Brendan opened the car door and rushed into the pouring rain, tightly holding Deirdre in his arms. He used his coat to shield her face, but the relentless rain mercilessly assaulted his face. The remaining warmth was stripped away with each gust of wind, leaving countless unseen yet agonizing wounds.

The downpour was so intense that Brendan could hardly keep his eyes open. The roaring of the wind and rain echoed in his ears. He felt Deirdre move in his arms and heard her weak voice.

"Bren… Bre