The aftershock of the colossal creature's passage left them all shaken. The fragile sense of security they had built in their corner of the library was shattered.
"We can't stay here," Ben said, voicing what they were all thinking. His earlier cynicism was gone, replaced by a raw, pragmatic fear. "That thing... if it had decided to turn this way, we'd be a red smear on the floor."
"So what's the plan?" Elara asked, looking at Kai. Her trust was absolute, but her eyes pleaded for a solution that made sense.
"My plan is the same," Kai said, his voice steady despite the tremor he felt in his own hands. "We go to my shop. It's built like a bunker. We can barricade the door, lower the steel gate. We can rest there, really rest, and figure out our next move."
Ben shook his head. "And then what? Wait for one of those big things to step on the building? Hiding is a losing game. That military convoy is our only real shot. A safe zone, with soldiers and guns. That's a real plan."
"Your plan involves crossing the most dangerous part of the city based on a glimpse of a truck!" Kai countered, his protective instincts flaring. "My plan is about getting to a secure location that I know, five blocks from here. It's the smarter, safer move."
"Safer for now, maybe!" Ben shot back. "But it's a dead end! What happens when you run out of food? Or when a dozen of those things decide to claw their way through the door at once?"
"I'll handle it!"
"Like you handled that pack outside? You got lucky, and you got hurt. What happens next time?"
"Enough!" Elara's voice cut through the argument, sharp and clear. Both Kai and Ben stopped, looking at her in surprise. "You're both right," she said, her gaze shifting between them. "Ben, a military safe zone is the best long-term hope. But Kai is right, too. We're in no condition to make that journey right now. Kai's hurt, we're exhausted, and we have no idea what's between here and the city center."
She took a breath, taking charge in a way Kai had never seen before. "So we do Kai's plan first. We go to the shop. It's closer. We secure it, we rest, we patch up Kai's leg properly. From that safe base, we can make a better, smarter plan to get to the military. We do it together."
Her logic was undeniable. It was a compromise, a fusion of their two desperate hopes.
Kai looked at Ben, a silent question in his eyes.
Ben let out a long sigh, running a hand over his face. "She's smarter than both of us," he conceded. "Okay. Fine. We go to the shop. But if it's not as secure as you say, we don't stay. Agreed?"
"Agreed," Kai said, relief washing over him.
A new, fragile alliance was formed. They were no longer just two siblings and a stranger; they were a group. A team.
"Alright," Kai said, pushing himself up and testing his bandaged leg. It hurt, but it held his weight. "We wait for the first light of dawn. Traveling in the dark is suicide. We get a few hours of sleep if we can. Then we move."
Ben nodded, gripping his heavy textbook. "I'll take the first watch."
Kai looked at his sister, who gave him a small, reassuring nod. They were terrified, outmatched, and running for their lives in a world gone mad. But for the first time since the system appeared, Kai felt a flicker of something more than just the will to survive. He felt a glimmer of hope. They had a plan. They had a team. And they were going to make it to the shop.