We finally collapsed into the living room, our bodies aching from hours of hauling supplies from the two overloaded cars parked outside. The trunk contents now lay scattered across the hardwood floors—canned goods, medical supplies, and personal belongings creating a maze of survival essentials around us.
Sydney stood in the center of our exhausted circle.
"Five rooms in total," she said. "Four bedrooms upstairs, and one guest room down here on the ground floor—perfect for the lonely lover."
"So how should we divvy this up?" Rachel asked, pushing a strand of red hair from her forehead.
Without hesitation, Liu Mei rose from her position on the worn leather armchair. "I'll take the guest room here on the ground floor," she said, already gathering her bag.
Sydney's eyebrows lifted slightly. "You know you won't be sleeping alone, right?" She reminded Liu Mei, her tone gentle but pointed. "We need to double up to make room for everyone."
