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She just needed to go—to leave and never think about Sarah, or the baby, or Maddie ever again. She needed things to go back to the way they were before. When she didn’t feel that horrible, heavy, guilty feeling in the pit of her stomach.
She needed to move on. Because she wasn’t sure she could handle seeing Maddie flinch away from her again, as if she was nothing more than a feral predator.
Saff rubbed a light hand against her sore throat as her gaze fell to the cup of water still sitting on the floor of the cell, untouched.
She stood from the cot, her shoulders and back aching in protest as she slowly moved to retrieve the cup.
It was room temperature, with a slightly mineral taste, but it still soothed the dry ache in her throat.
She took slow, small sips, and when she finished the last of the water, she glanced down at the apple. It didn’t exactly sound appealing, but she didn’t know when the next food would come, and it felt stupid not to eat it.
She picked it up, crunching out a small bite from its side, her jaw aching.
Her eyes fell closed as she released a deep sigh. It would probably make sense to try to get some sleep while she could. Who knew when they would let her out, and when they did, they’d probably make her leave right away.
She took a step back toward the cot.
Then suddenly, a muffled crack rang out.
Her head snapped back up to the unmistakable sound. The sound she’d heard thousands of times in her life.
A gunshot.
She dropped the apple, her hands shooting up to the rusted metal bars.
She waited, listening for any other sounds.
Then, after a few moments, she could hear some type of commotion.
People yelling? No—screaming.
Her hands gripped the bars so hard, the sharp points of rust nearly cut into her palms.
More gunshots.
Her heart hammered in her chest. Was this some internal fight between residents of the settlement? Or—a sick feeling filled her stomach—had raiders finally broken through the wall?
She listened to the muffled yells above her as they filtered through the thick flooring.
The chances of the settlement going as long as it had without any major internal incidents made it hard to believe that it could be some dispute between residents. Which meant it had to have been the latter.
And if raiders made it through, they’d be out for blood. Although they might not find her down there where she was. Or at least, it would probably take them a while. And in that time, she could probably find a way out.
But then—
Maddie.
She took a step back, every ounce of exhaustion she’d felt before suddenly replaced with surging adrenaline.
Where was Maddie?
Who was with her?
Her breathing quickened.
The thought of raiders searching the houses and finding Maddie sent white, hot, searing rage bursting through her.
“Hey!” she shouted as loud as she could, praying that someone was still upstairs who would hear her. “Hey!”