#Chapter 66 - A New Threat

Layla Early afternoon sun heated the streets as I pulled the car to the curb outside a small grocery store. Eli squirmed with excitement in the backseat, and his cheerful chatter filled the car. I couldn’t blame him; this outing was a rare moment of normalcy in two lives that had suddenly become fraught with danger and darkness. “Can I pick the cereal this time?” he asked, blue eyes wide with earnesty. I chuckled, shaking my head at him in the rearview mirror. “Only if it’s not one of those sugar bombs, mister. Deal?” Eli gave an exaggerated sigh but nodded. “Deal.” We slid out of the car and onto the sidewalk. Instinctively, our hands folded together, his little digits curling into mine. Mother and son. How few of these moments we’ve been able to enjoy in the recent months. How many more did we have left? Regardless, I’d learned to cherish these times, these precious few minutes of us. Despite the shadows looming over our lives, I was determined to give Eli as much o