Day 44: The True Monsters: Humanity
The red sky loomed above them, the oppressive heat pressing down as the group moved through the ruined streets, leaving the looter settlement behind. Eli could still hear the echoes of their voices in his head, the growls of the lizard-dogs as they searched for them, but they were long gone now—at least, for the moment. The air felt different here—quieter, but not in a way that offered comfort. It was the kind of silence that carried a weight to it, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Cass led the way, her steps silent but purposeful, her knife still in hand. Raya moved close behind, her eyes constantly scanning the shadows, while Luke followed with his bow, always at the ready. Eli brought up the rear, his heart still racing from the tension of the settlement. But as they walked, something caught his attention.
A sound. Faint, but unmistakable.
It was soft at first—so soft that Eli wasn't sure he'd heard it at all. But as they moved farther into the ruins, the sound grew clearer, tugging at the edges of his consciousness. It was a quiet, broken sob—like someone crying but trying not to be heard.
Eli froze, his heart skipping a beat. He glanced at Cass, who had stopped too, her body tense. She had heard it too. Slowly, they moved toward the source of the sound, weaving through the debris and rubble until they came upon a sight that made Eli's stomach twist.
A small figure, huddled under a pile of bodies—two adults, a man and a woman, lying lifeless and stripped of all their tools, clothes torn. Their skin was pale and bruised, their eyes wide and unseeing. But beneath them, barely visible, was a child. A boy, no older than six or seven, curled up against their bodies, crying quietly.
Eli's heart clenched as he took in the scene. The boy wasn't crying out loudly—his sobs were muffled, almost as if he was trying to stay hidden, afraid that any noise would draw attention. His small frame was pressed tightly against his parents, as if he had been tucked under them, hidden from whatever horror had befallen them.
Cass knelt beside the bodies, her face tight with emotion she rarely showed. She reached out slowly, gently moving the arm of the boy's mother, revealing more of the child. His eyes were wide with fear, his face streaked with dirt and tears. When he saw Cass, he flinched, pulling back as far as he could, pressing himself deeper into the bodies.
Eli took a shaky breath, his mind racing. The boy's parents must have hidden him—sacrificed themselves so he could survive. He'd been spared from whatever had happened, left behind, alone in this nightmare.
Cass spoke softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's okay. We're not here to hurt you."
The boy's sobs quieted, but his eyes were still wide with terror. He stared at Cass, his small body trembling, as if he wasn't sure whether to trust her.
Eli felt something twist in his chest as he stepped forward, crouching beside Cass. "We won't hurt you," he said gently, his voice steady but soft. "We're just like you. Just trying to survive."
The boy's eyes flicked between Eli and Cass, his breaths coming in quick, shallow bursts. He looked so small, so fragile, huddled beneath the lifeless bodies of his parents. His clothes were ragged, his skin dirty, but there were no visible wounds. He had been spared.
Raya knelt on the other side of the bodies, her gaze soft but focused. "They must've hidden him," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "Protected him from whoever did this."
Cass nodded, her expression dark. "Looters."
Eli's gut twisted at the word. He'd seen it before—families torn apart, stripped of everything they had by the ruthless scavengers that roamed the wastelands. The boy's parents had been left with nothing, their bodies used as shields for their child. But it wasn't enough. The looters had taken everything from them, and now this boy had no one.
Luke hovered nearby, his face pale with shock. He wasn't good with kids—none of them were. But the sight of the boy, alone and scared, cut through the hardened shell they'd all built to survive.
Cass reached out again, this time more gently, her hand hovering near the boy's arm. "What's your name?" she asked softly.
The boy didn't respond at first. He just stared at her, his breath hitching as another sob escaped his lips. But then, after a long, trembling pause, he whispered, "Ben."
Eli felt his heart break a little at the sound of the boy's voice—so small, so fragile. He glanced at Cass, who nodded slightly, her face still calm but with a new softness in her eyes.
"We're going to help you, Ben," Cass said, her voice steady. "We'll get you out of here."
The boy's lip trembled, but he nodded slowly, his eyes still filled with fear and uncertainty. He clung to his parents' bodies as if he didn't want to let go, as if leaving them behind would mean losing them forever.
Eli swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on him. "We have to move," he said quietly. "We can't stay here."
Cass nodded again, then slowly, carefully, she reached out and lifted the boy from beneath the bodies. He was light—far too light—and his small arms wrapped around her neck, clinging to her as if she was the only thing keeping him tethered to this world.
Eli stood up, his chest tight. The boy's parents had saved him, but they couldn't protect him from the world that waited outside. That was their job now.
As they began to move, leaving the bodies behind, Eli cast one last glance at the fallen man and woman. He didn't know their story—didn't know who they were or how they had ended up here—but he knew that their last act had been one of love. They had given everything to protect their son.
Now, it was up to Eli and the others to make sure that sacrifice wasn't in vain.
The group walked in silence, the weight of what they had found hanging over them like a cloud. Ben clung tightly to Cass, his small body trembling, but he didn't cry anymore. The quiet sobs had faded, replaced by a heavy silence that none of them dared to break.
As they moved deeper into the ruins, Eli couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into something even darker. The looters were still out there, still searching for them. And now, they had another life to protect.
Ben had survived this long because of his parents.
Now, it was up to them to keep him alive.