[Win – 11:18 p.m.]
There are very few things that shock me anymore.
Zombie arms bursting through walls? Seen it.
Friends turning into monsters? Lived it.
But walking out to call Kao and Lin—
And seeing them kissing under the damn moonlight?
Yeah.
Didn't have that on my apocalypse bingo card.
[11:19 p.m.]
I turn around so fast I almost trip on a loose pipe.
"Nope. Not interrupting whatever that is."
I walk back toward the firelight creeping from the far edge of the rooftop.
Palm is crouched beside it, feeding broken sticks and schoolwork into the little flame like it's sacred.
Dean sits across from him, legs crossed, staring into the fire like a monk.
[11:21 p.m.]
Palm glances up as I approach.
"You look like you saw a ghost."
I blink.
"Worse, I witnessed LinKao first kiss."
He smirks.
"Us, when?"
I nearly trip again.
"Wha— You— shut up."
Palm shrugs, poking at the fire with a ruler.
"I'm just saying, end of the world. You could do worse."
I sigh.
"If I'm still alive in 10 years, maybe."
He raises an eyebrow.
"That's a 'maybe'? I'll take it."
[11:23 p.m.]
The fire crackles between us.
Soft. Steady.
Kao and Lin return a few minutes later, side by side, not touching, but close.
Lin looks better somehow.
Still sick, still pale, but... lighter.
Kao doesn't speak. Just sits beside Dean and stares into the flames.
[11:26 p.m.]
One by one, the others gather.
Best.
Emily.
Jack.
Namtan.
FahFah.
They sit in a circle like we're about to summon a ghost or play a game.
No one talks much.
Just quiet breathing. The kind that says we made it through another night.
[11:32 p.m.]
Palm tosses in a ripped math worksheet.
"Guess we won't be needing this anymore."
Dean smirks.
"I already passed that chapter. A year ago."
Win laughs under his breath. "Show-off."
Emily leans her head on Jack's shoulder.
Lin leans slightly toward Kao. Not touching. Not needing to.
And for the first time in days,
We feel human again.
[11:37 p.m.]
The fire warms our faces.
No growls. No clicking. No crawling.
Just a bubble of heat in a world turned cold.
We don't know what's coming.
But for now, we sit.
We breathe.
We exist.
Together.
___________________________