Page 40 of Surviving Her

“Cool. That’s so my thing,” River replied with a wink. “Do you think they’re ready for some survival training?”

Eliza nodded. “Clara’s been teaching them some of the basics, but I think they’re ready for a little extra tuition. Just don’t scare them, got it?”

“Me? Scare them?” River asked in surprise, raising her eyebrows.

“Yes, you! Please don’t give them all the gory details about walkers and how you like stabbing them through the brain or decapitating them. You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Eliza said, her tone almost chastising.

“Yes, you’re right. I don’t mind a little decapitation now and again.” River laughed. “But I’ll keep it PG-13.”

As they walked through the settlement, they passed by the communal kitchen, where a few of the older residents were washing pots. The smell of stew filled the air, making Eliza’s stomach rumble. Meals were always a communal affair, with everyone pitching in. It was one of the ways they’d built a sense of togetherness, a reminder that they were all in this together.

When they reached the school cabin, Clara was waiting at the door, her hands on her hips. The children were already gathered inside, their eager faces pressed against the windows as they waited for Eliza and River.

“There you two are,” Clara said. “The kids have been driving me crazy asking when you’d get here.”

Eliza smiled, stepping inside with River. The cabin was filled with makeshift desks and chairs, all hand-built from scavenged materials. The walls were covered with drawings the children had made—pictures of the forest, animals, and scenes from their lives here. It was a simple space, but it was filled with life and energy.

The children immediately crowded around Eliza, their questions tumbling out in a rush.

“So, what can we learn today? How do we fix a wound, miss?”

Eliza smiled and sat down with them, ready to teach.

As they left the school cabin, River and Eliza made their way back toward their tiny home, passing through the heart of the settlement. Not far off, they could hear the sound of someone chopping firewood. The whole community buzzed with life, something that had seemed impossible not so long ago.

Their cabin stood on the edge of the settlement, slightly apart from the others, nestled beneath a large oak tree. It was modest, built with their own hands like all the others. Outside, they had a small vegetable patch where Eliza grew herbs and some vegetables—a source of fresh ingredients for her medicines and their meals.

Inside, the cabin was simple but cozy. It had a single room with a bed, a small table, and a few shelves that held their belongings. A fire crackled in the hearth. River dropped her pack by the door and stretched.

“Home sweet home,” she said, her voice low and content. “Did you see my dad this morning? Is he okay?”

Eliza walked over to the hearth and knelt to stoke the fire. “He’s fine. He was stretching his legs when I saw him. In fact, Ithink he stopped to lecture Marcus on where he was going wrong with the thatching.”

“Sounds about right.” River chuckled.

“Every time you go out, I worry, you know? But then you come back, and I realize that there’s just no need for me to be this stressed.”

“It’s just because you love me, right?” River grinned, charming as ever.

“I don’t just love you, Ireallylove you!” Eliza laughed.

“Like, how much out of one hundred?”

“I’d say at least ninety,” Eliza teased as she pulled River in toward her, biting her lip.

“You know what, I’ll take that.” River smiled.

As their bodies tangled in their cozy wooden home, they couldn’t wish for anything more. No matter what happened in the outside world, they’d found each other. They’d made a home. And now they had a life to live…together.

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