Chapter 10: Thunder Over the Valley
In late May, a severe summer thunderstorm rolled across the valley. Black clouds gathered quickly, and the sky lit up with jagged veins of lightning.
The first crack of thunder rattled the windowpanes with bone-shaking force.
Daniel was in the garage. His instincts flared instantly—his pulse spiked to 140, his vision narrowed, and his hands reached for a rifle that wasn't there. But instead of spiraling into panic, he remembered the grounding exercise Marcus had taught him: *Five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear.*
He heard Maya crying upstairs.
Ignoring his own pounding heart, Daniel sprinted up the stairs, entered Maya’s nursery, and scooped her from her crib. "I've got you, baby. Daddy’s here."
May you like
Holding her tightly against his chest, Daniel stood by the window, watching the rain pour down. For the first time, he weathered the storm without losing himself in the dark.
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