I'm running down the road, carrying Gina in my arms. She's unconscious. It's getting late, and I need to find somewhere safe to spend the night. She's getting too heavy for me to carry much longer. Up ahead, I see a broken car stopped in the middle of the road. I make my way to it and stop. Carefully, I put her down and lay her on the seat next to the car door. I gently slap her cheeks, trying to wake her up. "Hey! Hey! Wake up," I say, my voice urgent. I need her back on her feet as soon as possible. Almost forgot—I need to cover her eye. It's open again. I grab the scarf and tie it back over her eye. She stirs, her eyelids fluttering.
"Hey! Look at me," I say. She's waking up now, slowly but surely. Relief washes over me, but there's no time to dwell on it. "It's getting dark soon. We need to find a place to spend the night," I tell her. She looks at me with an exhausted face. I can see she has no energy left, but we have no choice. I crouch down to her level. "Can you walk?" I ask. She nods, and I feel a small glimmer of hope. That's good to hear.
I was so worried she'd refuse. But she didn't. I take her hand and start walking down the road, moving as quickly as I can. There's nothing around us except trees, stretching endlessly in both directions. Then I hear it. a sound. An engine. I don't know what it is, but it's getting closer and closer. Gina and I instinctively start walking toward it In front of us, I see train tracks. Could it be? "What's that sound?" Gina asks, her voice tinged with curiosity and fear. I whisper to myself, "How?" How could this be possible in a world like this? How could a train still be working in this apocalyptic wasteland? It seems impossible. But the sound grows louder and louder. "I think it's a train," I answer her. "Really?" she asks, her tone filled with a glimmer of hope.
I walk toward the train tracks, leaving Gina by the side of the road. I have to see it for myself. And then I do—I see it. A train, chugging toward us from the distance. Maybe, just maybe, I can stop it. Maybe they'll help us. But are they good people? Or are they dangerous? I don't have time to think about that. We need help, and this is our only chance. The problem is, I don't have anything. I lost everything when I rushed to get Gina back. All my supplies, everything I carried—it's gone. Still, we need help. I'll have to take a leap of faith and hope that whoever is on that train is good—and willing to help us.
I start waving my arms and screaming, "Stop!" hoping the train will notice me and slow down. It's getting closer and closer, the sound of the engine roaring in my ears. But there's no sign of it slowing. I scream even louder, my voice straining against the deafening noise. Maybe they can't hear me over the engine. The train is so close now, barreling toward me. Can't they see me? "Please! Stop!" I shout desperately. But it's not stopping. It's coming so fast. Realizing I'm out of time, I leap off the tracks just before it reaches me. The train speeds past, the force of it nearly knocking me over. I stand there, breathing hard, as Gina runs toward me. We both stare at the train as it thunders past, carriage after carriage rattling in front of us. They didn't stop. They didn't even try to help. I count the carriages—fourteen in total. Fourteen. They couldn't find room for just two of us?
I'm running on this village. I arrived here by following the train track. Gina is in my arms; I'm carrying her. She's too slow, so I only have one choice: carrying her. I can feel she's scared. We're minutes away from the sun going down. She's holding me tightly, her eyes closed. She's too scared to see the darkness.
It'll be fine. I got you. I'm looking for a house that's fully covered. If we can't start a fire, it's the only way to survive. Every house in this village is just blown apart by something. They're all broken and shattered to pieces. I cross the road, and out of nowhere, a car stops right in front of me. I stare at it for a bit. There are three people inside—two in the front and one in the back.One of the guys in the passenger seat steps out with a gun in his hand. I point mine at him as soon as I see it. He does the same. He tries to make me lower my gun, saying, "Hey! Hey! It's okay. Lower the gun," in a calm voice. I insist and say, "You first." I'm not here to play around. If someone points a gun at me, I'm not lowering mine until they do. I don't trust anyone. He says, "Alright!" and lowers his gun. What the hell? Is he for real? So, he's not a threat. Seems like they're good people.
