Madeline:
By the time we arrived, it was already a new day. We had been traveling all night, and my kids had fallen asleep in the car.
I’d heard it wasn’t safe to stop in any of the rogue areas, so we just kept driving until we finally arrived.
The minute we crossed the border, my heart started pounding in my chest, but I forced a calm expression because I knew my kids were watching me.
“Mommy, are we going to stay at the grandparents’ house?” Elara asked this time, and I took a deep breath to respond straight forward.
“No, we’ll be staying at a hotel,” I replied and noticed Baxter turning in his seat to look at me.
“Why?” he questioned, making me frown.
“Because I don't want to,” I hissed, keeping my tone low.
My kids were watching cartoons on their tablets, so I knew they weren’t
