The morning air was crisp and smelled like pine needles, fresh dirt, and the sweet promise of a new day. For the very first time in ten long years, Nikki woke up and did not feel a single drop of fear in her heart.
There were no loud, scary sirens screaming in the distance. There was no smell of smoke, no burning metal, and no hiding in the dark. There was only the gentle, happy sound of the river rushing over smooth white stones and the warm, golden sunlight spilling through the wooden window of their new cabin.
