In just one month the drive home tripled in time. Dr. Keely pulled pulled over twice today, each time approaching an episode but holding firm to the things around him. It helped; grasping an empty can, flipping through his notes although he knew them already, scenes from the past that always brought him comfort. Anything to keep him here, and not lost in the memories of the dead.

He looked down the highway towards home. 9 cars drove past him while he was parked, and it was 6 p.m. He moved on and got to his apartment without any incident. He went in and grabbed the railing on his way up when he remembered. One of them lived here. He saw a creek with what must had been their family walking on the bank, the children throwing pebbles and sticks from above. He saw a woman yell directly into his face, eyes wild with anger and holding a walking stick. He saw a life further along, living in this building, meeting different people, working, staying out late in what was then a young city. And then he felt what it was like in the end; an intense rage not his own, quick memories of frenzied activity or violence, and then darkness he could feel more than see.

He awoke in his recliner with a glass of water and diazepam on the side table. Nicole was across the room with the TV on. When she noticed him waking, she turned off her program and switched it to nature sounds. They had developed a routine.

Nicole sat for a couple minutes while David took a sip of water, ignoring the pills unless it was absolutely necessary. "I guess I got lucky with mine", she said. She let out a short breath of a laugh. It always helped. "Keep gloating, wait until you find a killer in your family tree." He smiled and let out the same kind of laugh. Nervous laughter was a recent addition to the Keely household, and a powerful tool in recent weeks.

"I don't know where this goes. Have you seen any news?" She shook her head, "No point. Everything on TV seems to be repeating. I did see a news hour yesterday but that was dated a month ago." "A slow end, then. Or not, I guess I should be okay with either." They paused for a while, listening to rain and thunder looping its track on the TV again and again. "Don’t go back in, at least this week. These people can't be helped, you said so yourself. Just enjoy this, you know?", Nicole said, gesturing to their space. "I won’t go in tomorrow, I’ll promise that much. It was a rough time getting home."