Now there's more mayhem. There's so much confusion that my mind feels like a page with so many doodles that they all merge into one big drawing of utter mess.

"Dad?" I whisper.

"Hey, Amelia," he says. "Can I come in? I mean, I do have a bunch of officers after me and I would rather not die, thanks."

I'm still shell-shocked even when he steps into the house, shuts the door and takes off his coat. I can't quite process it. I thought he died. I thought he didn't survive the storm.

I thought Zach killed him.

There are a million things I thought. Turns out all of them are wrong.

Mum comes through the hallway. She stops dead in her tracks, mouth open all the way like a fish. The cloth she's holding slips from her hands and flops to the floor. Then, slowly a smile creeps onto her face like the first rays of sunshine at dawn.

It's a glorious sight to see.

"Jack?" she mumbles. "You're back!"

She runs to him and laughs her way through a good minute. He laughs with her and holds her close. I join them, squished into my father's loving embrace. I haven't felt that since the storm started. Since he held us in the attic like he would never let us go.

The attic.

Zach.

Hide.

"Did you say you needed to hide?" I ask, pulling away from him.

I think I see a flash of uncertainty across his face but it's gone in an instant.

"Yes," he says slowly.

"And you have the same officers that are chasing Zach after you as well?"

He nods. My mother watches us, frowning.

"An explanation would be nice," she demands. "Why did you leave me? Why did you leave us? Heck, Maisie has been as silent as a ghost and I've been..." She trails off, and I see her eyes begin to well.

"I'll explain later, Hannah. I promise," Dad says, cupping her face in his hands. Then he leans in for a kiss and Mum shudders at his touch. "Just let me go up to the attic and hide. I'll be out soon."

"Wait," I say, stopping him from climbing the stairs. "You know about this whole storm thing? The real reason behind it?"

He nods. My breath hitches and quickens in pace.

"Believe it or not," he says. "I'm one of them too."