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Elodie sat in her cozy living room, playing with her dolls while her mother was busy in the kitchen. The morning sun streamed in through the window, casting a warm glow over the small space. Her brother—Jamie—sat behind his computer, slamming the desk every once in a while when he'd lose the game he was playing. The TV murmured in the background, but Elodie paid little attention to it. Her dolls were way more interesting than the boring things that were on the news that morning anyway. 

Elodie had always been a quiet kid, partly because of her hearing loss. She never really had any friends because most of the kids at school thought she was strange. They'd whisper things during class, not realizing that Elodie could hear them just fine. Elodie often asked to play with the girls in her class, but they'd always make faces, shake their heads, and dramatically mouth 'no' as if she was stupid. As if she were a baby. They talked to her as if she was a baby, too.

You might think Jamie would help her, stand up for his little sister at school. But you'd be wrong. He'd just watch from the sidelines. He'd watch as his little sister got pushed around for no reason. They'd shove her aside, even when she wasn't in their way. They just wanted an excuse to pick on her. He'd watch the girls laugh when she walked by, mouthing words and making fun of her.

Sometimes, she felt like an outsider in her own world, like she was living in a bubble where no one truly understood her. Nobody understood Elodie. And she had already accepted that nobody ever would. To escape, she'd play with her dolls, imagining a world that seemed far better than reality. It helped, mostly. When she was alone in her room, lost in her make-believe, she felt safe. But deep down, she knew she didn't fit in. How could she when she couldn't even hear properly like the other girls her age?

At home, things weren't much better. While her mom meant well, Elodie hoped, she didn't fully grasp what Elodie was going through. She'd encourage her to be more outgoing, to make friends, but it wasn't that simple for Elodie. And Jamie, well, he had his own problems to deal with, or at least that's what Elodie told herself to justify his behaviour. They didn't understand what Elodie was going through, and she often felt invisible, like her struggles didn't matter to them.

Suddenly, the noise from the TV grew louder, and the ten-year-old looked up to see images of chaos and panic flashing across the screen. She lowered the doll she was playing with, squinting at the TV as a whistling noise sounded in her ear, her hearing aids obviously not liking the loud noises of the TV.

"Momma, what's happenin'?" Elodie asked, her voice trembling with fear.

"We're receiving reports from all over the city of violent attacks," the reporter shouted over the chaos in the background. "People are turning into—into something else. It's like they're not human anymore."

Elodie's jaw dropped slowly as her gaze was glued to the screen, her heart pumping in her chest.

"We urge everyone to stay indoors and avoid contact with anyone showing signs of aggression," the reporter continued, his voice trembling. "Authorities are advising citizens to evacuate the city immediately, but please remain calm and follow instructions."

The screen flickered again, the signal cutting out before the reporter could say more. Catherine exchanged a worried glance with Jamie before turning off the television.

"We need to leave," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Now."

"What?" Elodie whined, her finger curling tighter around the arm of her doll. "But why? I don't wanna leave!"

"No questions, Elodie," her mother said, a stern tone to her voice. "Jamie, pack a bag."

Jamie groaned in frustration as he was forced to turn his computer off, glaring at his mother before stomping his way up the stairs. Elodie rose to her feet, glancing back at the TV. It seemed as if not even a minute had passed before Jamie was back downstairs with two duffelbags slung over his shoulders. He threw a box at Elodie, her failing to catch it. It fell onto the floor, the contents of it rolling over the wood beneath her feet.

"Jamie!" she yelled in annoyance, bending down to snatch the batteries off of the floor.

"Should'a caught it," Jamie scoffed back.

Their mother hurriedly gathered more of their belongings while Jamie helped Elodie put on her coat, much to his annoyance. The urgency in the air was heavy as they prepared to leave their home behind.

As they made their way to the door, Elodie felt a sense of discomfort settling in her stomach. She didn't fully understand what was happening, but the fear in her mother's eyes was enough to tell her that something was terribly wrong. She snatched her pink converse off of the shoerack, struggling to put them on.

"Momma!" she yelled out after having fiddled with her shoelaces for a minute. "Can ya help me tie my shoes, please?"

"Jamie, help your sister tie her shoes!" her mother yelled back.

"Why can't she tie her own?" he grumbled back. "Why do I gotta do it?"

