Lingquan's voice sounded in Qingran's mind. Hi to the parents of the room was dark when I like the kitchen and bathroom too much of the room was dark
[The water level is lowering. Estimated time until partial clearance: one hour and twenty-nine minutes.]
She nodded silently and glanced at the others.
Most people were huddled in the corners or sitting quietly with their heads against the wall. Some clutched bags. A few held children asleep in their arms. No one said much. The fear had passed, but a different kind of silence had taken its place, the kind that comes when people don't know what's left to return to.
When the water finally lowered enough for them to open the roof, they stepped outside in small groups.
The city was unrecognizable.
From the top of the building, Qingran looked out over the district. Rooftops stretched out in all directions, scattered and broken. The water had receded from the highest levels, but it still flooded most of the streets.
