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HOMECOMING, JOHNNY FORESTER, AND GENEVIEVE WILLIAMS seem ridiculously far away.
Eleanor has been looking out of the window, pondering this very idea; what is everyone else doing at this very moment? Are Johnny and Genevieve dead, or are they fleeing with their families, too? Will she ever see them again?
At least the thought of Genevieve being out of her life for good brings a comforting thought to her mind, but she quickly dismisses the idea when she realizes Taron might actually be devastated by the thought. Who knows, he may have fallen in love with her.
The idea makes her want to vomit. And she really needs a cigarette.
☁
At dusk, Ray parks by the sidewalk in front of Mary Ann and Tim's house in the suburbs of New Jersey. This part of town remains beautifully untouched; there is no sign of the terrifying tripods' destruction in sight. All of the matching two-story houses with trimmed, dark green lawns and polished BMWs in every driveway are just as cookie-cutter perfect as they were the last time Eleanor saw them, save for the cars; most are absent.
Taron looks at him and Eleanor's entwined fingers before saying, "You're all right, yeah?"
"Yeah," Eleanor replies. He nods with a small smile before letting go of her hand, to Eleanor's dismay. Her hand suddenly feels cold and empty. She promptly pulls down the sleeve of her jacket.
Taron picks up Eleanor's rucksack and the bat before getting out of the van, slinging the strap of the bag over one of his shoulders. Eleanor follows him, shutting the door behind her. Robbie gets out, too, leaving the box of food for Ray to carry.
Robbie unhooks a keychain from his belt loop as he follows Eleanor and Taron to the front door of Mary Ann's house. After he unlocks the door, the three of them go inside; Taron simply looks around as Eleanor and Robbie immediately split up among the house, calling for their mom and for Tim.
Ray lingers by the car for a few minutes as he realizes how unimportant he truly is to his children.
Finally, Ray walks into the entryway of the house, locking the door behind him. Taron turns to look at him.
"What about you? Are you doin' okay?" Ray asks him. Taron nods.
Eleanor jogs down the stairs, stopping at the last step. Robbie walks in through a different doorway.
"They're gone," Robbie says. Taron sets Eleanor's rucksack down near the staircase.
"Are they dead?" Eleanor asks. She has always been one to jump to conclusions.