Elodie looked down at her feet, her cheeks burning in annoyance. She couldn't tie her shoes yet, unlike any other ten year old. It was something that really embarrassed her, and Jamie knew that. She watched as he tied her laces, pulling them tighter than necessary, for some reason.

"Ow! Not so tight," Elodie whined. Jamie only rolled his eyes, and stood back up once he was done. Their mother joined them in the hallway soon after.

Without hesitation, they burst out of the house and into the chaotic streets. People were running in every direction, screams filling the air. Elodie clung tightly to her mother's hand as they navigated through the chaos, her heart pounding in her chest. She looked up at the sound of probably a dozen helicopters flying through the sky. 

All the yelling and screaming really hurt Elodie's head. She wished she could switch off her hearing aids, just for a little while. But her mom was dead set against it. She said Elodie wouldn't hear her if something happened. Her mom always said, "What if I choked while eatin'? What if I fell off the stairs? You wouldn't hear me. Never turn those hearin' aids off, lady."

But Elodie wasn't completely deaf. She could still hear a little. Just not that much. But her mom and brother didn't really understand. They took her to the doctors many times when it started. At first, it was slow. But after a few months, it got worse. The doctors tried to help, but nothing worked. So, her mom gave up and got her a hearing aid, which helped. Sort of.

Suddenly, a loud crash jolted them to a stop. Elodie's heart raced as she looked around, her eyes wide with fear. What was happening? Why was everything falling apart?

Elodie felt overwhelmed. She tried to focus on putting one foot in front of the other to try and block out all of the noise around her if she couldn't turn her hearing aid off, following her mother and brother through the chaos and to the car on their driveway.

They reached their car and they quickly scrambled to get inside. Their mother slid into the driver's seat, her hands shaking slightly as she started the engine. Jamie sat in the passenger seat, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. Elodie buckled herself into the backseat, her heart pounding with anxiety as she placed her doll on her lap, fiddling with the strands of hair.

As their mother navigated the neighborhood streets, they encountered abandoned cars and panicked citizens running in every direction. The air was thick with tension, and Elodie could feel the fear gripping her chest.

Finally, they reached the main road leading out of the city. Their mother maneuvered the car into traffic, her hands tight on the wheel. But they moved slowly, the road crowded with honking cars all trying to escape the chaos.

Elodie peered past Jamie's head out the window, watching people leave their cars to see what was happening up ahead. Others honked their horns loudly, making Elodie want to cover her ears and retreat further into her seat.

"Momma," Elodie started.

"Not now," her mother replied through gritted teeth, leaning out the window for a better view.

"Momma," Elodie insisted, biting her lip while rocking back and forth.

"Stop it, Elodie," her mother snapped.

Elodie frowned, her heart sinking as her mother's harsh tone echoed in her ears. She huddled closer to her doll, feeling the tension in the car thickening with each passing moment. She glanced at Jamie, who was staring wide-eyed out the window, his hands gripping the edge of his seat. With a heavy sigh, she leaned back into her seat, feeling a knot of worry tightening in her stomach.

"Momma, I'm scared," Elodie whispered, her voice barely audible over the honking horns and the distant shouts.

Her mother's grip on the steering wheel tightened even more, her knuckles turning pale. "I know" she murmured, her voice strained. "But we'll be okay. Just stay quiet for a bit."

Elodie nodded, clutching her doll tightly. She wished she could block out the chaos outside, wished she could make everything calm and peaceful again. She could, by turning her hearing aids off, but she wasn't allowed, so all she could do was hold onto her doll and hope that they would get through this.

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As the evening wore on, the distant chaos from the city faded into an eerie silence. Elodie clutched her doll tightly, trying to comfort herself. Her fingers were in her mouth, nervously chewing on her nails. Sitting on the hood of a car, she watched a boy and a girl playing checkers. They seemed older than her, their focus on the game.

After hours of sitting in the car, they had all decided to get out earlier. Two families had approached them, asking if they knew anything about what was happening. No one did. The families had decided to stick close to the Price family, forming a small group for safety.

Elodie thought the girl's name was Sophia, but she wasn't sure about the boy. They seemed nice, but Elodie didn't want to get her hopes up. She figured they probably thought she was weird too, like everyone else did. They hadn't even invited her to play checkers. Not that she would have said 'yes'—she didn't even know how to play. But it's the thought that counts, right?

