Chapter 44

At 7 PM, Sophia and Lucas were sitting side by side on those hard plastic chairs in the hospital hallway, waiting anxiously for James to give them an update. "Before the storm hit, the coast guard evacuated residents from nearby islands. But ‌Luminous Island, barely developed and running low on supplies, wasn't on the evacuation list. That said, around 4 PM today, some fishermen reported spotting someone stranded on the island within the territorial waters." The TV in one of the rooms nearby was on, volume low, but to Sophia, it sounded like every bit of noise was drilling into her head. She clutched her ears, but it didn't help. How did her kid get through the past three years without her? Who looked after her? Did she have any friends? Was she eating well? Did she stay warm? "As of now, the storm has reached level eleven. Rescue operations have become significantly harder." The weather report blared from the screen again. Sophia jumped to her feet, hand mid-air, when the door suddenl