Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke Audiobook Novels & Stories

“Talk to me” The sky was moonless and the museum glittering, basking in the glory of which it was. Then the news that's meant to tear me into pieces. “What?!” I roared over the phone. The distant sounds of the idiot on the other line spoke, “We couldn't help the catastrophe. We genuinely apologize for the inconvenience. Our team couldn't make it and---”

I frowned with a puzzled face. “What exactly do you want?” his voice rose. “What is it?” he stepped closer, “We stay in our border,” another step, “We leave you alone,” then another “Yet, you hunted us.” His breath grew heavier. “We stayed hungry, just to stay out of your way. Haven’t you done enough damage?” I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. Everywhere was tense. “Every time we start rebuilding…” he continued “Every time we find peace…” “Humans ruin it.”

I said to her. “I’ve been so worried,” she said to me. “Let me switch to video call,” I said to her and she accepted the switch. “What happened? You look terrible,” she said to me. “Thanks, I missed you too,” I said and she laughed. “Is it over now? Are you coming home?” she asked me. “It’s over, a lot of people are dead and a whole new World Council was appointed,” I said to her. “What? That’s insane,” she said.

"How long is that going to take?" "I'm not sure," She answered, her voice beginning to break from the other end. "Can we book another?" I asked in desperation. "Yes but they have already been fully booked." "Fuck!" I hung up, tossing my phone to the bed. "It just keeps getting better and better." ***

“We brought reinforcements.” Michael waves. “And snacks.” Lenny lifts a half-eaten granola bar. “And trauma.” Theo blinks. “You three got here how?” I sigh, letting the fire in my palm die out. “The hard way. With emotional left turns, screaming, and unsolicited ghost portraits.” Eva raises an eyebrow. “That sounds… about right.” “Can we please join the normal level of danger now?” I ask, glancing at the glowing book and whatever insanity it’s about to unleash.

He laughed once, quietly. “The coffee is terrible,” he said. “The walls are thin. The company is… uninspiring.” “I could recommend a better Yelp review,” I said. “But I hear they don’t listen to convicted felons.” “I’m not convicted,” he said. “Not yet.” “Semantics,” I replied. Silence hummed for a second. “I heard you died,” he said eventually. “Again.” “I got better,” I said. “Twice now,” he mused. “You keep doing that.”

a new pulse began. Slower. heavier. not connected. to anything we had touched. the thing in front of us went still. and when it spoke. there was no uncertainty left. “They’ve stopped trying to take the system.” A long pause. Then—“They’re going to destroy it.”

“Where have you been? I was so worried. I couldn't get to you anywhere anymore after the last time that ” “I’m okay,” I lied, trying to keep my voice steady. “It’s just been... hard. But I’m alive.” I could feel her breath on the other side of the line, a pause in her speech. “I thought something had happened,” Ruby said softly, almost as though she were afraid to ask. “I didn’t hear anything from you, and... you’ve been gone for so long. What happened?” I closed my eyes, remembering the pain of it all. Alpha Thane’s betrayal, his twisted plans, everything that had happened since the day he took us. It felt like years had passed, yet it had only been weeks.

It was amazing to hear myself speak after so many days of silence. Noah's eyes widened slightly, and a slow, happy smile spread across his face. "It's so great to actually hear your voice," he said, his hand coming up to gently brush a strand of hair from my face. "I never thought I would get to hear you speak. I never thought this day would come." "I never thought I would be able to speak again either," I admitted, my voice soft but steady. "Now please tell me, Noah. What is this thing inside you? How did it get there? I need to understand what we are dealing with."

the voice was older and measured, and I was slightly upset that I couldn't tell his mood from his voice. “Hi,” I managed. “I’m calling about my grandmother. I just….. I wanted to know how she’s doing.” There was a small silence that made my stomach drop. “She’s stable,” he said carefully. “But her condition is deteriorating.” My knees weakened slightly. She was fine the last time we spoke, I thought, but the minute that thought formed at the back of my head,, something else followed. When was the last time I'd actually spoken to her? “I’m sorry…” I pushed the thought aside, not wanting to answer my own question. “W ..what does that mean?”