With nothing else to do, they sat in the traffic, lost in their own thoughts. Jamie stared into the distance, his jaw tense with tension. Their mother's gaze was fixed on the horizon, searching for answers in the fading light. Elodie watched as the sky turned from blue to deep purple, the first stars twinkling overhead. Despite the beauty of the night sky, a sense of unease hung in the air, overshadowing the shining cars.

"We should'a stayed home," Jamie muttered, throwing a stick into the distance.

"Well, we can't do anythin' 'bout it now," Elodie grumbled, annoyed. 

"Stop bitin' your nails. It's gross," Jamie retorted, making her withdraw her hand from her mouth with a snarl, him rolling his eyes.

Elodie sniffled, her heart heavy with uncertainty. She wished she could make sense of everything, but the world seemed to be spiraling out of control around them. She didn't understand.

"Momma," Elodie asked, gazing up at her mother. "What did the man on the TV mean when he said 'people are turnin' into somethin' else, like they're not human anymore'?"

Her mother buried her head in her hands with a heavy sigh, Elodie noticing the shake of her shoulders. "I don't know. I don't know—"

Above them, the rumble of helicopters grew louder as more flew overhead, prompting people to peer out of their windows or crane their necks upward, tracking the tiny lights darting between the stars.

"Are we gonna leave soon?" Sophia asked her mom, who responded with a sad smile.

"I don't know, honey. I hope so," Carol replied, her tone gentler than Elodie's mom's would have been.

"I'm hungry," the boy complained, turning to his mother. She had long brown hair and was fiddling with a pretty necklace. Elodie knew her name was Lori.

"I know, Carl. We all are," Lori replied, looking as tired as Elodie felt.

Elodie nodded subtly, feeling the pang of hunger in her stomach. As if on cue, it growled loudly, making her frown. It had been hours since she'd eaten, just a small granola bar.

Carol seemed to notice, giving Elodie a small smile before turning to Lori and Elodie's mom. "Why don't I get them something to eat? Ed's got a bunch of those MREs, enough to feed an army."

Elodie's mom nodded with gratitude, mumbling a 'thank you' as she glanced at Jamie, who was leaning against the car by Elodie's feet.

"I'd appreciate it," Lori said, hopping off the car she was sitting on.

"No trouble," Carol called over her shoulder as she disappeared behind their van.

Elodie kicked her feet back and forth, grazing the car softly with each swing.

"Stop, Elodie. You keep kickin' me," Jamie grumbled, lightly swatting her feet.

"Do not," she protested, giving him an actual kick this time.

Lori sighed and walked over to her car, leaning through the window to talk to the man inside—Shane, Elodie remembered. Elodie knew his name was Shane, because he had proudly introduced himself as a police officer a few hours earlier. Elodie didn't like him. After a few minutes, he got out of the car, Lori looking worried.

"I'm gonna go up the road, see what I can see," he announced, hands in his pockets as he strolled toward Carl.

"I'll come with you," Lori said.

Carol returned from her van, holding a couple of small packets of crackers. "Ed must have forgotten to pack those MREs. I found these in my purse," she explained to Lori as she zipped her purse closed.

"It's all right," Lori reassured. "Listen, do you two mind keeping an eye on Carl for a minute?" she asked Carol and Elodie's mom, both of them nodding.

"Shane and I are gonna scout up ahead a little bit, see if we can find someone who knows what's going on," she told her son, running her hands through his hair. Elodie wondered what that felt like. It must feel good, because Carl smiled.

"I want to go with you," Carl said, but Lori immediately declined, kissing the top of his head.

Elodie flinched when Jamie hit the side of her knee, his glare piercing. "Quit starin'. You're actin' weird."

Her heart sank at the sixteen-year-old's words, a familiar pang of hurt echoing in her chest. It reminded her of the girls from her grade. Did Jamie really think she was weird, or was he just trying to make her stop looking at the family in front of her?

"Sorry," she muttered softly, lowering her gaze and busying herself with adjusting the doll's clothes.

