By the second week of that November, the temperatures had now started alternating between the fifties and forties, which was reasonably mild for a month that used to symbolize a fast approaching winter in their previous home. But it still made all of them a little unsure of what might occur over the next few months.

Ian was preparing to go hunting again early that morning, as it was Jared who Lili had curled up to sleep next to late the previous night. Having had no reason of his own to lack sleep, Kyle was up just as early upon hearing Ian begin readying his weapons for the hunt.

Peering around the semi-built wall between their two sleeping areas, Kyle spoke to Ian quietly. “Hunting again?”

“Can’t hurt to stock up, just in case it keeps getting colder,” was Ian’s simple response as he finished with the weapons and moved to slide the jumpsuit on over the casual clothes, as they had all been doing now with the cooler temperatures arriving.

“Want some company?” Kyle asked after a brief glance toward the also semi-constructed divider between he and Jared’s sleeping area.

“Oh, that’s right, Jared got her attention last night, hmm?”

“I suppose,” Kyle began as he moved to slide his own jumpsuit on over his clothing as well. “Though I doubt they did much last night. But at least this week should be over soon, so who knows about tonight?” Kyle responded with a hopeful smile.

“Oh, was that this week?” Ian asked curiously as he began heading toward the outer door of the shack, as Kyle hurried to follow.

“You mean, you don’t have the dates memorized yet?” Kyle snickered as the two made their way out into the dim light of the still rising sun.

“Remember, I’ve only had any reason to even concern myself with those dates for about the last three weeks now,” Ian smiled wryly. “But what’s the day that starts again, like the fifth?” Ian returned with a creased eyebrow as the two began heading away from the shelter to find the morning’s prey.

“Yes the fifth through the eighth or ninth, and today’s the eighth, so hopefully that means that tonight normal bedtime activities can resume,” Kyle commented, with a bit of eagerness apparent.

Ian couldn’t help chuckling. “I realize she’s your first foray into the world of woman, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up about tonight, if I were you,” he told him simply, which only caused a slightly deflated as well as curious look from the seventeen year old.

“You guys got a date planned or something?” he returned to the older man wryly.

“No, but I think she’s off schedule this month.”

Kyle pondered the words before speaking. “Thought you weren’t paying attention?” Kyle returned sarcastically.

“Well, I wasn’t really, until you said about the fifth, and that was what, Tuesday?”

“Yeah, I think. Why?”

“Cause, I was with her Tuesday night,” Ian chuckled. “So, I’m pretty sure that she won’t be ready to give any of us that attention tonight, since she’s obviously, like I said, ‘off-schedule,’” he repeated with an only slightly sympathetic smile.

“Damn women,” Kyle mumbled.

“So speaketh the expert,” Ian just had to tease.

“Hey, I’ve been sleeping with her longer than you have,” Kyle just had to remind.

“Do we really wanna compare and contrast experience levels, Kyle?” Ian smirked knowingly.

“Just sayin,” Kyle grumbled with the slightest bit of concession. The two then walked a few moments longer before Kyle spoke again. “So, three weeks you’ve been being with her now?”

“About,” Ian smiled back as he shook his head at the younger man’s curiosity.

“And not a word?”

“About?” he repeated the word as a question.

“Come on, man, she made you wait ten years, and now…not a word about it?”

“To who?” Ian chuckled again.

“Let’s see, I’m pretty sure Lili already knows about your encounters with her, so who does that leave?” Kyle responded with another dose of sarcasm.

Ian laughed again. “What? You want some pointers or something?” Ian smirked once more. “But I thought you’ve been sleeping with her longer than me,” he mocked.

“But ten years, and finally?”

“Your point?” Ian returned after waiting another moment for Kyle to specify his inquiry a bit more.

“And, you’ve said nothing!” Kyle repeated impatiently.

Ian just chuckled. “What is it I’m supposed to be saying, again?” he asked with a raised brow.

Kyle just shook his head as he continued following Ian through the forest. “Well, I sort of pegged you for the type to brag, or at least like gloat or something.” Kyle grumbled.

“To the two guys who’ve already been with her? Seems kind of pointless.”

“But still, it’s you. Isn’t it what you do? I mean, how else did everyone up there know all about your conquests. You’ve never seemed real concerned with keeping private things uh, private,” Kyle settled on.

“Well, things have changed,” Ian responded, though quietly.

“Changed? What’s that mean?” Kyle continued, then looked up, as if having a sudden realization. “Oh…”

Ian glanced back at that reaction. “Oh?” he couldn’t help repeating, not sure he really wanted to hear Kyle’s explanation for such a reaction.

“Wow,” was all Kyle said, though under his breath.

“You and your ‘wows,’” Ian muttered as he glanced away and simply continued to move forward with deliberateness.

“So, it finally lasts more than a second with her, huh?” Kyle finally returned, though with his own only slight smile.

“Remember what I said about chatting not going with hunting?” Ian returned pointedly.

“It’s ok, Ian. Your secret is safe with me,” Kyle grinned as he patted Ian on the back with another gentle smile.

“Oh, do shut up,” Ian retorted as he continued, shaking his head at that ever so annoying perceptiveness that also seemed to come along with all that genius, after all.

