Page 22 of Surviving Her

“A hot bath might not be on the menu, but this’ll do for the night,” River said, her voice echoing in the open space. “Let me do a quick sweep for walkers. You never know.”

Eliza nodded in agreement, setting down her pack with a relieved sigh. “It’s…well, I guess ‘perfect’ isn’t quite the word I’m looking for, but I’m happy we found this place.”

While Eliza ventured outside and gathered wood for a fire, River rummaged through the kitchen and found some old pots and pans. Before long, the farmhouse was filled with the warm glow of a fire, and the smell of a hot meal wafted through the air.

“I can’t believe you’ve managed all this. How did you do it? Talk about Jesus turning water into wine. River has turned thin air into soup!” Eliza laughed, giving River an admiring look at the same time.

“I found wild garlic outside, nettles, dandelion leaves, and some old tins of potatoes and beans in the wood store,” she replied with a grin.

“How old?” asked Eliza, a hint of concern coloring her voice.

“Don’t worry. They’re a couple years out of date, but they’ll be fine,” River replied with a teasing smile. “Canned food lasts a lifetime. I’m not sure how good it’ll taste, but we need something hot and nutritious. This is the best I could come up with.”

They ate in silence, savoring the warmth of the food. After a couple days of grainy protein bars and not much else, the hot stew felt like a luxury, and Eliza couldn’t help but giggle a little as she took another bite.

River caught her gaze, a small smile playing on her lips. “It feels amazing to have a real meal like this, with not a single zombie in sight.”

Eliza nodded, her heart swelling with gratitude. “It really does. Thank you, River. For everything. I can’t believe it.”

River’s eyes lingered on Eliza’s for a moment longer than necessary. “You don’t have to thank me. We’re in this together, right? You got the firewood.”

“Sure, but that’s all I could do. I don’t have a clue how to light a fire or forage for food. I’m not much of a girl scout,” Eliza said, shrugging her shoulders and tilting her head gently to one side.

“You’re learning fast, doc,” River said as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Hey, River? I have a small request. I’m not too keen on the whole ‘doc’ thing, okay? It makes you sound kinda like Bugs Bunny.”

“Ha! Bugs Bunny? You’re older than I thought, Eliza.”

After dinner, Eliza watched as River disappeared behind the farmhouse. Her curiosity was piqued.

What is she up to now?

She leaned against the doorway, exhaustion weighing on her, but she couldn’t help but feel a flutter of interest as she waited to see what River was up to.

A few moments later, River reappeared, dragging something behind her. It was an old, battered tub, its metal sides streaked with rust and dirt from years of neglect. Eliza raised an eyebrow, watching as River examined it thoughtfully, running her fingers over the rough surface.

What the heck is she doing with that old thing?Eliza wondered, intrigued by the focused look on River’s face.

River set the tub down with a grunt of effort, then moved with purpose toward the old stone well near the farmhouse. Eliza’s eyes followed her as she hauled up a heavy bucket of water, her muscles straining with the effort. River clearly didn’t mind the hard work.

Eliza’s breath caught as she watched River pour the cold well water over the tub and scrub at it with a rag she’d found in the kitchen. The sight of River working so intently, sweat beading on her brow, sent an unexpected warmth through Eliza’s entire body. She’d come to truly admire River’s resilience over the last few days. Still, there was something about this small act of care, this effort to create comfort in the middle of what had so far been a pretty harrowing journey, that made her heart ache in a way she hadn’t anticipated.

When the tub was as clean as it was going to get, River paused to take a deep breath, her eyes glancing up to meet Eliza’s. A small, triumphant smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and Eliza found herself grinning back, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten.

“So, what’s the plan here?” Eliza asked, her voice soft, not wanting to break River’s focus.

River wiped her brow with the back of her hand. “I figured we could use a bath. It’s been a while. I thought it might help usrelax a little. I’m going to heat up some water, add a little soap…it’s not much, but it’s something.”

Eliza’s heart jolted. The idea of a bath, of washing away the grime and tension of their journey, sounded like heaven. “That sounds more than amazing. I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” River replied gently. “Just let me take care of it.”

Eliza nodded, falling silent again as she watched River drag the tub inside, positioning it near the lit fireplace. River moved with quiet efficiency, gathering several large pots and filling them with water before placing them over the fire to heat. The scent of burning wood mingled with the rising steam was, in Eliza’s opinion, a true luxury.

“I feel guilty watching you do all this work,” Eliza said, looking down at her feet. “Can’t I help? You seem to be doing everything around here. I can’t just sit around being waited on hand and foot.”

“Are you kidding? I love doing this stuff. This is what I was born to do. This is what my life up in the forest was supposed to be. Also, you’re kinda doing me a big favor. How many people would follow a stranger into the woods to save their father during the outbreak of a zombie apocalypse?”

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