Everything was so loud. The truck’s tires rolling over loose gravel on the road as Matthew pushed it through the darkened streets sounded like a jet plane roaring overhead. My breathing, faster than usual, was overwhelming anything else. Anything except that is, the sound of my pounding heart. Not for the first time, I held my breath, feeling my pulse in my ears, my wide eyes searching the darkened streets. All the lights in all the houses were off, all the curtains closed tight. All the good . . .

Everything was so loud. The truck’s tires rolling over loose gravel on the road as Matthew pushed it through the darkened streets sounded like a jet plane roaring overhead. My breathing, faster than usual, was overwhelming anything else. Anything except that is, the sound of my pounding heart. Not for the first time, I held my breath, feeling my pulse in my ears, my wide eyes searching the darkened streets. All the lights in all the houses were off, all the curtains closed tight. All the good . . .