The first week passed in a torturously slow pace. I tried to keep myself occupied by hunting more than normal, cooking every meal for every person inside the cabin, and I'd taken up jogging, which was ridiculous, but the monotony of the act calmed me.

Chloe and Abby were in the living room, playing with the twins. Trent was washing dishes from our recent breakfast. They were all acting so. . . normal, like nothing was wrong, like we weren't on the brink of yet another war with ...