Jack woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside his tent. He rubbed his eyes and stretched, feeling the warmth of Emily's body next to him. They had been sharing a tent for months now, and he couldn't imagine sleeping without her by his side.
He got up and put on his clothes, quietly leaving the tent so as not to wake Emily. As he stepped outside, he saw Mike already up and about, tending to the fire.
"Morning, Jack," Mike said with a smile.
"Morning, Mike," Jack replied, grabbing a cup of coffee from the pot on the fire. "How's everything looking today?"
Mike shrugged. "Same as usual. We've got plenty of food and supplies, but we always have to be on our guard. You know how it is."
Jack nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. They had settled into a routine over the past few months, but he knew that they were never truly safe. They were always one mistake away from disaster.
He walked over to the perimeter of the camp, checking the traps they had set up for any signs of activity. Everything seemed to be in order, so he returned to the fire to find Emily already awake and sitting with Mike.
"Morning, Jack," she said, smiling at him.
"Morning, Emily," he replied, sitting down next to her.
They spent the morning together, cooking breakfast and planning out their day. Emily was in charge of the garden, while Mike and Jack handled security and maintenance. They had fallen into their roles naturally, working together to keep the camp running smoothly.
As they ate breakfast, they discussed the upcoming winter and what they needed to do to prepare for it. They knew that they needed to stockpile food and firewood if they were going to make it through the cold months ahead.
After breakfast, Emily went to tend to the garden while Jack and Mike went to work on repairing the fence that surrounded the camp. It had been damaged in a recent storm, and they needed to make sure it was strong enough to keep out any unwanted visitors.
It was hard work, but they were used to it by now. They had spent countless hours repairing and rebuilding the camp, and they had become experts at making do with what they had.
As the day wore on, they took a break for lunch and sat together by the fire, chatting and laughing. It was moments like these that reminded Jack of how lucky he was to have found a new family in this world.
After lunch, they split up to continue their work. Emily went back to the garden, while Jack and Mike focused on gathering firewood. They had to make sure they had enough to last them through the winter.
As they worked, Jack couldn't help but think about Emily. They had been together for months now, and he knew that he was in love with her. He had never felt this way about anyone before, and he was grateful every day that she felt the same way about him.
When they finished gathering the firewood, they headed back to camp to rest and have dinner. Emily had made a stew using vegetables from the garden, and they all enjoyed it together, talking and laughing as they ate.
After dinner, they sat together by the fire, enjoying each other's company. They talked about their hopes and dreams for the future, and Jack felt a sense of contentment wash over him. He had everything he needed right here, with his new family.
As they prepared to go to bed, Jack and Emily said goodnight and went back to their tent. They snuggled together, holding each other close as they fell asleep.
It wasn't an easy life, but it was their life. They had created something special here,