For Nita Taublib, whose guidance and wisdom have been invaluable, and always appreciated.
My most sincere gratitude also goes to my awesome agents, Annelise Robey and Andrea Cirillo, and all the fantastic folks at Jane Rotrosen. And, of course, to Shauna Summers, who totally rocks, and Jessica Sebor, the go-to gal!
My love to my mother and sisters and brothers, everyone.Moltes gràcies to brilliant Sean. A special hello to MaKayla, Brianna, Braeden, Bailey, Nathan, Mallory, and MaKenzie. To Jules and Jax: It was a mosquito with a French fry, I swear!
And to Daddy. I miss you so much.
What if everything you loved, and everyone, suddenly vanished?
Your parents, your children, your friends. Your home. Your town.
Your species.
All the living beings that defined your world, that gave your heart reason to pump the blood that animates your flesh, that caused you to wake each morning and open your eyes and turn your face to your window to witness the new sun in the new sky; laughter and love and meals around the table and running games in tall grasses, snowball battles in winter; gentle hands holding yours, warm kisses on your lips—all that gone.
What if it were your doing?
Your future unfurled before you like a map marked with a thick black arrow drawn irrevocably, relentlessly straight toward Extinction. You never knew. You never guessed, until the end.
What would you sacrifice to erase that map?