A few years had passed.
The abandoned building that once felt cold and empty had slowly become something else.
A place where two lonely children survived together.
Aeron and Lisa were now fourteen.
Lisa stood near the doorway, the faint evening light falling across her face.
"Aeron," she said gently, turning back toward him. "I have to go for a little while. I'll be back later, okay?"
Aeron looked up at her from the corner of the room.
"Okay."
Lisa gave him a small smile.
Then she stepped outside.
The door creaked shut behind her.
Silence filled the building again.
One hour passed.
Aeron glanced at the door.
"She should be back soon…"
Two hours passed.
He stood up and walked toward the doorway, peering outside.
The street was empty.
No sign of her.
Five hours passed.
The sun began to fall beyond the broken rooftops.
Aeron's chest tightened.
"Where is she…?"
His voice echoed weakly through the empty building.
Night came.
The abandoned building felt colder than usual.
Twenty hours passed.
Still no Lisa.
Aeron suddenly ran outside.
"Lisa!"
His voice broke across the empty streets.
He searched everywhere.
Every alley.
Every broken house.
He forced open doors, running inside and shouting her name.
"Lisa!"
People yelled at him.
"Get out of here!"
Someone shoved him to the ground.
Another struck him as he ran past.
But Aeron didn't stop.
He kept running.
"Lisa!"
His legs eventually gave out.
He collapsed in the middle of the street.
His hands shook as they pressed against the cold pavement.
"Why…"
His voice cracked.
"Why did you leave me…?"
Tears slowly fell from his eyes.
"I'll be alone again…"
His shoulders trembled as he struggled to breathe.
"No…"
"P-please…"
"Lisa…"
"Come back…"