(It’s completely dark, I can’t see a thing… Aah, the fire. Did it go out?) I push myself up with my elbows, (It’s soft… Wait, that’s right, we’re in the bomb shelter). I swing my legs off of the side of the bed, there’s a pressure near my abdomen. (Ah, that’s probably why I woke up. I need to use the restroom, though where is it. I used it yesterday but with no lights on, this place is so disorienting. Guess I’ll just have to ask Nick.) I stand up and a dim light turn on, (Did it just sense me?). I stretch out my hand, seems I can only see a couple feet away, I can barely see the tips of fingers. (If I remember correctly, Nick went to the couch on the other side of the room. Mmm, I found him in one yesterday, I wonder if he likes to sleep on them.) I begin across the room slowly to make sure I’m going the right way (Ah there’s the other beds, so he should be to the right) I walk to the right. I catch a glimpse of the couch and a foot hanging off of it. I stop when I’m in front of the couch and lean forward, (He sure does seem peaceful). I reach out and touch his should to wake him up, the next few seconds come in a blur. He suddenly grabs my wrist, twists me around, and sits me down in his embrace. My body tenses up and I do everything not to release my bladder. “What do you want from me?” he says in a hot nasty voice into my ear, my neck prickles and a shiver runs down my spine. I can’t move, his grip is to strong (Doesn’t he remember me? Or is this his true self? Was all of this a facade to make us trust him?) the thoughts rushed into my head (What is he going to do with me now? From what he said, Doug nor Helen will be able to hear anything. Was this his plan all along?). “I-I w-was j-just wonder where t-the restroom was?” I stutter horridly, (What’s he going to do with me?) my body tenses up (please, not again, please). His head leans on my shoulder and his grip loosens, (Hu, what’s he doing?). “Don’t scare me like that” I hear him from behind me (You scared? What about me!?). He completely let’s go of me, but I’m still in his lap. He then grabs a hold of my waist, (wait, so it’s not over! Never good ever came from a man trying to grab my waist throughout my entire life, especially high school… ) he interrupts my thoughts by picking me up and putting me beside him on the couch, then letting go (wait, so your not going to do anything?!). He sits there a moment and explains how the lights work and night (I don’t care about that right now, aren’t you going to do something with me?), then stands up and steps in front of me. He reaches something out towards me, it’s his hand, I can barely see anything. (A kind gesture. Why can’t I figure you out?) I don’t take the hand. “Look I don’t plan to hurt you, that’s the last thing anyone should do at these times. Early was just a surprised reaction to keep someone from hurting me, the only thing I could do with that position was keep you from moving.” He explains. (I guess in these times it is understandable, but I’m not going to fully trust you just yet.) I take his hand and he rubs it for a second “Alright, let’s go get this situation under hand” he says. (I really can’t understand him, and my heart isn’t helping) We begin to walk, hands together so not to get lost in this darkness.

(Whew, that was a relief. Now time to handle another interaction with him, I kind of wish Helen was awake) I walk into the main room and find Nick going in circles on the stool he’s on, he’s looking at a book. (He’s such a kid, playing on a stool. Guess I should apologize for surprising him, even though I was even more surprised, but all that wouldn’t have happened if I would have just yelled at him or something. If we’re going to be staying here, even for a few days, we need to be on good terms with everyone.) I walk quietly over to the kitchen, the light begins to illuminate me. “Um, I just want to say sorry again for everything that has happened so far.” I say (even if it’s partly his fault. But in the end, he seems like a good guy). He looks at something behind the wall “Well looks like it’s a good time to make something extravagant for breakfast. I’m sure everyone will appreciate it, choose what you think might be best” he slides me what look like a cook book. I walk up to the counter and open the cover. I look through the pages for something that looks good, (Ah a keesh, my mom use to make these all the time. Though they do take a lot of eggs, which he probably doesn’t have) I point at the picture. “A keesh?” he says with a laugh, I nod (as I figured) “or is this too much” I say a little disappointed. “No no no, not at all, I was just thinking how great that choice was” he gives a beautiful smile “the rest of our actual egg supply is about to expire, this is a great way to use them. Then we’ll have to go to powered eggs” he gives a disgusted look with a bluh. A giggle escapes my lips, (No, this is not happening). “Well then, I’ll go grab the ingredients from the room and you can get some bowls, cutting board, and knives. Well, I guess that’s if you want to.” He says looking elsewhere. “No. Yes yes I’ll do that. It’s the least I can do” I say quickly, (If we’re all eating, then it’s best to help to the best of my ability) that stupid grin again. “Okay then, I’ll leave it to you. FYI it’s pretty organized so it shouldn’t be to hard to find everything” he walks into another room. (Great, a scavenger hunt now, as if I haven’t had enough of them).

