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Saff’s hand move to the spot below hers on the gun, her fingers just barely grazing the edge of her palm.
“Okay, so you need to drop it a few more inches. Right about here.”
Saff's breath brushed over her cheek, and just like earlier, her heart began to beat just a little faster. She swallowed, nodding as Saff’s hand moved away.
“I'm going to throw the next one. Are you ready?”
Maddie cleared her throat, adjusting the gun in her hands. “Yeah.”
She focused again on the surrounding sounds. Then, after a few seconds, she heard the small noise from Saff behind her, then the thud of something heavy landing against the ground and skipping through the leaves. This time it was further over to her right side.
She moved the gun in that direction, trying to keep it at the level that Saff had just set it to.
“That's better,” Saff said. “You're not exactly pointed at the target, but you're pretty close.”
A small surge of pride coursed through her.
They repeated the process again and again, each time with Saff adjusting her slightly until the gun was pointed directly at the target.
They continued like that for a while, until her shoulders and arms began to ache.
“Do you want to try shooting now?” Saff asked.
Maddie lowered the shotgun, rolling her shoulders up to her ears and neck. “I don't know if my arms can take much more today. They're not really used to holding the weight of a gun.”
Saff hummed.
“Besides,” Maddie continued, “you should probably get more rest.”
This time, Saff let out a grunt of disagreement, and Maddie smirked, having expected that response.
“How are you feeling? And don't say ‘fine’,” she quickly added, before Saff’s default response could make its way out.
Saff snorted, and Maddie smiled again.
Items shifted around beside her as Maddie listened to her gathering their things.
“My side doesn't hurt that bad. But I have a headache.” Saff paused for a moment, before adding, “The headache is kind of bad. I guess.”
Maddie pointed the gun down at the ground and held it out in front of her for Saff to take. When she felt her lift it from her hands, her arms floated with relief and she massaged her hands back and forth on the sore muscles.
“Are you still taking medication for it?"
“Yeah,” Saff mumbled, “But with most concussions the headaches stay for a while. They just come and go.”
“Is there anything you can do for them?”
Saff grunted dismissively. “Anytime I've had them before, nothing really helped.”
Maddie scoffed. “Anytime you've had them before?” she mimicked. “How many concussions have you had?”
“A few.”
“You mean, like, before the outbreak or after?” Maddie asked.
“Before.”
Maddie nodded slowly. “How'd you get so many concussions?”