Marley Survival Novels & Stories

Marco became trapped inside the fire. Victor was pulled from the ruins alive, but his spine was badly injured. Doctors said he might never walk again. Marco Colobo never made it out. I closed the news page quietly. Outside, the Melbourne sunlight was warm and bright. I do not know how long I sat there before Marianne pushed open the office door. She took one look at my face and asked softly, “What happened?” “Nothing,” I replied. She studied me for a second but did not press further.

I had shattered the overhead light fixture and driven the jagged shards straight through his throat. At that moment, my daughters had cried out, "Mom!" Then, I was swallowed by endless darkness. I didn’t know what would happen to them after something like that… until, in that pitch-black void, I saw two faintly glowing figures ahead of me. It was them. Just like me… they were dead. Overwhelmed with grief and fury, tears of blood streaming down my face, I demanded to know what I had done to deserve this. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Vanessa was about to bring her four children to my home.

My heart jumped. I had not expected Mom to sink this low, tricking me into coming back home to marry me off to some old widower from her hometown. Once I understood what was happening, I gritted my teeth and drove my elbow hard into Dale's stomach. While he was doubled over in pain, I kicked him between the legs. During my time in Pelford, my health had improved considerably. And because I was alone in a foreign country, I had enrolled in self-defense classes for my personal safety.

The old ranger station disappeared behind the trees piece by piece, first the broken fence, then the slanted roof, then the crooked green sign half-hidden by rain and branches. No one waved. There had been too many endings today for gestures. The new survivors had been folded into the convoy with the awkward efficiency of people who no longer had the luxury of proper introductions. Mara rode two vehicles back with one of her wounded. The others had been split between trucks wherever there was space. Gabriel returned to the open rear of the lead truck, one hand on the rail, eyes scanning the road ahead. Evelyn sat beside Rowan again. The folded map rested inside her jacket like a second heart