Tempest wasn’t much of a crier. She didn’t often show the pain that she felt so plainly. But, in her little apartment, she cried and cried hard; No time prior had she cried so much. Objects were thrown without much care, broken and on the floor to the point that the superintendent was called and spoke to her about the noise complaints. Then, after seeing a glimpse of the mess, reprimanded her and warned her that there would be an inspection of the damage to see how much she’d owe him.<br/><br/>Did she care? Not in the slightest.<br/><br/>What she did care about, however, was the news reports that continually assaulted her whenever she thought she could brave the outer world. Bodies…so many bodies were piling up. Though the police had no idea who was behind it, she did and it terrified her. What did he have to be so angry about? So enraged to take it out on so many people? He was the one who’d ended it, who’d decided they should just be friends and nothing more…but he was the one on a bender. It got to the point that she didn’t leave her apartment. Feigning a family emergency, she’d called out of the studio for the duration of that week and locked her doors.<br/><br/>The body count was becoming higher and higher, and it left Tempest no longer wanting to turn on the television or read the paper. Not even the radio offered her solace, and there was no music that she wanted to listen to that could take her mind off of what was going on outside. But, as the days continued, she sought to move on from it all, so she spent her time picking up the broken remains of photo frames, vases, glasses and plates. She shifted her furniture around so that it was no longer a makeshift dance floor, but a normal living room. She started looking on Craigslist for listings in her area, and reached out to a few agencies to help her narrow the search.<br/><br/>Anything to keep her occupied.<br/><br/>Her phone buzzed on the coffee table in the other room, pulling her attention from the mindless staring she’d been doing that moment at a pile of books in the corner. Of late, the only person who’d called her was Colt, and she’d been dodging his calls. The night it’d all ended, he’d told her he was there, and then vanished along with Athan. That didn’t stop him from calling her, but she didn’t have it in her to answer her phone. She didn’t have it in her to talk to him, or anyone that she didn’t have to. And, on the “have to” list were those she was looking at apartments from; that was a non-negotiable group of people that she had to talk with so that she could find a new place.<br/><br/>A heavy sigh left her lips as she pushed herself up from bed and padded that way to confirm the caller.<span style="font-style: italic">Colt,</span>she confirmed as she stared at the caller i.d., heavily debating whether or not to answer. Just as her phone was about to go to voicemail, she answered it. “Hello, Colt,” Tempest greeted him, voice devoid of feeling. She said nothing else for a while before finally adding, “How’re you? Sorry I’ve missed your calls.”