Chapter 16

Natalie snapped fully awake. It was a bomb! Her mind went blank. She'd been working in the back of the hospital, and this was the first time she faced a crisis like this. Her heart pounded. Instinctively, she tried to duck under the table, only to knock over a chair in her panic. The building shook violently. She could barely keep her balance as bricks above began to crack with terrifying, splintering sounds. The dorm door slammed open. A figure, carrying the crisp, cold scent of cedar, burst in. It was Wesley. "Are you okay? This place isn't safe, come with me!" His warm hand shot out, gripping Natalie's wrist and pulling her off balance as he led her out of the room. The narrow hallway was filled with dust and debris, and the roar of collapsing structures pounded their ears. Her throat tightened, her lungs burning, and for a moment, all sound seemed to vanish. Wesley led her to a storage room at the end of the basement. It was damp and shadowy, with only a small window lett