Tasia Saumier

A Billion Breaths

"Take this” said a strange man dressed in a long black coat, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere on Nichole’s walk home from school. For some reason she stopped cold in her tracks and gave him her undivided attention. “Hide it somewhere safe”, he said quickly. “When the time is right someone will approach you, and you will need it. DO NOT OPEN IT. DO NOT LOSE IT. DO NOT TELL ANYONE, not even your family Nichole. You’re the one. You’re the one who will save us all. You’re the only one who can know the truth and be trusted with it. Now run. They’re coming." Eleven year old Nichole ran like her life depended on it. She didn’t know why, she didn’t know where to hide the book or who that man was, but she could see it in his face, he was serious, scared, and she trusted him.