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Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. EPILOGUE
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A woman in a small car goes by, following behind a truck. I watch her clutching the steering wheel, her head stuck out the window to assess how deep in the flood her car is. She has two kids in the back seat.

I’ve seen it happen many times. Smaller cars following trucks in a false impression of safety in a flooded road.

“This is Avenida Coqueirais,” I say under my breath, panic swelling within me. “This is where Dad died.”

Pedro’s eyes flicker to me with a flash of fear.

44

MONDAY, JUNE 20

We’re in the middle of the avenue, knee-deep in water that goes deeper as the road slopes into the tunnel. I hear a few people shriek behind me as they head for the sidewalk. A man slips in front of me, but a woman pulls him to his feet. He curses nervously.

I’m so dazed with panic, I didn’t realize Pedro has been trying to get my attention. He holds me by the shoulders now, standing in front of me, his face so close to mine I can feel his breath on my lips. “It will be okay. I promise.” He pulls the jacket I’m wearing closed, yanking the hood over my head. “Stay close to the other passengers and start heading to the sidewalk, okay?” I nod, already hyperventilating.

I take the first step toward the sidewalk when I realize Pedro isn’t coming with me. I turn around with a gasp, my fingers grasping the back of his shirt. “Where are you going? You aren’t coming with me?!”

Pedro looks at the car we saw drive past the bus. The one with the woman and kids. “They’ll get stranded if they keep going. I need to help them.”

“No.” I shake my head, tugging his arm. “Come with me.”

“Lari, go with the other passengers!” Someone must have heard him, because I suddenly feel an arm loop with mine. A woman begins to steer me away. My grasp on his arm slips.

“Pedro!” My voice goes high-pitched with fear.

“I’ll be fine! Go!”

I watch Pedro’s retreating back as he ventures deeper into the avenue, waving his arms at the car.

My legs are heavy like lead, and my heart beats frantically as people help me get to the sidewalk. But I can’t let Pedro do this alone. What if he falls? He can’t even swim! I take a deep breath, once, twice, and I pull away from the group of passengers and rush back into the avenue after him.

I see the car begin to turn, making for the side of the road. The driver finally realized she can’t make it to the flooded tunnel ahead. But then the small car hiccups. The engine lets out a few gurgling spurts and dies. I hear the woman’s muffled screaming.