Neverending

7

'Tinder!' On hearing Donna's voice, I feel myself sort of coming back together. 'Where are you?' Are you ok?'

I hesitate. Donna will go nuts if I tell her I've driven 44 kilometres towards where the cataclysm is almost certainly coming from. I think again. She'll know I'm lying.

'I'm, uhh... I'm in Lincoln.'

'At Juliette's?' I can hear the disbelief threaded with disappointment in her voice. Donna has never so much as hinted that she doesn't like Juliette. In fact, I think she does like her. But I also suspect that she doesn't think Juliette is any good for me.

Donna is my rock. And there's not much I would do that goes against her sound judgement. Except... this. Falling in love is the top trumps of almost all of the emotions.

'Yeah, I – she's not here, Donna. I don't know where she is.'

It comes out before I have a chance to censor my thoughts. It takes Donna less than a second to start telling me what I need to hear.

'Ok. It's ok. Look, we both know Juliette and she will be fine. There's no way anyone from that family isn't either on a private chopper or already inside Terrafirme. So you can stop worrying.' Donna says this with such conviction that, at that moment, it sounds like the most rational thing I've heard since this all kicked off. I register Donna's continued antipathy whilst realising I'm starting to feel just a little bit better.

'Have you spoken to Seb?' I ask.

'I haven't.' Donna pauses. 'But he Haylo'd me about an hour ago and said he'd meet me at Terrafirme. He's not picking up but I'm guessing he's charging.'

'Sure, sure,' I agree. 'I spoke to him and he's with Suzie. Are you on your way there?'

'I am. But listen, I need to know you're going to head there now. As in, straight away, Tinder.' Donna's voice changes almost imperceptibly from stern to very stern.

I hesitate. Somehow, Donna can read this gap in conversation for what it is. 'Don't even think about racing around looking for Juliette. She's not going to be bobbing around Lincoln when we're at Level Two. She was probably packed before even Sky got anywhere near Level One.

'I don't know...'

'You do know, Tinder. Stop for a minute. Think. Where is Juliette's father? Trust me, she's safe. And she's with him.'

I do what Donna suggests. I slow down. I breathe. I think.

It's Tuesday so, apocalypse notwithstanding, Juliette would be Downtown. The books she needs to write her thesis are in the State Library. So she'd either be there or in Ferne, refuelling. The Procrastination Café. I start to smile at the thought of one of our jokes and it damn near cracks my heart. It shouldn't hurt this much – realising that she's more than likely safe – but it does anyway.

But Donna makes a good point. The Library isn't even a five minute stroll from Buildings, where Juliette's father spends almost his entire life devising and redefining State Law.

I think she's safe. Her odds are better than most.

I look around at the hopelessly quiet street. She's not here. And I have to go somewhere.

'Thanks, Donna.' I can almost hear her breathe out. 'You're right. I'm on my way.'

'Good. Ok.' Donna checks I have six litres of water and a tank of fuel then tells me to drive carefully. 'It's not too bad out there, so far. But there's scope for it to get a lot worse. Stay on the Y roads as much as you can.'

My phone sounds with a Share request. I accept.

'Got you. Ok, Tinder. Message me every hour and I'll do the same. But go easy, charge isn't infinite.'

'I know, I know!' I almost smile at the phrase Donna has been rolling out since I was eight, back when I thought that everything was plentiful and complimentary.

'I'll see you there. I love you.'

'You too.' I say, as we both hang up.