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!"

into her uncle's arms and wailed.

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 heart because she knew that this would never happen to her.

her father, Vernon, nor her mother, Edith, was the type to hug

out of her thoughts. "Uncle, this is Manager Qin. She came with me all the way to A City to search for

at Cassandra gleefully.

He wore a pair of glasses to frame his face, which shifted downwards as he looked at Cassandra, holding his hand out to her. Cassandra

of your way to bring Maggie here. Your journey must have been so dangerous. From the bottom of my heart, thank you

a dangerous place. It also

when he lost contact with her. At least he could rest easy now, since they were

dear cousin brother contacted you

her cousin brother had contacted his father to

Who? I have no son like

suddenly cursed in a cold and angry tone. The mere mention

held her tongue back. She

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

quickly took her arm and tugged at it. However, he stopped and turned

water here at the evacuation center. We do have

sincerely. However, Cassandra immediately shook

I insist. Maggie, just go and spend time with your family. I'll go to see if Dylon needs anything, or see if there's a search and rescue team

one of the abandoned

then headed to look for Dylon, who she found waiting in

shambles. What 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 earthquake, the area was covered in a sludge of dirt and mud. It seemed that there was going to be

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

and diligent with their work; a complete opposite from the frowns and

what's wrong? Are there people still trapped

Dylon as she approached. He was

pretty old building and there were only a few business centers inside. However one of the evacuees warned us that the building's security team was still trapped

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 busy trying to rescue the others who

team managed to retrieve people, he would be able to immediately administer

for a day already? The

was just about ready to go inside; and Dylon and Cassandra patiently waited by

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

He

wait, what if there'll be another collapse? It's so risky to bring

bottom lip between her teeth.

why we're all nervous.