"Do you need help getting the rest?" Hannah asked.
Sam shook his head no and slipped out the door. He was in one of his moods again. Hannah had forgotten how annoying that could be. Sam had gone from deliriously happy over his lost belongings to silent and brooding on the ride home. Something was definitely on his mind. He didn't even blink when Hannah did a sharp U-turn to avoid a burning semi. He'd have to tell her what was wrong. Her Sam interpretation skills were too rusty to be of any use.
Sam returned a few minutes later with the last of his things. He set the box down next to the already impressive pile in the corner of the living room. He looked at the pile, cocked his head from side to side, and nudged the box over exactly two inches. He opened one of the boxes and removed his easel, desk lamp, and a small wooden mannequin. Hannah smiled when she realized what he was doing.
"I call it 'A Still Life of Sam." Sam took a bow.
Hannah clapped her hands. "Bravo."
Hannah gathered up a magazine, the TV remote, and a coffee mug. She the remote in the mug and set it on top of the magazine. "I call it 'Sculpture of a Lazy Saturday."
Sam laughed and leaned in for a kiss. "I see you still remember our game."
"Of course I do." Hannah gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Who could forget sudden sculptures?"
Sudden sculptures was a game Sam had invented during their junior year. They each had one minute to construct a sculpture from anything in the room. Extra points were awarded if the sculpture reached the ceiling. They'd played in hospital waiting rooms, classrooms, and grocery stores. Their sculptures weren't always pretty and often made their teachers mad, but they always had a lot of fun. After Sam died, Hannah started leaving sculptures around the city. It was her way of remembering happier times.
Sam wrapped his arm around Hannah's shoulder and pulled her close. He still smelled like Axe deodorant and oil paints. Hannah wished she could bottle that scent. It took her back to simpler times before the world had gone to hell in a handbasket.
Hannah's phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a text from Ian. "Headed out for awhile. Don't wait up."
Sam read the text over Hannah's shoulder and furrowed his brow. "Why would he go somewhere? It looks like the apocalypse outside."
Hannah shrugged. "Probably the beach."
Much like Sam, Ian wasn't one to complain when something was bothering him. Instead of talking about his problems, he preferred to stand on the beach and watch the waves roll in. When he was feeling frustrated, he would pick up a rock and hurl it into the water. It was a miracle he hadn't created Lake Mount Lake Michigan by now.
Hannah angled the phone away from Sam. She didn't appreciate him reading her private conversations. Some things were not meant to be shared.
"You okay?" She typed.
"Fine," Ian replied. "Just need some time to think."
Hannah wanted to know what was on Ian's mind but didn't press any further. They had an unspoken agreement about things like that. Ian didn't ask about her scars and Hannah didn't ask about the beach. Hannah hoped he wouldn't stay gone all night this time. Nothing good happened on the beach after dark.
Seeing the worried look on Hannah's face, Sam got up and started digging through his boxes.
"Hey Hannah," Sam said. "Do you remember Blinky?"
Before Hannah could react, Sam tossed her a one-eyed teddy bear. The fuzzy toy was a carnival prize from their first date. The bear flew through the air and knocked the mug off the coffee table. It hit the ground and shattered into a million pieces.
"Sorry," Sam said. "Didn't mean to wreck your sculpture."
"It's fine."
Tears welled up in Hannah's eyes as she started to clean up the mess. That Chicago mug was one the first thing she ever bought for Ian. Hannah wiped away the tears and cleared her throat. Crying over a five-dollar mug was ridiculous. They had dozens of other mugs. Ian probably wouldn't even notice it was missing.
"Here, let me do that," Sam said as he started picking up the shards of broken glass. "I don't want you to cut yourself."
Hannah leaned back and closed her eyes. She wished it were still possible to open the windows. A breath of fresh air would do her a whole world of good.
Sam threw away the mug and returned to Hannah. He rolled up his sleeves and started to rub her back. It was something he'd done during the dozens of times she cried herself to sleep in high school. Sam couldn't make the world a kinder place, but he was able to show Hannah that she wasn't alone.
"I take it this is about more than a broken coffee cup?" Sam said after a few minutes had passed.
Hannah nodded but didn't speak.
"Did you get any sleep last night?"
"No," Hannah replied.
The thought of billions of people rising from the dead had kept her wide awake all night long. She wondered if it was the miracle she prayed for or a sign that the end was near. Either way, life as she knew it was over.
"You can lay down for a while," Sam said. "I'll have dinner on the table when you wake up."
The independent side of Hannah protested. She was going to be the head of marketing at one of the largest companies in the country. She had mentored dozens of interns. Sam had no right to tell her to take a nap.
"You'll feel better when you wake up," Sam said.
Hannah wanted to argue, but her eyelids were heavy. The thought of a nap followed by Sam's spectacular cooking sounded like heaven. It was amazing how Sam still knew exactly what she needed. Hannah laid down and closed her eyes. Sam kissed her on the forehead and draped a blanket over her chest.
Sam got up and started rummaging through the kitchen. Hannah was embarrassed to admit it, but she missed him. Cuddling up with him made it feel like the world wasn't such a bad place after all.
"Hey Sam," Hannah said. "Can you lay down with me for a few minutes? Just until I fall asleep?"
"Of course." Sam laid down next to Hannah and wrapped the blanket around them. Hannah snuggled into Sam's chest. Five years had passed, but they still fit together like puzzle pieces. Listening to his heartbeat soothed her better than any lullaby. It was the most at peace she had felt in years.
Hannah woke up hours later. Sam had fallen asleep with his head rested on her back. Hannah felt refreshed, but the same couldn't be said for Sam. He was twitching and moaning. It was no wonder that the nightmares had returned. They always did around that time of year. The stress of the last day certainly hadn't helped.
Hannah shook Sam's shoulder. Wake up, you're having a nightmare."
It seemed like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. The hair on Sam's head stood up straight. One spark and the entire room would go up in flames. Hannah had just gotten Sam back. She wasn't going to let him die in some freak electrical fire.
"Sam!" Hannah shouted. "You need to wake up! We need to get out of here!"
Sam opened his eyes and grabbed Hannah's wrists.
"Help her!" he cried. "She's my daughter! Why won't you save her!"
Hannah screamed. It felt like she'd stuck both arms into an electrical outlet. Sam let go, but it was too late. The damage was already done. The room started to spin and faded to black.