Apophis: A Love Story for the End of the World

Chapter Eight: Hot Springs

The next morning, I woke up to Nora's hand between my thighs. She was still sleeping soundly beside me, her breathing slow and even, but her hand seemed to have other plans. Somehow during the night it had migrated up my leg and was now rested against the bare skin of my inner left thigh. The sleep shorts Doctor Allyse had given me had ridden up at some point in the night, too, so there was no barrier between the heat of her palm and my naked skin. It was completely innocent, but that didn't mean I wasn't feeling equal parts awkward and turned on.

I had limited options. I could wake her up and experience her wrath – I could practically guarantee she'd turn on Turbo Bitch Mode if I made a big deal about where her hand had spent the night. I could try to wiggle out of bed like some masochist coyote ugly reject and pray she didn't wake up in the middle of my escape. Or, I could go back asleep and pretend it had never happened and just hope her hand was gone by the time I woke up.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to make any of those decisions for myself.

"Good morning, Sammy." If I had thought her voice uncommonly attractive before, it paled in comparison to the way my name rolled off her tongue first thing in the morning. I felt her dangerously placed hand give me a firm squeeze.

I immediately sat up and threw the covers off of me. I think all that traveling through snow and icy winds had altered my body's internal temperature. I could feel the sweat start to trickle down the small of my back.

Nora sat up slowly in bed. "Where are you going, weirdo?" Her eyebrows crunched together.

"I'm gonna go check on my dad," I called out as I escaped out of the bunk house.

+ + +

I looked up at the ugly rattle of a plastic food tray plunking down next to me. I expected to see Nora and her knowing smirk, but was instead surprised to see a tall, dark-haired guy, who looked fresh out of high school. He settled into the vacant seat right next to me. It was a little unnerving. The cafeteria wasn't all that crowded and there were plenty of other seats available. That he decided to take the seat right next to mine was honestly annoying. I liked my space.

I had come directly to the mess hall from the men's bunks. I probably should have stopped back at the women's bunk to pick up Nora before breakfast, but I was still rattled from our brief morning interaction. The men's bunks themselves were messy with their own unique odor from so many men living together in one space. It reminded me of the bachelor rows that had sprouted up in Williston during the oil boom. Men in various stages of undress shuffled around me, unconcerned about my presence. I had gotten so accustomed to people being bundled up because of the Frost that all that human flesh on display was a little disorienting.

Thankfully, I had found my father easily as he and Mr. West had claimed a bunk close to the main door. I was relieved that my dad seemed to be back to his normal self. His extreme silence the previous night had alarmed me. I was thankful that he didn't look so tired and worried anymore. Maybe this was the break he had needed – that we all needed.

"How's your ankle?"

The question from the guy sitting next to me was startling. Either word moved really fast in this place, or he had been part of the group that had found us. Everyone had been wearing ski masks that covered everything but their eyes and mouths though; I wouldn't have been able to recognize him from the previous night if I'd wanted to.

"I'm the one who carried you," he clarified.

"Oh, uh." I felt my face reddening. "Thanks for the help."

"Not a problem." He grinned broadly. "I'm Ryan, by the way."

"Right. I remember from last night," I nodded. "I'm Samantha," I introduced myself. "But everyone calls me Sam."