Chapter 1: What now?

Cade didn't know what to do. He lay in the middle of the steps outside the shattered door, holding a half-dead Nive in his arms. Surely minutes had passed. Cade looked back at Nive. Her eyes were closed and blood dripped from her nose and mouth. It felt like he was in some kind of trans. He couldn't do anything. Don't move, don't talk, and don't get up. His muscles seemed frozen. Another minute passed with Cade staring lifelessly into space. Suddenly he heard a loud noise. It was the honking of two cars somewhere further on. Cade suddenly came to her senses. He looked at Nive and slowly and carefully laid her body on the pavement. He got up and looked around. Luckily no one noticed anything. The door had nearly slammed shut and was ajar. A gentle breeze blew through the street. Cade bent down and gently picked Nive back up. With his left foot, he pushed the front door wider open. He entered the hall and gave the door a hard kick. The door slammed shut with a loud bang.

The house was still destroyed inside. Fragments of walls, ceilings, and furniture were everywhere. Cade walked over to the original living room and deftly placed Nive on the still-wide couch. He sat on the side table and looked at her. For a moment he didn't know what to do. Could he call the police? Another ambulance? He had no idea what was going on. The ruined house, the missing father, and the collapsed Nive. Would everything be connected? Cade ran his hands through his hair. "Think think think!" he said to himself, banging his hand on his head. Would Nive even wake up? If not, what was he supposed to do? Cade got up and headed for the kitchen. Unfortunately, the refrigerator was not intact anymore and the oven was white with all the dust. Cade picked up a glass of water and downed it in one gulp. He set it on the counter with a loud thump. Again he looked at the sofa. Nive hadn't changed position yet and was still exactly where he'd put her down. Naturally. Cade felt tears welling up. Would things have turned out differently if he hadn't walked into the house? Cade sighed. He took a tissue from the tissue box and walked back to the original living room. If he can't wake Nive up, maybe he could help her some other way.

Cade bent down at Nive and his hand went to her face. He dipped the tissue on her nose. Slowly the tissue absorbed the blood. Nive's nosebleed was almost gone. Everything that was left had already dried up. Cade looked at the clock. A quarter past four. He had probably been here more than half an hour. He sat back down on the side table. If he had collapsed, Nive would have known what to do. Cade was sure of that. Nive took a slow, controlled breath. It looked more like she was sleeping. Cade bent over and brushed a tuft of hair from her face. 'Wake up. Please Nive. I don't know what to do! Everything is so strange! The house, you and your father. The room feels so dark. As if it had been taken over by a great thundercloud. The house has become a ruin. I think you should move." Cade said, letting out a small laugh. 'I just do not know. What happened to you? Please! You have to help me! I know you would know what to do." Cade ran his hand through his hair again and a tear rolled down his cheek.