Day 42: Questions Unanswered
The air was thick with tension, but the immediate danger had passed. The looters were gone, and the scarred man lay lifeless in the alley, his blood soaking into the cracked pavement. Eli's heart was still pounding, the adrenaline slowly ebbing away, leaving him with the weight of everything they'd just learned. The rain—Cass had known it was coming, but the looter's words confirmed the worst: they weren't the only ones preparing. When the rain fell, the world would descend into chaos, and others, better equipped and more ruthless, would come for whatever they had.
Eli wiped the sweat from his brow, glancing over at Cass. Her face was set in a hard mask, but there was something more there now—fatigue, maybe, or the weight of the knowledge that they were running out of time. Luke stood nearby, his bow resting against his leg, his expression tense but more relaxed now that the fight was over.
And then there was the stranger.
She stood a little apart from them, watching the group with cautious eyes. She had fought well—quick and decisive, just like before. She hadn't hesitated to jump in when things went south, and Eli couldn't deny that she had earned her place among them, at least for now. But she was still a mystery, and no one had asked her much since she joined.
Now, in the silence after the fight, Eli could feel the question hovering between them, unspoken but growing louder with each passing second: Who is she?
Cass turned to the group, her voice quiet but steady. "We need to move. The longer we stay here, the more we risk running into another group."
Eli nodded, but he couldn't shake the need to address the stranger's place among them. She had proven herself useful—faster and sharper than anyone they had faced—but there was still so much they didn't know about her. And if they were going to survive what was coming, they needed to know they could trust each other.
As they prepared to leave, Luke hesitated. He glanced at the stranger, his brow furrowed, and then he finally spoke up. "We've been running together for days now," he said, his voice a little uncertain but genuine. "I think it's time we learned a little more about you."
The stranger's eyes flicked toward Luke, her expression guarded, as though she had been expecting this moment but wasn't entirely prepared for it. She shifted on her feet, glancing at Eli and Cass as if trying to gauge how much she should say.
"I've been surviving on my own," she said, her voice calm but measured. "For a long time."
Cass didn't push, but Eli could see the question in her eyes. "You're quick," she said, her tone not quite a compliment but not dismissive either. "You don't move like someone who's just been running and hiding."
The stranger's lips tightened into a small, almost reluctant smile. "I had to learn fast. I couldn't afford to stay in one place too long. The creatures, the looters… they're all the same. If you're not faster than them, you're dead."
Luke crossed his arms, clearly still curious. "But you survived longer than most. I mean, look at you—you're alive, and you've got skills. That doesn't just happen. You had help, didn't you?"
Eli watched as the stranger's face flickered, a shadow crossing her expression for just a moment. He couldn't quite read it—whether it was pain or something else—but it was gone as quickly as it came.
"I had help," she said quietly, her voice soft but firm. "But that didn't last long. People… they don't last long out here."
The group fell silent for a moment. Eli understood the weight behind her words. They had all lost people—family, friends, those they couldn't protect. The world had taken everything from them, and it would continue to take more unless they found a way to fight back.
"Is that why you were watching us?" Eli asked, his voice gentle but insistent. "You followed us for days before we caught you. What were you hoping to find?"
The stranger looked at him, her gaze steady but not unfriendly. "At first, I didn't know. I saw you moving through the ruins, and I was curious. You weren't like the others—looters, scavengers. You had a plan. You weren't just surviving. You were preparing for something."
Her eyes flicked to Cass, as though recognizing the leader among them. "And when I heard you talking about the rain… I knew you were different."
Cass studied her for a long moment, her face unreadable. Finally, she gave a small nod. "We are."
There was another beat of silence, and then Luke spoke up again, his tone softer. "What's your name?"
The stranger blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question. For a moment, it seemed like she might dodge it, like she had been doing since she joined them. But then, she took a breath and answered.
"It's Raya," she said quietly. "My name's Raya."
Eli exchanged a glance with Luke, who seemed satisfied with the answer, though there was still a quiet tension in the air. Cass gave a small nod, her expression softer than usual but still cautious.
"Alright, Raya," Cass said, her voice calm but firm. "You've proven yourself, and we can use someone with your skills. But we're in this together now. No more hiding."
Raya nodded, her face serious but relieved. "I understand."
Eli felt a small shift in the atmosphere—a quiet acceptance that Raya was now one of them, at least for the time being. There was still a lot they didn't know about her, but trust wasn't something that came quickly anymore. In this world, it had to be earned, piece by piece.
As they gathered their things and prepared to move again, Eli felt the weight of what was coming pressing down on him like a storm cloud. The rain, the other groups, the chaos that would follow—it was all looming over them, waiting to descend. And now, with Raya in their group, they had to be more careful than ever.
But for the first time in days, Eli felt something close to hope. They weren't alone anymore. Raya had been surviving out here for a long time, and now she was with them. Together, they had a better chance of surviving what was coming next.
As they moved through the ruins, the sun still low in the sky, Eli couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.
And the storm was just over the horizon.