Turning Point ✓

18 | long haul

The garage was freezing, sucking in the cold outside and holding onto it like a grudge. Adele's whole body chattered as she grabbed the heavy cupboard and pulled. It was heavy, almost too heavy for her to haul away from the wall, but adrenaline kicked in full force when she felt the sudden tug on her heart. Caleb was still awake. She could feel his presence, pushing her to free the hatch to the bunker. With an extra torch in her hand, she threw open the door and shone the light into the cellar.

"Caleb? It's me," she said, getting down on her knees to peer into the bunker. "You can come out. They're gone."

He came out of the cold shadows, both blankets wrapped around his shoulders. She could feel the fear that was scrawled into his skin, his steps wary as he crossed the cold concrete floor. Gripping the blankets tighter, he looked past her before he met her gaze.

"It's safe?"

"It's safe," she said with a comforting smile.

"Is Ainslie safe?"

"She's absolutely fine. She's asleep; she's been out for a while."

"Out where?"

"Oh, no, I just mean she's been asleep for a few hours," she said, offering her hand when he got to the steep steps. He didn't need her assistance but she reached out to him on instinct, gripping his cold fingers. "Oh my God, Caleb, you're frozen!"

"It's not warm down there," he said with a shiver, shoving the cupboard back into place when Adele let the door crack shut. "They hunted for a long time. I heard a gun."

"They didn't get Reed," she said, following his train of thought. "They would have sounded the siren. I know he's still out there and we're going to find him." She squeezed his hand. "We're better hunters than all of them put together."

"I know." He nodded. "We will."

The woods were cruel at half past two in the morning, a sharp blast of wind trying its best to push them off their feet as Adele helped him across the snow to the back door, sitting him in front of the fire that she stoked with the poker. A mammoth yawn took over her entire body, her back cracking when she stretched out of her control.

"I'm sorry you were down there so long," she said, covering her mouth when another yawn rocked her. "Fuck, I'm shattered." Rubbing her bleary, stinging yes, she stood. "I need to go to bed. Feel free to stay up."

"I'll sleep too." He didn't let go of the blankets, wearing them like a cape as he dragged himself to his room. "Is Ainslie ok?"

She pushed open the door to her room to show Ainslie soundly sleeping, a tangled mess in the covers with her bright hair splayed over the pillows. Caleb glanced at her, then at Adele.

"She has all the space."

She laughed. "Yeah, that's just how she sleeps," she said. "I'll make space for myself."

"Have my bed."

"Not really enough space for two in there," she said.

"No, you have it. Just you."

"No, that's your bed, Caleb. Ainslie will just have to budge up."

He shook his head, as stubborn as her. "I'm going to the kitchen. You sleep there. You need a proper bed." He pushed her towards his room. "You stayed up for me. You saved me again. You need to sleep, and Ainslie kicks you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

His tone was definitive, no nonsense in his eyes. Adele couldn't fight him: her body was crying out for a break, her mind as tired as her limbs. Caleb left to curl up in front of the fire. She shed a couple of layers and groaned her satisfaction as she sank into the mattress that welcomed her weary frame. The duvet cloaked her like a hug, the whir of the heater the perfect white noise to push her into a dreamless sleep.