My legs were already flimsy when we arrived at the Safehouse, as Maria wanted to call it. It was an underground room located inside the house of Maria's parents.
It was only a hundred and fifty square meters but there was a bathroom, a bedroom and a kitchen. The walls seemed sturdy enough and it was actually tidy.
My left knee was bleeding and I looked like I drowned in dirt. Contrary to how I looked, Maria was stunning and even seemed vibrant. I stared at her once more and noticed the bulge in her stomach, again.
"You're pregnant." The words went out of my mouth before I realized it. Gavin glared at me.
"Yes." Maria replied in a weak voice.
"Is it Gavin's?" I asked.
"Shut up, Aoife." Gavin snapped at me.
Maria stifled a laugh and said, "Yes, it is."
I didn't ask any more questions after that because if I did, Gavin must have thrown me out of the Safehouse.
"These bags of food are not going to last for a week." Gavin said as soon as he had finished counting and estimating the food we had.
"I could buy." I offered. "Without dying, I mean."
"No, I don't think so."
Running around, hiding and transferring in a new and safer place was not an unusual thing for us, the Commons. What was unusual and more terrifying was the fact that we were now on our own, with no idea if our parents were still alive and breathing.
"Do you think they're still alive?" I asked, unconsciously changing the topic. Gavin looked teary-eyed for a moment.
"I wish they are. I just really hope so."
The next morning, Maria decided to make breakfast for us. She fried the remaining rice we've had last night, placing salt and garlic in it.
"How many months?" I asked her, referring to her baby.
"Four." She said, smiling and sitting next to Gavin.
We ate our breakfast silently but the sounds of the explosions were unbearable. The three of us were obviously trying too hard to stop ourselves from crying. This situation was new for Gavin and me. We were never away from our parents during the attacks. And maybe this was also new for Maria, for having something alive in her stomach.
"We have a problem." I announced, in the middle of our semi-emotional, eye-wetting moment. They both looked up. "We don't have any sort of device to hear the news."
"I have one in my bedroom. Above the ground, I mean." Maria told me.
"I will get it." Gavin said and began walking away before we could even protest.
"Be careful," Maria uttered in a weak voice. "please."
Gavin turned back and smiled at her. She smiled back.
