The Longest Winter

Chapter 3

   For the first time in a long time, I was able to rest peacefully without watching over my shoulder nor finding a place hidden from others. Even just for a moment, I just wanna fool myself that I'm safe. Whomever is this person, I'm grateful for them. But I'm not the kind of person that'll fall into a trap with their words. Even before the world ended, I knew to not to trust people words. Specifically in a life or death moment.

A woman lied to the police that some man took the last supplies of rice with him in his RV. I can't forget how they hunt him down like a animal & hang him in front of the camp. But they never found the missing supplies nor the woman & her family. I don't know what happen after since I left in the middle the night. Until the small traveling group I was in, I heard  that the camp was ambushed by another group. Many people died as it seemed someone was undercover within the group.
But it's not my problem anymore.

As I waken myself up to the sound of the fire dances, the lightening in the room was dim as the outside from the window was still dark. I guess I slept the whole day again. I held onto the pillow as the smell of food in the air again.
Kinda weird that I've been waking up without seeing the person. Maybe it's a good thing.
The smell of whatever is cooking on the stove is giving me the energy to sit up once again. It's a lot more darker in here than the last time. It's nice & warm with the hint of pine in the air. The room is a lot more relaxing & calm.
I stretched my arms & I let out the longest yawn in years. I feel a lot better as my bandages still on my hands. I can't feel that cool tingling feeling but my finger tips do stings a little.

"Freezer burns" I said to myself as I move my fingers around.

My feet don't hurt but I do wanna take off these damn bandages. Kinda making me feel claustrophobic. I stretched out my legs in bed while putting pressure on them. I wanna stand up doing it but I don't want to feel that sharp glass feeling under my feet. But sooner & later I gotta get going. Not only that, I need to meet the owner of this place.

I was so deep in my thoughts, my heart skipped as I fell back with the covers on me as if my mother coming in on me to see if I'm still awake on a school night. I relaxed my now tense body as I heard the door opening.
I slowed down my breathing as I'm telling myself not to panic. Even before the apocalypse, I always do this whenever I felt danger is near.

I hear them dropping stuff down as they let out a deep sigh of relief. Heavy foot steps on the wooden floor as they made a lot of noise. This probably not the first time of them being noisy like this.
Just thinking about that, makes me wonder how long have I been sleeping.
I hear them walking by the fireplace while humming a low tone again. I wanna open my eyes but my damn body won't let me. The fear of facing them, facing reality that I need to go back into.
I can hear my heart beating like crazy as I can feel their present there in front of me.

"Stay calm, stay calm,stay calm-" I ketp telling myself over & over as I can hear them breathing.

I felt a large hand on my head as they gently brush my hair. Just hearing them humming is driving my anxiety over bored.
I wanna cry so badly. Feeling their hand going down on my left cheek as they let their thumb run across my lips.
Lighty playing with my lips as I hear them chuckle to theirselves.

"I'm home." They said in a warm welcoming tone.

I hear them walking near the fire place as a  door shut.
I gave myself a few more seconds before opening my eyes to see lights coming from the bathroom. I didn't dare to sit up as I looked at the rifle next to the nightstand by me. I can take that gun & shoot them.
I wanna jump up & leave from here. I wanna meet them, yet my stomach going numb as hell while my mind going crazy with so many thoughts telling me what to do.