ι נυѕт ωαηт тσ вє ησямαℓ αgαιη [¢яуѕтαℓ σηℓу]

[~echo~]

Calida smiled at him. She looked around for a moment before nodding assuredly. "This way," she said.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Jonathan let go of her hand and followed her through the forest. He really did feel safer out here. Away from everything, away from ANEW and his obligations and whatever else was making his life hell. There was just peace. Silence.

[~echo~]

They walked for a good five minutes before Calida stopped in a small clearing. There was nothing remarkable about it, just some thick underbrush and shade created by the trees.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Jonathan glanced around, then at her, his eyebrows raised.

[~echo~]

Calida gave a broad grin and dropped to her hands and knees. She searched around for a moment, then with a little "ah-ha!" she pulled up a door that had been hidden in the fallen leaves. "Home sweet home," she said, stepping down onto a ladder that led underground."

(She's a hobbit. xD)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Jonathan grinned (having that very same thought) and followed her down. This girl was full of surprises.

[~echo~]

"Home sweet home," she said with a grin. The room looked like an old bunker that had been expanded and cleaned up.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Jonathan wandered past her, gazing around the room. "This is kind of amazing," he said quietly, almost to himself.

[~echo~]

"Thanks," she said. She disappeared around a corner and came back with two glasses of water. "It's got everything a home needs. Kitchen, bedroom, highly armored against nuclear bombs."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Jonathan smiled faintly as he took the water from her. For a moment, he marveled at how easy he smiled these days. It didn't used to be like that. It seemed strange that after all the bad things that had happened, he could finally smile. "Are you expecting any nuclear bombs?"

[~echo~]

She shrugged playfully. "You never know what may happen these days," she said. "Make yourself at home. We can stay here a long time and never be found."