There two and a half months full of nightmares, causing Lily to bring River's crib into her room and share the bed with Branch (and normally River, the crib was more of a wish). Not a single night went by without at least one nightmare, and the sooner Lily could rock and reassure her boys the sooner they could all go back to sleep. But sometimes sleep just was not going to happen. Sitting in the kitchen holding both of her clinging boys as she drank another cup of tea Lily reflected on how this was going to be a no sleep night.
"Lily?" Branch's blue eyes looked up at her.
Reaching down into herself she found the strength to give him a soft smile, "Yes Branch?"
Swallowing, he spoke, "Do you think if we had a hideout the nightmares would stop?"
Running a hand through her hair she hit her tired brain in an attempt to think, "Yes, it could help to have a hideout." Looking into the hopeful blue eyes, "What are you thinking of making?"
Reaching into Floyds old vest Branch pulled out a piece of paper that had been carefully folded, "This is the hideout I was going to make with Floyd."
Looking at the drawing she frowned slightly. But seeing the boy's face start to fall, "It looks great buddy, I just don't know how to make a ten story tall water slide." Seeing the slight doubt in his eyes, "How about we see if we can find books on how to build things at the library tomorrow?" The bright smile and nod was more than a reward, and Lily even got three hours of sleep before Branch was shaking her awake to go to the library.
Maybe calling the collection of scrap books and documents a library was too generous, but there were books on the right way to build storage and good plants to eat so Lily and her boys borrowed them. They also started going on walks to find edible plants, find borders to their world, and most importantly find a spot to dig their hideout. It took nearly a year of trial, error and work to make a space for them to be able to live in while making their hideout bigger but it was worth it. All three members of the family slept deeply at the end of the day and there was a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day that they had been missing.
The three of them pulled further and further away from the village, as they went deeper into the hideout and Lily adjusted things so that her boys would be comfortable. Branch was much more of the digger and builder while the other two helped him. River made finding the edible plants look easy and was able to keep everything organized with his older brother's help. And Lily taught them both how to fight/defend themselves while she killed and dismembered what they hunted. Lily also taught them how to cook, and was the best at it.
Days turned to weeks, weeks to months, and months to years as they lived in the bunker. The lower levels were for storage and survival, while the upper were for the family to live together in harmony with games and their hobbies. They were cautious, prepared, and tried to be ready for anything that the world would throw at them but they would face it together. Because there was nothing that the three of them couldn't take, right?