A Graduation Gift

Cassandra was the person Dylon least expected to see here. The situation had been so dangerous, with aftershocks seizing the location every other minute. It boggled him how Cassandra managed to drive up here despite the risk.

"I can't go back now. I need to find Maggie's uncle and his family!"

Cassandra said stubbornly.

Dylon looked at Maggie whose eyes were red and swollen. Her hand was being held by Cassandra tightly. He frowned slightly before answering, "Park the car at the town hall nearby and get on the ambulance with us!"

Dylon pointed at the vehicle he just got out of.

Cassandra smiled at him, grateful with his offer.

"Thank you so much, Dylon!" she exclaimed as she hurried over to the car and drove towards the town hall.

Once she was done, she and Maggie ran to the ambulance and rode with Dylon on the way to A City. Everything was in ruins. The roads were all destroyed, and buildings kept crumbling apart.

"My team was dispatched to the site near the home of Maggie's uncle. You two can come with us. But you must follow me closely,"

Dylon explained to Cassandra and Maggie. They had started to formulate a plan just to ensure all their safeties.

Maggie's uncle lived near the school, where he and his wife worked as teachers.

The house was crumbling and bound to fall any time soon. It was just a good thing that her uncle and his family weren't there. However, some necessities in the house were gone.

Cassandra noted that the towels and quilt were gone. "Your uncle must've come back to take them out somewhere else. Don't worry, Maggie. They probably went to an emergency shelter nearby,"

Cassandra reassured. Maggie's face softened upon hearing her manager's words.

"Thank you, Manager Qin. I'll go and search around in a bit. I saw some tents by the playground when we passed,"

Maggie said excitedly, trying to look for a few supplies before heading out herself. Cassandra followed suit.

The playground was crowded with people. Maggie searched around several times but failed to see her uncle and his family.

Cassandra, however, was determined to find him. She took Maggie to the broadcast station and asked the broadcaster to page Maggie's uncle for them over the loudspeaker.

It only took a few minutes until a middle-aged man peered out of one of the tents. Maggie immediately recognized him and ran towards the tent. The man smiled as she rushed over to him.

"Maggie! What are you doing here?"

The man's eyes were watering from happiness. He never would have expected for Maggie to appear in A City.

"Uncle!"

immediately ran into her uncle's arms and wailed. She was so happy

stood aside and felt a lump in her throat. It was so precious to see this family reunion. She revelled in the comforting feeling of bringing the family together, trying to dispel the ache in her

father, Vernon, nor her mother, Edith, was

her out of her thoughts. "Uncle, this is Manager Qin. She came with me all the way

beamed at Cassandra gleefully.

his

bring Maggie here. Your journey must have

it wasn't an easy task to accompany someone to such a dangerous place. It also was a rare sight to see a manager

as worried about Maggie's well-being, especially when he lost contact with her.

dear cousin brother contacted

asked, curious about whether her cousin brother had

Who? I have no

angry tone. The mere mention

lower lip and held her tongue back. She didn't want to spoil

cousin sister are not far from here. I'm sure you'd want to see

her arm and tugged at it. However,

evacuation center. We do

Cassandra immediately shook her

go and spend time with your family. I'll go to see if

from them, who were strategically planning their entry into one of the abandoned buildings. Maggie smiled

she found waiting in front of

was once a tall building had been reduced to two floors. The first floor had sunken so far below that it caved into a basement. Cassandra noted that because of the storm and

intact but only barely, which was why the search and rescue teams were under crucial time

persons underground. They were extremely focused and diligent with their work; a complete opposite from the frowns and worried expressions on their faces.

what's wrong? Are there people

approached. He was worrying a pen

thought that everyone was evacuated. It wasn't as crowded as the other areas since this was a pretty old building and there were only a few business centers inside. However one of the evacuees warned us that the building's security

eyes, and it tugged at Cassandra's heart to see such an expression. The rescue teams hadn't rested since they arrived, because they were all too

so that if the rescue team managed to retrieve people, he would be

a day already? The aftershocks happened

lives at stake. The rescue team was just about ready to go inside; and Dylon and Cassandra patiently

No one knows what's it like inside the building now. We're not even sure if the building's stable enough to do a rescue operation. But it's a risk we have to take. We can't just let

He was silently praying for everyone's

be another collapse? It's so risky to bring them down there, it might

bottom lip between

well. That's why we're all nervous. It's such a risky operation but there's not much else we can