As Lori and Shane walked away, leaving the others by the cars, Elodie felt her mother's occasional glances, but she avoided meeting them. She didn't want to engage with anyone. She didn't want to interact with these kids. She didn't want to leave Atlanta. She just wanted to go home.

"Your dad's nice," Sophia said to Carl, flashing a sweet smile. He frowned, his expression tense.

"Shane's not my dad," he corrected, shaking his head. "My dad's dead."

"Mine too," Jamie chimed in, trying to sound nonchalant. But Sophia and Carl weren't impressed.

Elodie felt a wave of awkwardness wash over her. This was exactly why she didn't want to be here. She didn't know these kids, she'd ask strange questions, and they'd think she was weird. Just like the girls in her grade, and just like Jamie.

"That's a pretty doll," Sophia then told Elodie, looking up at the younger girl. "I think I have one just like that one back at my home. Some of them can talk, too."

"Really?" Elodie asked, her eyes lighting up. The idea of talking dolls really excited her.

"Yeah!" Sophia smiled, clasping a hand over her knees. "Maybe I can show you one day, if you want."

"Uh-huh," Elodie nodded excitingly. She really, really loved dolls. Maybe Sophia didn't think she was that weird if she was talking to her. And Sophia liked dolls too, so they had something in common.

"She won't be able to hear 'em," Jamie started, a mocking tone to his voice.

"Why not?" Sophia asked him, furrowing her brow. 

"'Cause she can't hear. She's deaf."

"Jamie, shut up! Yes, I can," Elodie whined, making herself smaller in embarrassment. Her mother lightly hit Jamie's shoulder as a warning, but that was all she did.

"She is?" Carl blurted out, looking from Elodie to Jamie and back. "She doesn't look deaf."

"No?" Jamie snickered. Elodie's cheeks burned as she bowed her head, covering her face with her hair. "Look—"

Jamie reached out to tug Elodie's hair behind her ear to reveal her hearing aid, but she harshly slapped his hand away, scooting further away from him on the car with a glare.

"Hey, boys, stop it," Carol stepped in, placing a comforting hand on Elodie's knee. "Leave the poor girl be."

"I can hear ya perfectly fine," Elodie mumbled, picking at a piece of fabric from her doll. "I'm not fully deaf."

Sophia smiled up at her. "It's okay. It's nothing to be embarrassed about—"

Suddenly, a distant rumble filled the air along with screaming of people, followed by a series of deafening explosions that shook the ground beneath them. Elodie's heart leaped into her throat as she clung to her doll, the fear in her chest threatening to suffocate her. She leaped off of the car, jogging up to her mother.

"What's happenin'?" she cried, her voice trembling with panic.

A large amount of helicopters and jets once again flew overhead, making everyone tilt their heads up at the sky, following the tiny lights once again. Carol grabbed Sophia and Carl's shoulders in an attempt of comfort, while Elodie clutched her doll, flinching back against her mom. She met Jamie's terrified gaze, him coming up to join them.

The sky then suddenly lit up with fiery explosions as bombs rained down on the city, sending shockwaves through the ground. Elodie's breath caught in her throat as she watched in horror, the deafening roar of the explosions echoing in her ears. Smoke billowed into the sky, casting a dark shadow over the highway.

Jamie scanned the sky, his eyes wide with disbelief. "They're bombin' the city," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. 

As the explosions continued to rumble through the highway area, the group of people nearby began to scatter, their panicked cries blending with the chaos around them. Carol pulled Sophia into a hug, keeping a tight hand on Carl's shoulder. Both kids were crying loudly, Sophia's cries being muffled by Carol's shirt. Elodie clutched her doll tightly as the tears streamed down her face while she watched her home get bombed to nothing but ashes. She felt her mother shift to hold Jamie, the boy trembling in his arms. Elodie whirled her head around as a frown made its way onto her face, her fingers curling around the arm of her doll tighter.

Why wasn't she holding Elodie? Why did she have to comfort herself using a doll? She didn't understand. She didn't understand any of it. 

Feeling a surge of frustration and sadness, Elodie's heart ached as she watched her mother comforting Jamie instead of her. She longed for the warmth of her mother's embrace, for the reassurance that everything would be okay. She looked around at the devastation surrounding them, feeling lost and helpless. She wanted to go home, but by the looks of it there was no home to go back to. It was nothing but ashes now.