Page 13 of Shattered Love

Huffing, I slouched deeper into the couch, resting my head against Murphy’s shoulder. Turning to him with wide eyes, I tried again. “Can I at least go outside? Fresh air does wonders for healing.”

“That’s actually a great idea,” Mina said and she quickly became my favorite person in this room.

Realizing it was two against one, Murphy gave in. “Fine, but at least let me help you walk.”

Smiling widely, I popped up from the couch, holding out my hand for Murphy to grab. I could have fought him on this, I could walk perfectly fine, but I craved his nearness. His touch brought me comfort, something that we were hard pressed to find these days.

Walking between Murphy and Mina, I took in the view from the porch attached to the cottage. It was the first time I had been outside since we arrived and a calmness spread through me at the beauty.

The sun was setting beyond the trees, the mountains visible in the distance. The area was quiet, as secluded as Emmanuel and Elizabeth had promised. For a moment, I could pretend that we were on a vacation, spending time together before we would all return home.

The moment was brief, Rainer and Sasha’s figures coming into view laden down with wood, reminding me of the world we truly lived in. Sighing, I turned toward Murphy. At least his smile had returned.

And the smile was even more prominent now with his clean-shaven face. Everyone had jumped at the opportunity for a shower, finally clearing away the grime that had built up over the months in the woods.

Yesterday, I had finally gotten the opportunity to shower myself and I accounted that for part of the reason I no longer wanted to stay on the couch.

Rainer and Sasha reached the porch, dropping the wood into the diminishing pile by the door. Rainer’s gaze met mine, but he didn’t say anything before stomping into the cottage. His eyes had constantly found mine lately, yet he never said a word.

My chest expanded on a long exhale as he disappeared inside. I never knew what was going on inside his head. Some days, I saw the man from the woods, the one who loathed my existence. And others, I saw the man who had done everything in his power to save my life. A man as conflicting as the unnamed feelings swirling in my chest.

Sasha wiped her hands off on her legs, the four of us sitting on the edge of the porch. As the sun sunk further past the horizon, a chill whipped through the air, a reminder that summer was beginning to fade. A reminder that soon our world would end. And in that moment, I decided that it didn’t matter what anyone else said, I couldn’t sit on my ass any longer.

We were all seated in various spots of the living room and kitchen, inhaling our food. Since arriving at the cottage, we hadn’t done the best at rationing our supplies. We had been living off such small amounts for so long; it was impossible to hold ourselves back.

Even Warner had joined us for dinner tonight, a shadow lurking in the corner by himself. Spooning more soup into my mouth, Emmanuel’s gruff voice filled the otherwise quiet room.

“We’re running low on food. That wouldn’t be a problem if we weren’t also low on ammo.” Emmanuel avoided eye contact with Rainer and Murphy, but I looked at them both.

Murphy sheepishly glanced around the room while Rainer glared at the plate in front of him. It was neither of their faults, but the truth of it was that we either needed more canned food or we needed bullets. Without either, we’d soon be in a worse position than we were in the woods.

“What do you suggest we do?” Murphy asked, opening up the question to anyone that could offer a solution.

Warner was the first to speak. “I’ll go into town.”

Without thinking, my hand rose into the air and I called out, “I’ll go with him.”

Immediately, Murphy and Aiden voiced their denial, but Warner spoke over both of them, silencing the room. “It’s her choice.”

His words were quiet, but they brokered no argument. Excitement zipped up my spine at the idea of getting out of this cottage, of doing something useful once again.

“You can’t go into town without protection,” Rainer said, his frown growing as he realized he couldn’t bring that protection, not anymore.

Warner pulled a gun out of his waistband, and I was shocked for a moment, before I realized it was the weapon he had back at camp. I still wasn’t sure how he had gotten it. Of course, no one else knew about this and their hackles raised at the weapon.

“Want to tell us why you haven’t been helping with the hunting if you’ve had a gun this entire time?” Rainer ground out, getting to his feet and stomping toward Warner’s secluded corner.

Warner stood his ground, looking bored in the face of an angry Rainer. “You heard the old man, we don’t have any ammo. And last time I checked, this gun only has three more rounds. Figured I’d need it for more important things.”

That shut Rainer up, although he didn’t back away from Warner until Murphy spoke up. “You know he’s right, let it go.”

After a few more tense moments, Rainer listened to his friend, backing away from Warner and sitting back down on the floor near the sliding door.

“Will the two of you be able to carry everything back?” Aiden asked, his twin gaze meeting mine, and I knew he was itching to join us, even if only to watch over me.

“I can go with them. If we each grab a bag, we should be able to carry plenty,” Sasha said, and I noticed the same look in my eyes reflecting in hers. She wanted to do something, sitting inside this cottage, however inviting, was restless.

Warner nodded in confirmation, pushing off the wall and heading toward the small linen closet that held several bags, two men’s coats, and a rundown pair of boots. “Then it’s settled. We should leave now.”

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