the table even tighter, as though she might break it into pieces.

  My turtle...