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"I'll be in the room beside this one," Saff said, walking back to the door. Maddie mumbled something as she walked away, but Saff couldn't hear it over the pounding and ringing in her ears.
She stopped at the door and put one lantern on the ground, then flicked it on.
"I'm leaving a lantern here, and I'll put another one outside my door."
Maddie gave her a small but genuine smile. And Saff hated that one a little less than the last.
"Thank you," she said, her eyes on the lantern that she'd just sat down.
"I'm gonna close both our doors, but I'll leave them unlocked."
Maddie nodded again, then Saff walked out into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind her.
She dropped one more lantern by the next bedroom door before entering. Then she pulled out a third and walked to the bed, placing it on the bedside table. She removed her backpack, dropping it on the floor, and pulled out one of her knives. Then she placed it next to the pillow, before leaning the rifle against the wall.
A slight tingle went through her lungs as she sat on the bed, bringing a cough with it.
She hadn't thought of it before, but the house was probably filled with dust that would make her asthma act up. It might have even been smarter for her to try to sleep somewhere on the patio, or somewhere with more fresh air. But she didn't have the energy to figure that out now. The pounding in her head and the incessant ringing in her ears were screaming at her to stop, screaming at her to lie down and give them a break.
She glanced over at the window against the far wall. It would have to do.
She stood and slowly walked to the window, then flipped open the latch before pushing it open. An icy rush of air immediately flooded into the room, and the light tapping of the rain outside turned into a pounding thunder.
Hopefully, it would let in enough fresh air that her lungs wouldn't be bothered.
She made her way back to the bed and dragged her legs up, leaning back until her head grazed the soft pillow.
Then she turned to the side and let her eyes lazily drift across the room where soccer trophies and medals lined the top of the wooden dresser in the corner.
Her eyes fluttered closed, and she thought about the last question Maddie had asked her. She thought about what she had done after the outbreak.
Chapter eight
Screaming.
Maddie's eyes flew open, and she bolted up in bed. Was that a scream? Or part of a nightmare?
She sat there in the dark, waiting, listening.
A few moments of silence passed.
Then there it was again. A loud, muffled yell.
Her heart hammered in her chest.
“Saff?” she called out softly. Was making noise the best decision? She didn’t want to draw attention to herself, but what if Saff needed help?
She listened quietly, waiting—praying for any type of response.
Then she heard another shout, this time a little softer, a little more muffled.
She shifted her legs off the bed, carefully dipping her feet down to the cold floor. Creaking floorboards protested below her and she cringed, trying to soften her steps.
She felt for her cane where she’d left it, resting against the side of the bed. Then she stood and slowly made her way to the one light she could see. The one beacon in the darkness.
When it was at her feet, she reached her hand out for the doorknob, then paused. Was it a mistake to go outside? What if there was something dangerous out there and she was better off hiding in the room?
She shook that thought away. Saff could be hurt or in trouble and might need her help. She wouldn’t cower in the room.
