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They’d been staying in the bunker together for nine whole days.
And somehow, Saff hadn't truly grasped how much time had elapsed until that morning. She'd gone on what had become her usual morning hunt and walk to survey the surrounding area when she noticed the dwindling supply of firewood. Then she checked some of the other reserves. A few of the essentials were running low, and that's when it dawned on her.
Nine days.
They’d settled into such a routine that she'd barely registered the time slipping by. Each day had been, in their own ways, almost comforting. Perhaps even enjoyable.
Saff continued her regular trail through the woods, rifle at the ready as she inspected the traps she'd set earlier that week. With the onset of warmer weather, hunting prospects were looking up, and just that morning, she'd spotted a handful of rabbits. Although each shot she’d taken at them had missed by a fewinches, she blamed the poor aim on the slight ache still present in her torso.
Rounding the last bend, with the rock face to one side and the creek to the other, she stood overlooking the small clearing where the bunker lay hidden beneath the earth. The early more light had seeped into the sky just a few minutes before, casting the forest in a soft, hazy gray. The pine trees, having regained most of their post-winter foliage, displayed a lush, dark green canopy over the area.
In the early months of her hospital internship, thoughts of that place often served as an escape. The mere idea of that serene setting during springtime provided solace from the relentlessly long shifts. And after particularly grueling days, she'd sometimes wish she were there—not necessarily at the bunker, but immersed in nature, where the soothing scent of damp earth greeted her every morning.
In a morbid twist, she supposed she’d gotten her wish.
Saff trudged down the hill, the persistent sting in her side flaring up with every leap over logs or rocks. That was the trickiest part about healing: an injury that wasn't fresh enough to be forefront in your mind but also hadn't mended enough to be entirely forgotten. Which made it more of a daily annoyance than anything else.
Reaching the shed, she opened the hatch to the bunker and descended.
Once inside, her gaze fell to the cot against the wall.Golden locks flowed over the pillow, with the bottom half of Maddie's face still nestled in the blanket, only her closed eyes visible.
Unlike herself, Maddie was not an early riser. Not even close. But Saff preferred it that way. She liked having the time to herself each morning, checking over things and getting mentally prepared for the day.
She proceeded to the back area of the bunker, hanging the rifle in its spot on the wall beside the other weapons. Then she took the extra knife out of the sheath on her leg and opened the drawer where she’d gotten used to keeping it, careful not to disturb the row of spare grenades beside it.
Then came her second favorite part of the new morning routine.
Coffee.
She dropped her jacket onto her cot as she walked back into the main room.
Going through the now familiar motions, she grabbed the pot and coffee grounds before heading back outside to prepare enough for two cups.
By the time she returned, Maddie had begun stirring in her cot.
Saff set the two mugs on the table, then she settled into her usual spot, watching Maddie stretch and turn towards her, finally opening her sleep-filled eyes.
“Morning,” Maddie mumbled with a lazy smile.
Saff watched her for a moment as she stretched out on the bed, pushing the blanket down to her waist. As she sat up and turned to her, Saff could see which shirt she was wearing. The Penn State Soccer t-shirt.
After that first time she’d worn it, Maddie had mentioned how comfortable it was, so when they washed their clothes in the creek, Saff had left it on her cot to keep wearing if she wanted to. It was never her favorite, anyway. The neckline was always a little too snug for her liking.
Saff took a long, slow sip from her mug. “Does the smell of the coffee wake you up?”
Maddie's mouth twitched up slightly as she swung her legs off the bed, her bare feet grazing the ground. “No. You're not as quiet as you think you are in the mornings.”
This time, it was Saff’s lips that turned up in a slight smile. She took another sip of her coffee as Maddie stood, feeling for her cane.
She ambled over to the table, and Saff watched the way she did it with ease, like she’d done it a hundred times before. Like it washertable.Herbunker.
Saff blew the steam off her coffee before taking a large gulp.
“Well, I don't smell any bunnies being cooked for breakfast, so I'm assuming your hunting skills failed this morning?” Maddie asked, settling into the chair across from her.
Another smile made its way onto Saff’s face, and she turned, looking away. “My skills don't fail,” she lied. “There weren't any rabbits out this morning,” she lied again.
“Right,” Maddie muttered beneath a knowing smirk that made Saff’s own smile grow just a fraction larger.