The kids huddled together near the massive stone fireplace, wrapped in thick quilts that smelled like cedar and gun oil. I made a fire quickly— memory from darker years. The flames rose like guardians, painting their faces in flickering gold. Maya clutched her sister. Aliya sat with a quiet tear rolling down her cheek. MJ chewed on the corner of her blanket, too exhausted to cry anymore.
I moved fast. My body on autopilot, driven by something deep—a parent’s rage and a soldier’s calm.
I found the hidden latch near the back wall and pulled it. The groan of metal hinges echoed through the cabin as I lifted the trap door. The cold vault beneath yawned open—a forgotten bunker I built years ago, back when paranoia and dream coexisted like oil and water.
Down there was everything I never trus