The guy in the driver's seat shouts, "John! No!" John looks at him and says, "It's okay. Calm down." Through the windshield, I see the driver reaching for a gun—but John stops him. He turns back to me, eyes locked on my gun. I'm still pointing it at him. "We're not going to hurt you," he says, still trying to calm me down. There's a girl sitting in the back. She leans out the window and says, "Get in! We don't have much time." John glances behind him, then back at me. I set Gina down and ask, "Can you guys help us?" I'm desperate. It's almost dark. We're minutes away. If we don't get help, we're dead. John asks, "You two heading somewhere?"I answer, "No." He narrows his eyes. "Then what are you doing outside during this hour?" He's trying to make sense of the situation. And why the hell did I say "no"? Idiot. "It's a... it's a long story," I mumble. I don't know what else to say. John looks around. The sun is almost gone. "Get inside. Now." The girl asks, "Are you sure about this?" At the same time, the driver yells, "John! NO!" John ignores both of them and turns back to me. "But first—hand over your gun." "No," I snap. No way I'm giving my gun to anyone. "Kid," he says, voice firm but steady. "We're not going to hurt you." I don't have time to argue. "Fine," I mutter, handing him the gun. The girl in the back opens the door. Gina and I climb inside.
Soon as I sit down, I ask them, "It'll be dark soon. How do you guys survive at night?" The guy who's driving says, "We have something special." He turns on the lights of the car. It's all around it. "UV lights." They made a car that can travel during the night. Fascinating. We travel a little on the road. I don't speak to them, and they don't talk to me. Everything is just silence. Suddenly, Gina falls onto my shoulder. She falls asleep. John, sitting in the front seat, asks me. I think he's had enough of the silence. "So, don't you wanna introduce yourself?" Alright, time to speak, I guess. I answer him, "I'm Arvid, and this is my sister, Gina." It's better to tell them we're siblings or there will be another conversation about things I don't want to talk about. The guy driving asks me, "So, you two, surviving this long, out there all alone by yourselves?" I can't say yes because they might get suspicious. Better tell the truth. "No. We were in a camp. We got attacked by them. We're the only ones who survived." There's an awkward silence for a bit. Yeah, they don't know how to continue the conversation. It's a good thing it got quiet, but I do need to know who these people are. The girl sitting next to Gina is pretty. She has blonde hair and looks about my age. I might have a chance. It feels so good to think I could get a girlfriend in a time like this. "So, who are you guys?" I ask. John introduces them to me, "I'm John! And..." He points his hand toward the driver and says, "This is my husband, Rodry." Husband? So, those two are a couple. "And she's my sister, Loira," he says. Loira says, "Hi" to me. Even her name is pretty. I can get to know her later. First, I need to know where these guys are heading, so I ask them. John asks Rodry, "Should we tell him?" Rodry says, "I don't think it's a good idea." Loira joins the conversation, "Come on! They're not going to cause us any problems." What are they talking about? I don't understand.
They reveal to me that they're heading toward an underground bunker built by rich people, mostly politicians, to survive a disaster like this. They said they heard about it from a podcast. Do I believe it? No. But I have no other choice. I have to follow them. If it's true, and not another trap, I hope it's not. It could be a home for Gina, especially since they have faces I can trust. Most importantly, Loira—she won't lie to me.So, I ask them how they're getting there. They have a marked map with coordinates. With that, the conversation about the bunker ends. Loira says, "You better go to sleep."I should. It's been a long time since I've had any rest. So, I close my eyes and drift off. We're out here. The DarkOnes are following us. I can hear their voices, but I feel safe for now.
I wake up, feeling the fresh morning air. It always feels new. As soon as my eyes fully open, I look around—it's empty. I hear voices coming from the right side. I turn my head and see Gina playing with Rodry. She woke up early. Loira is preparing breakfast, I think. We're in an open space, like a roadside stop. It seems safe. Feels safe. I open the car door and step outside. I see Rodry playing with Gina. I don't know what they're playing, just that they're running around. I don't like him that much, but if he's good with kids, then I'm fine with it. I walk toward the front. Loira is scooping something from a big pot—breakfast, I assume. I mean, what else? "Hey there, stranger," she says to me. Her voice—it's like music to my ears every time she speaks. I don't know why. I just like her so much. "Good morning," I say. She pulls out a plate and shouts, "Come on, guys! Breakfast is ready!" I glance over at John. He's sitting near the guardrail, looking down through binoculars.
