Chapter 105

The first light of dawn filtered through the cracked windows of the cabin, casting a soft glow on the room. Amanda lay beside Ron, their bodies tangled in the warmth of the blankets, still basking in the afterglow of the night before. Her head rested on his chest, rising and falling with his steady breaths, and for a fleeting moment, the world felt distant. Quiet.

She let her fingers trace the faint lines of scars on his skin, remnants of battles he rarely spoke about. They had both been through so much, both changed in ways neither could have anticipated, but somehow, in each other’s arms, they found a sense of home.

Ron stirred beneath her, his eyes slowly opening, and when their gazes met, he gave her a soft smile—the kind of smile she hadn’t seen in what felt like an eternity. It wasn’t the hardened look of a man constantly on alert, but something gentler, more vulnerable. It was the Ron she remembered from before.

“Morning,” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep.

“Morning,” Amanda replied, her voice quiet in the stillness of the room.

For a while, they just lay there, neither of them eager to break the fragile peace that surrounded them. But even as Amanda savored the warmth of his body next to hers, reality began to creep back in. The weight of everything they were running from, everything they still had to face, settled like a stone in her chest.

“We can’t stay here much longer,” she said finally, her voice tinged with reluctance.

Ron sighed, his arm tightening around her. “I know.”

It was the truth they both couldn’t ignore. Their enemies were still out there, closing in, and Nathan’s condition was getting worse by the hour. They had only bought themselves a brief reprieve, a temporary oasis in the storm that raged around them. Sooner or later, they would have to face it all again—the danger, the uncertainty, the fight for survival.

Amanda shifted, sitting up in the bed, the blankets pooling around her waist. She ran a hand through her hair, trying to shake off the lingering sense of calm that clung to her. “I just wish things could stay like this,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ron sat up beside her, his hand resting gently on her back. “Me too,” he said, his tone soft. “But we’ll get through this. Together.”

Amanda turned to him, her eyes searching his face for reassurance. She wanted to believe him, wanted to hold onto the hope that there was a way out of this mess. But deep down, she knew that the road ahead was fraught with danger. They had already lost so much.

Still, there was a strength in Ron’s gaze that gave her a small glimmer of hope. He had always been her rock, the one constant in the chaos of their lives, and no matter how uncertain the future was, she knew she could rely on him.

“We should check on Nathan,” Amanda said, her voice steadying as she pushed herself out of bed.

Ron nodded, rising to his feet as well. “I’ll gather our things. We’ll need to move fast.”

Amanda dressed quickly, pulling on her clothes with a sense of urgency she couldn’t quite shake. She glanced at Ron as he gathered their supplies, his movements efficient and precise. There was no room for hesitation now. They had to be ready for whatever came next.

When they entered the main room of the cabin, Amanda’s heart clenched at the sight of Nathan lying on the makeshift bed they had created for him. His face was pale, his breathing shallow, and though he managed a weak smile as they approached, Amanda could see the toll the last few days had taken on him.

“Hey,” Nathan rasped, his voice barely audible.

“Hey,” Amanda replied, kneeling beside him. “How are you holding up?”

Nathan chuckled weakly. “I’ve had better days.”

Ron crouched down on Nathan’s other side, his expression serious. “We need to get you out of here. We’ll head south, try to find help.”

Nathan nodded, though it was clear he was struggling to stay conscious. “I’ll… be okay,” he muttered, but Amanda could see the fear in his eyes.

They had no choice. If they stayed, Nathan wouldn’t make it. But moving him in his condition was just as risky. Every second counted, and the longer they delayed, the more danger they were all in.

Ron stood, his jaw set in determination. “We’ll be ready in ten minutes.”

Amanda gave Nathan’s hand a reassuring squeeze before rising to her feet. “Hold on, Nathan. We’ll get you through this.”

She turned to follow Ron, but as she reached the doorway, Nathan’s weak voice called after her.

“Amanda… thank you,” he whispered, his eyes closing as exhaustion overtook him.

Amanda swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing herself to focus. There was no time to dwell on emotions, no time to let fear take root. She and Ron had made it this far together, and they weren’t going to give up now.

As they prepared to leave, Amanda couldn’t shake the feeling that this moment of peace—this brief reprieve they had shared—would be one of the last. The storm was still brewing, and whatever awaited them beyond the safety of the cabin, it would be far more dangerous than anything they had faced before.

But they would face it together.
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