Page 32 of Finding Noah

I nodded again as tears slipped over my cheeks. “Yeah,” I whispered.

“Do you know where you're going?”

“Uh-huh.”

“All right, Noah, sweetheart. Stay on the line with me, honey. Stay with me until you're at the police station. Okay? You're going to be okay.”

“What about my mom?” I asked with a gasp, turning toward town.

Not much farther.

Keep going.

“They're coming, honey. They're already on the way.”

“What if they're too late?”

“Let's not think about that, okay?”

I sniffled. “W-what's your name?”

“My name is Meg,” she replied kindly. “Meghan.”

I sucked in a deep breath, running down the street, past River Canyon Town Hall, and turning the corner to see the River Canyon Police Department. Relief swept over me.

“I-I see it,” I said to Meg with a sob. “The police department. I'm … I'm almost there. I'm almost there.”

“Keep running, Noah. Keep going.”

“I am, I am, I am,” I said with every pant, running up the driveway and through the parking lot. “I did it,” I said to her, as if I were speaking to Mom. To Soldier. “I made it. Oh God, I did it.”

“You're doing so great, sweetheart,” she praised me.

I pushed through the door, out of the rain, and into the brightly lit police station, where I collapsed, gasping for air and sobbing. My face, soaked with both rain and tears. My clothes, clinging to my trembling body.

“Meg,” I cried.

“Are you inside, honey? Are you with the police?”

I opened my eyes and looked around in time to see a couple of officers standing from their desks, aware of my presence. Expressions of concern blanketed their faces.

“Quick,” one of them said to the other. “Get him a blanket.”

“Yes,” I said to Meg, gasping and panting for breath. “I-I'm with the cops. I'm with the cops. Oh my God.”

“You did it, Noah,” she said, seeming to be as relieved as I was. “You did it. I'm so proud of you, honey. You're going to be okay, all right? You're going to be okay.”

“O-okay,” I sobbed, suddenly breathless as I looked up at the two cops as they hurried over. “Thank you, Meg. Th-thank you, thank y-you.”

“You're welcome, sweetheart. Stay with them now, okay? They'll take care of you.”

She hung up then, but I clutched Soldier's phone to my ear, as if her gentle, soothing voice might come back somehow.

The police collected me from the floor, wrapped me in towels and blankets, and found dry clothes for me to put on as they asked questions, and all the while, I realized Meg had only said I was going to be okay.

What about Mom?

And what about Soldier?