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She quickly unwrapped the towel, letting it drop onto the cot beside her. Then she pulled the t-shirt over her wet hair. The neckline was snug, but the rest fit loosely over her body, bigger than she’d expected. She stood and quickly pulled the sweatpants on next.
When she was done, she ran the towel through her hair, squeezing out any excess water.
She let out a breath, finally feeling her muscles relax as warmth filled her body.
She folded the towel and dropped it onto the top of her backpack beside the bed, then laid down, pulling up the blanket. Her eyes closed, and she inhaled, relishing the feeling of clean clothes and a warm bed.
The shirt smelled faintly familiar, and she pulled the neckline farther up to her nose, taking a deep breath.
It smelled good—like something that made her want to cuddle up in bed and never get up again.
Then she realized it smelled like Saff. Not when they’d been traveling together, but that morning, when she’d shown her how to kill the infected. When she’d practically hugged her body.
She bent her head down, tucking her face into the warm blanket and let her thoughts drift off, until eventually she heard Saff re-enter the room.
She cracked her eyes open and moved her face up from the blanket, but kept quiet. Listening to Saff quietly move about theroom was calming. Something about the sound of her footsteps soothed her.
Maddie listened, staring off at one of the lights, until she heard Saff walk to the stairs and go out the hatch.
She closed her eyes again, waiting for her to return.
And when she did, she smelled her first before she really heard her.
Popcorn.
Maddie smiled with her eyes still closed, her face tucked back into the blanket.
Metal clinked against the floor nearby
“Want popcorn?”
Maddie hummed, smiling. “Yes, but I would rather die than get out of this bed right now.”
Saff snorted, then Maddie heard more clinking before footsteps came toward her.
“I’m putting a bowl for you here on the bed.”
Maddie smiled wider. “Thank you.”
She felt for the popcorn and placed a few pieces in her mouth, moaning at the delicious taste of the butter and salt.
“This is so good,” she said, placing a larger handful in her mouth.
Saff chuckled softly, and Maddie could hear her crunching through bites. “I think cooking it in a pot over the fire makes it taste better somehow.”
Maddie ate another handful, then leaned her head back onto the pillow. “I think you’re right.”
She listened to the crunch of Saff eating for a few moments, then she turned over on her side again. “How’s your head feeling?”
Saff grunted, then crunched on another bite. Maddie waited for a more concrete answer, but when Saff didn’t give one, she knew what that meant.
“When I get migraines from the sunlight,” she said, “the only thing that usually helps is when someone rubs my neck and the base of my head.” She listened to Saff chewing. “Wanna try that?”
“Try what?” Saff asked through a mouthful of popcorn.
“I can massage your neck,” Maddie said, leaning up onto one elbow. “It might help the headache.”
“It’s okay, I’m—”