He lowers the binoculars and calls me over. I walk to him. He hands them to me and points down. I take a look at what he's showing me. I can't believe it. Another problem. Why does this keep happening? There's a crashed plane below—right on the road we have to cross. It doesn't look recent. Maybe two or three years old. The passengers? They all turned into RedEyes. And they haven't left. That's strange. Why are they still hovering in one place? More importantly, how has nothing distracted them enough to make them move? I ask John, "Is there another way around?" I already know the answer. It's going to be no. I'm just making the moment dramatic—building up to some crazy plot twist, action-packed and full of heart-wrenching moments. That's how my life works. It's insane. I already have a dangerous idea of how we're going to pass through, but I keep it to myself. They wouldn't like it. John answers, "Yes." Wait... what? So there's not going to be a crazy action scene? Thank God. I don't need to risk my life again. "But—" He's making a dramatic too. Damn it. "I'm pretty sure it's way more dangerous than this." Let me know how, please. I ask, "How?" He answers, "One word. City." Okay. I get it now. So this is the only way. Time to let them know about it. Loira shouts at us, "Hey! It's time for breakfast. Let's talk about what we're going to do about it later." She's right. I'm starving. Let's eat first.
We finished eating breakfast, but my mind is stuck on the plan. It's simple—make a distraction, have someone sneak to the other side of the field, lure the RedEyes away with noise, and then cross the road. Simple... but dangerous. Still, it's the only plan we've got. I lay it out for them. Yeah... they refuse. Of course, it's dangerous. Nobody wants to risk their life for it—except me. I tell them I'll do it. Still refused. Somehow, after a lot of yelling and fighting (that I really don't want to talk about), I convince them.
John hands me some kind of homemade bomb. I take it from his hand, along with a switch—probably to detonate it. I examine it. Nothing complicated. Press the button on top to activate, leave it behind, get to safety, then press the switch. Easy. He also gives me three grenades. "Plant this somewhere far, hide, and blow it," he says. This is what's going to distract them. Loira hands me a walkie-talkie. I take it. "Alright! Let's do this, then," I say. I'm confident in this plan. I'm sure I'll survive. I'm not scared—not even a bit. I got this. I'll be fine. I'll survive. Nothing is going to go wrong. Enough thinking. Time to move. I see Gina standing in front of me. I should talk to her, but I don't want her to worry. I don't want this to feel like a goodbye, so I have to keep it casual. I kneel in front of her, rest a hand on her shoulder, and say, "Gina, I'll see you soon, okay?" I see it in her eyes—confidence. Just like me. She's not afraid. I'm starting to see myself in her, and I know why. But no time to think about that now. "Just stay with them, okay?" I add. I turn and start walking forward. Rodry is using binoculars, watching the RedEyes. He looks at me and says, "Good luck." I need that. Just kidding.
I move toward a clear spot to plant the bomb, hiding behind the wreckage of the plane. If a RedEye spots me, everything could go wrong. I see one up ahead, facing forward. I pull out my knife, step closer, and stab it in the head before it can turn around. It drops instantly. I slip out of the ruins and into a cornfield. The stalks are tall—good for sneaking—but not thick enough to give full cover. I run, searching for a clear, distant spot to plant the bomb. I keep running. Then—click. Something clamps onto my leg. Hard. Pain explodes through me as I crash to the ground, a scream ripping from my throat. What the hell was that? I glance back. A bear trap. You've got to be kidding me!?! Who the hell puts a bear trap in a place like this? Everything was going as planned, and now—this? Shit. I hear them. The RedEyes. I turn, scrambling to pry the trap open, but then my walkie-talkie crackles to life. "Arvid! Are you okay?" Damn it! Even they heard me? They're literally far away! John's voice again, more desperate. "Arvid! What's going on?" I grit my teeth, pain shooting through me. Before I even try to free my leg, I need to let them know what's going on.
