Read The Apocalypse for Free Online Page B

commented, "I can already tell that your forehead's going to heal nicely."
    Hannah glanced at her mother dubiously. "Do you really think so?"
    "I do." Patricia smiled. "You've had stitches four times before now, and they've all healed well."
    Nodding, Hannah glanced back at the mirror briefly and then left it completely. "That's good then." She was going to leave it at that, but she heard a barely audible sniffle, and when Hannah glanced over, she realized that her mom was crying openly now.
    Realizing she was caught, Patricia wiped her eyes sternly and managed a little smile. "I'm sorry, sweetie." She moved toward Hannah quickly and wrapped her arms around her tightly, catching Hannah off guard. "I'm so glad you're going to be okay, Hannah. I just want you to be okay now ."
    Awkwardly, Hannah raised her right hand to pat Patricia's back lightly; she hoped it was a comforting gesture. Part of Hannah wanted to apologize for going out that Thursday night, but a larger part refused to reach out to someone she didn't know, even if that someone was her own mother.
    "I'll finish showing you around, and then you should rest," Patricia murmured against Hannah's ear, getting tears on her daughter. "You'll feel much better once you rest in your own bed."
    Hannah started to tell her that, aside from some stinging in her knee, she felt fine, but she decided not to. "All right."
    Smiling, Patricia nodded and kissed Hannah's cheek, apparently not noticing Hannah's tension and discomfort that the affection brought on. "Good. Now come on. I'll show you the bathroom you helped paint."
    Hannah wished she could say she was excited.
    After Patricia had finished showing off the house, Hannah found herself back in her bedroom, sitting at her desk chair and looking around. It felt good to be alone with her thoughts in a silent place that didn't smell like rubbing alcohol. Before Hannah knew it, she was relaxing on her bed, falling into a deep sleep.
    "Hannah..."
    "Don't, Tisha! Let her sleep."
    "What? Patricia said she's been sleeping all day. She can get up now."
    "You shouldn't wake her. You know how cranky she'll be?"
    Morgan Owens cleared her throat loudly. Tisha and Libby faced her immediately, their bickering halted. "You two have argued for the past ten minutes," Morgan said calmly. "Honestly, I'm sick of it. Knock it off."
    Being the well-known arguer that Libby Heatherly was, Libby opened her mouth to retort, but no sound came as Hannah stirred on her bed, coming out of her peaceful sleep. Her brow wrinkled, and she rubbed her eyes.
    "Ahhhh! Hannah!" Tisha hurled herself onto the bed beside Hannah and threw her arms around her friend. "Oh my God, you have no idea how happy I am that you're okay! You had us worried to death."
    Hannah blinked as the girl she recognized to be Libby sat down on her other side. They were closing in on her. "Your mom called and invited us over after school, and I swear we made it here in record time," Libby laughed. "Everyone's dying to see you."
    Swallowing, Hannah offered the girls what she hoped looked like a sleepy smile, rather than a forced one. "Well, um…hi."
    Tisha smoothed back some of Hannah's hair, apparently not noticing the tension in her shoulders. "I think Jake wants to shoot all of us. We've been pestering him constantly with questions about you."
    "Seriously!" Libby exclaimed, tucking some of her own dark hair behind her right ear. "You should hear Ethan too. That kid's practically in love with you, Han, you have no idea. He even yelled at Greg in front of everyone. I felt bad for him."
    "Yeah, Greg feels awful," Tisha agreed with an emphatic nod. "He keeps apologizing and apologizing and apologizing. Have you talked to him?"
    Hannah stared. She felt so overwhelmed by the girls' talking and touching that she could barely breathe, let alone think of something to say. Tisha and Libby were looking at her expectantly, so Hannah shifted her gaze to Morgan, who appeared more sympathetic. "Uh, no, not