They kept moving for another hour, the isolated area they were in now was filled with grass and some buildings.
The car's engine hummed steadily as the only sound in the car but Ryan's sudden exclamation shattered the silence.
"Shit!" Ryan exclaimed, his eyes fixed on the car's fuel indicator, seeing as the car is about to run out of fuel.
Ryan's brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing in self-reproach. Why didn't he check the fuel level in the first place, He thought, his grip on the steering wheel tightening as if trying to compensate himself for his oversight.
Aria's eyes snapped away from the car window, where she had been lost in thought for the past hour, She had been tracking their route and turns as they moved through the areas.
Her eyes went towards Ryan's in alarm.
"What? What's wrong?" she asked with concern.
Ryan's jaw clenched as he pushed his hair out of his face. "We are running out of fuel," he admitted.
The car began to slow down a little.
"How much farther are we from the outpost?" Aria asked as she looked forward from the car front.
Ryan's eyes flicked to the blank GPS, . "I don't know and this fucked up gps isn't working," he replied, moving the sedan to the side of the road, gravel crunching beneath the tires.
Ryan put the car in park, the engine sputtering before dying.
Then Silence, the fucking silence that always follows when things don't work out as planned.
"What are we going to do now?" Aria asked, breaking the silence while side-eyeing Ryan as she awaited his response.
Ryan rubbed his temples, his eyes closing as if seeking refuge from their predicament. He sighed, the sound barely audible.
"We will have to find a way to get more fuel," he started."Which is out of reach as we are in the middle of nowhere." Ryan concluded.
Aria's gaze intensified as she waited for the other answer she already knows.
"Or we walk the rest of the way"
"And that's like ten miles,"Aria whispered, calculating the distance, as they had already been on the road for two hours.
Ryan nodded."Ten miles," he confirmed it.
"Do we have any other options?" Aria asked as her eyes moved towards her injured leg that was resting on the dashboard, she doesn't want Ryan to carry her all the way to the outpost.
Ryan's shoulders sagged as dark circles underlined his eyes, a testament to the sleepless night.
He hadn't closed his eyes in over 24 hours, and the weight of their situation bore down on him again.
"None that I can think of," he admitted with exhaustion.
Aria's gaze softened as she saw how exhausted Ryan was, he hadn't slept a wink last night and he was the one who still let her have rest.
"Ryan, you need to rest," Aria said.
Ryan shook his head, trying the clear out the fatigue.
"We can't afford to stop now," he replied.
Aria's expression turned firm, she can't be the one resting when Ryan always gets them to safety.
"You are no good to me exhausted," Aria countered, her voice steady despite the pain that was etched on her face.
Her injured leg that was wrapped in a makeshift bandage, seemed to throb again, reminding her who was the no good.
"I'll be fine," Ryan insisted, his voice low and even, the sun was still up in the sky, it was better to move during the day than night.
Aria's brow furrowed in concern. "Ryan, look at yourself. You are running on fumes. We need you sharp, not stumbling through the wilderness."
Ryan's eyes dropped and a yawn slipped out from his lips.
"I know," Ryan muttered, his voice laced with frustration. "But we can't stop now. We have to keep moving." His eyes moved out from the car front as if searching for an invisible threat.
Aria's expression softened, her concern for Ryan's well being eclipsing her own pain. She let go of the argument, not wanting to push him further and risk him snapping at her as she doesn't know his limits and she didn't want to test them.
Besides, she was the one who depended on him now , that she was injured and vulnerable.
She doesn't have the full knowledge of this future world she was in and she has to depend on Ryan till she recovers.
The weight of that reality settled heavy on her shoulders.
"Okay,"Aria said gently. "Let's keep moving. But promise me, when we find shelter you will rest ."
Ryan's eyes returned to Aria, with a hint of relief washing over his face. He didn't want someone arguing with him constantly, especially when survival was at stake.
The tension would wear him down and he craved the peace and quietness that came with navigating the wild alone.
"We will see," Ryan said softly. They don't know what they would meet at the outpost so there's no need promising rest when the future isn't clear.
Ryan pushed the car door open from his side, the creaking metal echoing through the desolate land like a lonely sigh.
Aria carefully retrieved her backpack from her side seat, She winced as she slid it over to her shoulders. Her injured leg was throbbing in protest, the dull ache pulsing with every movement she takes.
Aria gritted her teeth as Ryan walked over to her side of the car, opening the door for her with a gentle touch.
"Ready?" he asked soft, noticing how she was wincing.
Aria nodded and Ryan gently lifted her into his arms, cradling her to his chest. His hands supported her knees, careful not to jar her injured leg.
"Wrap your arms around my neck," he instructed as he moved out from the car.
Aria obeyed, her arms circling his neck as Ryan adjusted his grip, moving her to his back. Aria injured leg throbbed slightly, but she bit back the gasp, unwilling to burden Ryan with her pain.
"Hold tight," Ryan said.
Aria nodded and buried her face in his shoulder. The scent of sweat and leather filled her nostrils, a reminder of him not bathing for so long.