Nearly 20,000 words in, and things are getting difficult….
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“Mom, don’t.” Raw fear echoed from Andrew. “Don’t do anything you regret.”
“I’ve done plenty to regret,” Diana retorted. “Now I’m going to make amends for my past choices.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Diana turned coy. “You’ll find out soon enough. I never thought I’d live to see the end of days, but it looks like it may be my privilege to bring it.”
“Mother, please. Don’t do this, whatever it is you’re going to do. You have problems with us. Come deal with us directly. Don’t take it out on the rest of humanity!”
“Humanity has been contaminated by Netwalk,” Diana said, her voice falling into a rote pattern as if she were repeating words she had been coached to say. “Humanity needs to be cleansed and purged.”
“Mother, no.”
“Say your prayers, Andrew. Maybe you can be saved. Acknowledge your abomination before God.”
Melanie gulped back a sob of her own. She tapped out a message to Alex, Nik, and Bess as Andrew continued to try to reason with their mother, only the occasional crack in his voice revealing his emotion.
Assume Diana Landreth to be dangerous and hostile. Stop her no matter what it takes.