Alena responded before Arwin, "You would never guess how many we were when the journey started. Or how many vehicles we had and all the supplies we carried. It was hell." In the back of her mind, she thought, 'I don't even know if it was worth it.'
Arwin, in the meantime, pressed his hands together as if in prayer before letting out a long, shuddering breath. "Thank the heavens. Thank the lucky stars. She's a stubborn one but smart. She knew that if she tried to make the journey back to the Drift Lands on her own, she'd not make it back alive. Paula always makes the right choice."
'For Paula.' Alena thought. Paula was good at looking out for herself and her brother Arwin. In the apocalypse, that was not such a bad thing. Bleeding hearts like her, on the other hand, they suffered more than others.
Others could not hear her thoughts, and they continued on with their communication.
