Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

The first of the snow has fallen to the ground exactly a week after our meeting. We haven't looted since we were busy with trying to breakdown our remaining supply and made a list of everything we needed. We haven't expected the snow to start so soon and we were trying to rush everything.

The triplets were almost done with the animal pens but they have used the remaining supply nails, and woods. So, Drew and Steven had to manually cut down trees to use for the cabins. But we still needed supply from the town.

Zoi and Griffin made the first run to the town. Since it was the first time we would come back there, the few hours they were gone were like an eternity. But thankfully, they returned safely. The two of them were to take food. And I have to say, they did well for their first run. They have brought back six boxes of canned foods and two boxes of bottled water. And I had a feeling Griffin used his abilities to steal them inside a store without even nearing it.

The next trip to the town was made by Drew and Steven two weeks after the first since we couldn't risk sending them there in case the town people were expecting them. But we needed to hurry up. The snow was almost covering the ground, which would leave a trail of the truck and we can't allow that.

So, even with their protest, I made my run the next day. Thankfully, the town people were also busy preparing for winter but I had to double my guard since their guards were up. I took longer than I usually do but I took everything we needed and I pushed the truck to its limit.

I returned to camp before the second layer of snow fell. The next few days were busy with everyone trying to get ready for winter. The men were busy with strengthening the cabins. The women were busy at the farm. While Jack and I tried our best to get as much water as we could in fear of the river freezing up from the cold. More likely I escorted Jack since he did not exactly need my help at all.

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"Katra, I'm scared!" Annie cried as I walked towards her. We were all gathered at the main cabin. The first storm of the season had hit. Strong wind ruled the night, taking down anything in its path. All we could do was hope that the cabins would hold. The wind was shrieking outside, the cabin walls barely able to silence it. The fire on the fireplace barely gave us heat so everyone was huddled in front of it, hiding beneath thick blankets.

I sat down beside Annie and fixed the blanket that was falling off her shoulders then I held her tight, sharing my blanket with her to give her more warmth. I whispered comforting words in her ears and she fell asleep. I was still singing her a lullaby when Carlos crawled his way towards us. He settled himself beside Annie and I opened my left side for him. He crawled inside the warmth of my blanket with his covering him. Then, I closed my arms around him and Annie. The two settled into a peaceful sleep due to the warmth produced by our positions.

Coleen and Tash came to the circle and put mugs of hot chocolate in front of us. The sweet aroma of the chocolate seduced me to pick one. So, carefully, I laid the two kids on the blanket-covered floor and gave them my blanket because the cold wind had picked up. Then, I crawled my way towards the waiting hot chocolate and my palms met the warmth of the hot drink and sniffed the sweet aroma before taking a sip.

All of us let out a relieved sigh at the warmth it provided. But I shivered at the cold wind. Steven made a move to give me a new blanket when I felt someone moved behind me. I saw Zoi with his arms wide open and his mouth fixed in a sly grin as his brow rose in challenge. His whole expression and demeanor were daring me to come to him. I almost refused but then I thought about the warmth another person could provide. So, I crawled my way towards him and settled myself between his knees that were raised. When I was comfortably seated, he closed his arms around me; surrounding me with his warmth and the blanket. Then, I raised the warm cup to my lips once more to drink.

I noticed everyone was staring at me wide-eyed. I furrowed my brows at them and Zoi laughed lowly in my ear. His warm breath and sexy laugh sent shivers down my spine and I leaned in for more.

"Are you two—?" Carly dragged the words out slowly and I laughed as I shook my head. They hadn't asked anymore but their expressions said they hadn't believed me. I couldn't blame them though. Because of this position with Zoi kind of betrayed that answer. But as much as I'm afraid to admit it, I kind of like being this close to him.

I was awoken by a ray of sunlight that escaped through the thick—scratched that, I was awoken by a ray of sunlight that entered through a hole in the roof. I blinked my eyes a few times and furrowed my brows. I could feel a hand on my waist. I raised my head and looked around before the events of the night came back. I gently removed his hand from my waist and sat up. Everyone was still asleep. Yawning, I stretched my hands up in the air before I gently made my way out of the cabin to check the damage. I already knew we had a hole to fix in the roof of the main cabin. Thankfully, that was the only damage it received. But I wasn't too confident what I'll see with outside.

Chaos.

Outside was chaos. That was the only word that came to mind when I opened the door. There was thick snow that blanketed the ground. The chicken fence was destroyed and ended up to the far side of the camp and the chicken house was beyond repair. The chickens missing from my sight. A part of the pigpen was destroyed but the pigs were still inside. The pond was frozen, showing me that the river probably looked like that too.

The farm was beyond saving. The few little plants that were growing were scattered on the ground. A few trees fell down, thankfully not hitting anything. But the ground was covered with broken branches and other things that were flown our way.

But worst of all, the cabin that held the clinic was destroyed. Half of the roof was gone, letting snow enter through it. The door hanging on its hinges for dear life and the windows were shattered. The clinic was separated from the other cabins since the start. And that may have been the reason why it received so much damage when the others hadn't.

The three steps of stairs were hidden beneath the snow. I walked towards the cabin and my feet vanished in the snow, making it harder for me to walk. So, I decided to have a little exercise. I ran. The snow flew away from my sudden take-off. But after maybe three steps, I was running so fast that my feet barely touched the snow; leaving no clue that it was even disturbed. I reached the clinic and the door fell when I touched it. The room was full of snow as thick as it was outside.

The equipment was buried in it and the medicines that Carly created were probably along with it. Oh damn, we're back to square one with the clinic. I heard a few gasped from the main cabin and I turned my head to look. Everyone was on the porch, taking in the damage that has been done while we were asleep. I told them not to get out of the cabin since we needed an emergency meeting. When they nodded, I ran back towards them.

"Oh!" Rose cried. "What will we do!?"

"Don't worry, we'll think of something," Lily assured her.

Coleen was already heating up some waters as Tash prepared the cocoa. We were gathered by the long table. Annie was sitting beside me and I ran a hand down through her hair as she smiled at me.

"How's the clinic?" Carly asked me.

I shook my head at her, "It's all destroyed. No medicine was savable."

Her face fell as she put her head between her palms. Carly had worked so hard to create our own medicine so that we won't have to make a trip to the town whenever one of us gets sick. And with the snow covering the ground, it would be hard to collect the herbs and plants she needed.

Coleen and Tash distributed the hot chocolate. It was a quiet morning as we looked out the window.