Back at their meager abode, it wasn’t very much longer before Lili awoke next to Jared with a start. She then rushed from their pile of bedding to head quickly outside, regardless of having slept in nothing more than a simple t-shirt and panties.

Only a few more brief minutes passed before Jared stirred in his own slumber. He then went to roll towards where she had lain with him that night, only to be startled awake when his arms reached to embrace her, only to find her gone. He rubbed at his eyes as he pushed himself to his elbows before surveying his surroundings to attempt to locate his former companion.

He sighed slightly as he realized he seemed to be alone there under that recently constructed roof. Though his sigh made way for a more perplexed expression as he noted that most of Lili’s clothing was still atop the nearby pile, despite the cooler temperatures of late. He pushed himself up to his feet, pulling his own shirt back on above his jeans and casting another look around as he reached for both Lili’s jeans and jumpsuit.

Making his way out into the gray light of the now risen sun, he looked off toward the river. There, he did indeed find her near the edge, staring off into the water in silence despite the chilly air around her only partially clothed body.

“Not exactly t-shirt weather,” was his softly smiled greeting as he neared where she did not even turn to greet him. Narrowing his eyes a bit, he attempted to hold out her forgotten clothing to her. Her only response was a deep, yet obviously shaken sigh as she continued to stare at her own reflection in the gently moving river. “Aren’t you cold?” he asked more gently as he moved closer to stand behind her.

“Honestly, I couldn’t even tell you, right now,” she whispered, her tears obvious in her voice then.

He furrowed his brow worriedly as he moved to sit next to her, offering her the clothing as she turned only slightly his way to absently take the items into her trembling fingers, the tears now obvious upon her reddened cheeks.

“Are you the one having bad dreams now?” he offered with a sad smile as he moved a hand up to brush some hair from her face where a strand had been glued to her damp cheek.

“I wish,” she choked the response, her eyes still cast down.

“Are you going to tell me why all the tears, then?” he asked quietly as he moved closer to wrap an arm around her while she still simply clung to the offered clothing rather than donning it.

Lili sniffled and took a ragged breath, trying to find any words at all to answer him with. “I’ve decided I really don’t want to know anything about the future; not anything, ever. How you can do it is beyond me,” she managed, the tears still trickling down her cheeks.

“Did something…happen?” he decided on, his own voice shaking a bit as he noted that their two companions were indeed absent. He then quickly turned back to her to try and find the answer on her face rather than in her words.

“Who knows? After all, they’re out there right now. Maybe today will be the day they won’t come back, after all,” she forced the words through another sniffle.

Jared managed his own deep breath as he cast a slight glance toward the tree line before turning back to her. “You haven’t talked about that possibility again since the first time they went hunting. So why is it suddenly worrying you so much now?” he dared to ask.

“Because, I’ve spent three months…over three months, just waiting, terrified, that each day was going to be the day that I would have to really face that fear. It got so I just wanted it to be over with, so I wouldn’t have to be scared every single day that that would be the day,” she shook her head, her breathing shallower as more tears fell from her cheeks to the bare thighs that were tucked beneath her atop the river bank.

“You didn’t tell me yet this week, that you knew for sure again that this month wasn’t the month …Is that what this is about?” Jared asked, seeming to have to force his own words right then.

“Tuesday was when I was supposed to know. This is Friday,” she returned, swallowing the words instead of speaking them.

Jared took another deep breath before making some attempt at reassurance. “Stress and diet both can make things like that…unpredictable.” he offered.

“That’s not it,” she denied. “Why do you think I rushed out here without even getting dressed?” she continued, her voice devoid of almost any hope right then. “I’ve spent the last five minutes being sicker than I…than I can ever remember being,” she finished with.

Jared swallowed hard again. “Well, maybe it was something you ate. You never know. I mean, the stuff we’ve been living on…”

“Jared,” she stopped him mid-sentence, finally looking back toward his own equally worried eyes. “I always eat the exact same things you all eat. You know what this means. Please, don’t pretend it doesn’t. We can’t pretend that, ever again,” she whispered as she pulled him closer, burying her head against his chest, the tears continuing then; three months’ worth of pent up tears, all let loose at once, at last.

Jared gave her several long moments to shed those tears, holding her tightly as he bit back his own emotions, knowing that he needed to be there to comfort her, right then. When her tears finally began to slow, he squeezed her tight against him once more, at last managing his own words. “I know I’ve said it before but please, you have to try and remember that this…” he swallowed again. “This isn’t a guaranteed death sentence, for any of us. Nothing in my vision ever said that it would be. You have to remember that, always. If you don’t, you’ll barely be able to breathe, and you have to be as strong as you possibly can be, especially now,” he added in a raspy whisper.

Lili let out her own breath, finally moving away long enough to shakily slide her jeans back on before managing any more words. “Yes, I suppose it’s remotely possible for all four of us to still be alive come summer, when…when it’s time. But even so, we’re all young, strong; the four of us might be able to survive this place for that long,” she paused, her voice breaking as she bit her lip. “But what hope does a tiny, little, helpless newborn infant ever have of surviving here as well? What guarantee, if any will this child ever have? Can you really give me any realistic assurances of that?” she choked upon her last question, before starting back toward their supposed home again. Her tears then started anew at the prospect of her own words, once she had forced herself to finally speak those thoughts aloud.