I say, "I'm trapped." John asks, "What?" Yeah, I need to be more specific. Saying I'm trapped won't be enough. Why did I even say that? "My leg... it—AH! I can't speak clearly; it hurts. I drop the walkie-talkie. I try to pull the trap open. I'll talk later, but first, I need to get this damn leg out. I try to pull it side to side. It doesn't work. "AH!" The pain's unbearable. Not my leg. Alright, I was wrong. I'm not going to make it out of here alive. Damn it! I can hear footsteps. They're coming. I try again. Nothing. "Arvid, talk to me!" John screams. I pick up the walkie-talkie again. "It's my leg. I'm stuck in this bear trap. I can't get it out." "Arvid! They're coming. You have to get out of here!" It's Loira. Did she take the walkie from John? Is she into me or something? I've been falling for her since the moment I saw her. Or is she just warning me? Doesn't matter. I need to get my leg out of this and make it to the other side. If I make it out alive, I might just have a shot with the most gorgeous woman I've seen since the world went to hell.I need to answer her. "I know," I say, sounding confident.
Out of nowhere, a RedEye pops up. I immediately pull out my gun and shoot. Oh, come on! Now I made even more noise. Damn it! What the hell is wrong with me? I pull out my knife, stick it in the middle of the trap, and start pushing it to open. It's kind of working. Yes! I'm getting out somehow. I see more RedEyes coming from the front through a little peephole. I need to stop them. I let go of the knife. It hits me. That hurts. Even worse. I pull out a grenade, yank the pin, and throw it at them. It explodes and takes out a few. That should slow them down for a while.
I pick up the walkie-talkie and say, "Listen! If you see an opening, you move, alright?" "Okay," Rodry says. Wait, now it's Rodry. What's going on in that car? I say, "I'll see you on the other side." I'm going to make it out of here somehow. I start pulling the trap open again with the knife. Yes! This time it's working. It's coming loose. They're getting closer. I can't do anything more. If I try, I'll hurt myself even worse. Come on! Open! "Argh!" I scream in pain as they get closer. In a second, the trap finally opens.
One jumps right at me. I raise my gun and shoot. It falls to the ground. Alright, I'm out. I keep shooting while crawling back. I pull out another grenade and throw it at them. It explodes.
I get back on my feet. Damn! It hurts. I can't run like this, so I'll walk the best I can. Let's go.
They see me. All of them. There are more than I can count. I drop the bomb and start walking toward the forest in front of me. I need to slow them down. I take my last grenade and throw it at them. It blows up. Let's go, I'm working as fast as I can. The leg hurts more the longer I walk. I can't take this. Should I give up, blow it, and let them eat me? I can't do this. I look forward. I can't believe it. Is that Loira? She's running toward me. Why? Am I hallucinating in my last moments? What? No way. She gets closer and puts her arms around me, picking me up. It's really her. She came to save me. Isn't this love, or what? I ask her, "What are you doing here?"
She says, "There's no time for chit chat, let's go." I found my future wife. We start running. She's almost lifting me up because I'm just swinging my legs. Damn, she's strong. They're close, and we're so close to entering the forest. I pull out the switch and blow it.
We're on the road. Alright! I made it out alive again, thanks to my future wife. Because of her, I was saved once again. Every time I'm on the brink of death, there's always a woman who saves me. Huh, that's interesting. I see the car in front of me. Gina's waiting for me. I can see she's worried. Don't worry, girl, I'm fine, except for my leg. It hurts. If Loira let go of me, I'd probably collapse to the ground. I see Gina start running toward me. Then I notice something blue in her hair. What? Is that a blue butterfly on her head? I blink and look closer, but it vanishes. I haven't seen a butterfly in a while, not since everything happened. They've all seemed to vanish from the face of the earth. What was that? Am I hallucinating?