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I find all of the items that we’ll need and put them on the counter. (Now to wash my hand to prepare the food) I walk over to the sink and turn on both sides of the water, I begin to hum a song my mum use to hum while cooking dinner. I put soap on my hands and put them under the water, humming away. “Would you like me to put on some music?” Nick says into my ear, I jump. He places his hands on my shoulders and squeezes them “ooo, relax, it’s just me. Guess I’m not the only one to be startled” he grins at me, (You Jerk). He puts on some old music, it’s alright but definitely not my favorite. “Can you cut up the vegetables? I’ll start making the egg mixture and crust ready.” I nod at him. I bring the bowl of veges over to the sink and run water over them. I take them back to the cutting board on the counter and pick up the knife. I start to cut them while he’s mixing the flour for the dough and kneading it. I’m pretty use to cutting food, but some times there’s slip ups. “Ouch” I say in surprise, I glance at my hand, blood is slowly coming out (Great, that’s exactly what I need right now). “Did you cut yourself?” he asks me, “Yeah, but it’s not to bad” I say. He walks over to me “let me see it” “it’s fine” I reply, (I don’t need to babied me). “The last thing we need is a cut getting infected. We also don’t need a open wound to make it easier for the bigger infection to get in. So, let me see it. Please” he says sternly, (Fine, if only to get you to stop worrying about it). He takes my hand and raises it towards his eye, now that I really see them, their a beautiful silver color. Without warning he puts my finger to his lips, their warm against my skin, his tongue runs against the cut. A tingle runs down my finger, through my hand and to the rest of my body. Heat rises to my cheeks and I stare in his eyes that are looking at my finger, (What is this?). “Oh, I’m sorry. I did that out of reflex of my own injuries in the past” I notice a interesting pattern on the stone floor “anyway, I want to sterilize it and bandage it up, so come with me a moment.” He drags me to another room. He grabs a few things from the drawers and takes my hand again, I feel the warmth of his hand against mine. “This will most likely sting a bit” he tightens his grip, I flinch at the stinging of the gauze he’s holding. He then wraps the bandage around my finger. He squeezes my hand “Okay finished. Now I won’t forbid you to finish the vegetables but try not to cut yourself again” yes, there’s that grin again. The heat is rising and I begin to want to melt (What am I thinking?) I quickly pull my hand away and leave the room.

Nick puts the keesh into the oven when Doug and Helen come out of the bedroom. “What’s up, you two get into a fight?” Doug asks us, noticing the silent and kind of awkward atmosphere in the kitchen. I’ve been trying not to think of everything that has happened since meeting Nick. Helen notices the band-aid on my finger “What did you do?” rushing to me, (again, I don’t need to be babied). “Calm down, it’s nothing serious. Just a slip from cutting up the veggies. It’ll heal fully in a few days.” Nick says to her. “Enough of that. Breakfast will be ready in about half an hour, so go freshen up. I’d prefer if you didn’t have a shower, but if you absolutely feel the need to then make it a fast one. But I’m going to have one first.” Nick walks to another room.

(Finally, some time without him around).