After some time, they emerged from the forest, but Helek remained silent, his eyes fixed on the road.
He had been calm and composed since Keroli had shouted at him earlier.
Keroli, on the other hand, sat quietly, guilt gnawing at him. It was my fault, he thought. Helek didn't deserve that. If it weren't for him, I'd probably be dead by now.
Keroli stared out the window, nervously biting his nails. His thoughts were a whirlwind. Is this the apocalypse?
Will I even survive? If I do, I'll tell the future generation how brave I was… He chuckled bitterly. Who am I kidding?
I can barely hold it together now. But where are we even going?
Helek's face remained pale, his focus entirely on driving. After a while, the forest gave way to the city, but what greeted them wasn't reassuring.
The streets were eerily empty, with cars abandoned mid-accident and smoke rising from their wreckage. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the hum of their car engine.
The city seemed lifeless, as if humanity had vanished overnight. Keroli's heart raced as his imagination painted worst-case scenarios.
What if those skinwalkers or aliens hear us? What if they come after us?
Breaking the silence, Helek finally spoke, "I don't know where to go now."
Keroli turned to him, noticing the uncertainty on his face. Helek's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he drove slower than usual.
"I don't know either," Keroli admitted softly. "Let's just… keep moving."
The tension in the air grew heavier. With the car windows rolled up, Keroli started feeling suffocated.
He shifted in his seat, trying to shake the feeling. Suddenly, he remembered Liam. I hope he's safe wherever he is.
Even if he left me, he's still my friend. Liam's always been a coward, though. He's probably hiding somewhere.
Keroli's thoughts were interrupted as Helek slammed on the brakes.
The sudden stop sent Keroli lurching forward, but thankfully, he managed to shield his head with his hands.
"What the hell was that for?" Keroli snapped, glaring at Helek.
Helek silently pointed ahead. Keroli followed his gaze and saw that the road was completely blocked—vehicles piled up in an impenetrable mess.
"So what now?" Keroli asked, frustration creeping into his voice.
Helek looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for an idea. Realizing this, Keroli sighed, rolled down the window, and scanned the surroundings.
To his relief, there were no signs of aliens or skinwalkers nearby.
Helek pulled the car to the side of the road, and the two of them decided to step out and look for any signs of safety—or survivors.
The moment Keroli stepped out of the car, his heart began pounding.
His eyes darted in every direction, his nerves on edge. They could come from anywhere. They could attack at any moment.
Suddenly, Keroli felt something warm on his palm. Helek had reached out and held his hand, sensing his fear.
"I'm sorry, Helek," Keroli said softly, his eyes downcast. "I shouldn't have shouted at you earlier."
Helek gave him a gentle smile. Despite his tall and imposing frame, there was a childlike innocence in his expression that made Keroli's chest tighten.
Feeling guilty, Keroli stood on his toes and stroked Helek's hair lightly. "I really am sorry," he said again.
Helek closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. "That was nice," he murmured. "Can you do it more?"
Keroli couldn't help but chuckle. Cute, he thought. Of all things, that's the word that comes to mind for him.
But the moment of levity quickly faded as Keroli glanced around at the desolate streets. "This isn't the time for this," he muttered to himself. "We have to keep moving."
Helek nodded, and the two began walking cautiously down the road. Every sound startled Keroli, his nerves fraying further with each step.
Without realizing it, he clung tightly to Helek's arm, seeking comfort in his presence.
The silence between them wasn't awkward—it was a fragile truce against the chaos surrounding them.
Then suddenly, as Keroli looked around, his steps froze, and he stood in place as if rooted to the spot.
Helek noticed and asked, "What happened? Why did you suddenly stop?"
Keroli's mind raced as he remembered the moment when he woke up earlier in the dark afternoon and saw the sun rising.
That brief glimpse of light had given him hope. It felt like a sign that things could improve, that the endless darkness might finally vanish.
Keroli's face lit up, and he turned to Helek with excitement. "Maybe we can survive because now—" But before he could finish his sentence, the light disappeared once more.
Darkness engulfed everything, swift and overwhelming. Instinctively, Keroli pressed himself against Helek, clutching at him for comfort.
Helek responded by wrapping his arms around Keroli, holding him close. Keroli, his voice trembling, asked,
"What do we do now? Should we go back to the car?" His eyes darted around the empty road, searching for any sign of movement.
Helek shook his head. "It's not safe to go back to the car right now. We don't know when a skinwalker might attack."
Keroli nodded in agreement, understanding the danger. His gaze drifted to the buildings nearby.
Maybe one of them could be a safe place to hide, he thought. But before he could suggest it, Helek grabbed his hand and began running, pulling Keroli along.
They stopped in front of a small grocery shop. Keroli, panting, asked, "Why here? What are we doing?"
Helek glanced at the shop and replied,
"There's no better place to find supplies and shelter."
He picked up a stick lying nearby and cautiously entered the shop, motioning for Keroli to follow him.
Inside, Helek moved carefully, checking each aisle and corner to ensure no skinwalkers were hiding.
Meanwhile, Keroli stood near the entrance, keeping watch. He clutched a chair tightly in his hands, ready to defend them if needed.
After thoroughly searching the shop, Helek returned to the front and locked the doors from the inside.
"It's safe here. We can stay the night," he said reassuringly.
Keroli perched on the cash counter, his eyes scanning the darkness outside.
Helek returned shortly, holding a brand-new blanket and pillow. He smiled and said, "These were on sale. Let's use them tonight."
The shop was stocked with plenty of food and water. After a quick meal, Helek led Keroli to the staff room at the back, where he had set up a makeshift bed.
"If we sleep together, we won't feel as scared," Helek said softly, his voice full of kindness.
They both lay down side by side. Keroli felt the warmth of Helek's shoulder brushing against his own.
It was a strange sensation for him; he wasn't used to sharing a bed with anyone.
Within minutes, Helek was fast asleep, exhausted after driving all day.
Keroli, however, remained wide awake, staring at the ceiling. After some time, he closed his eyes, hoping sleep would come.
Just as he began to relax, a faint sound came from outside the staff room. His eyes shot open, heart pounding.
Keroli got up and cautiously approached the staff room door, peeking outside. In the dimly lit grocery store, he could see four figures moving about.
Only one light was on, leaving much of the shop in shadow. The intruders were hurriedly filling their bags with food and supplies.
For a moment, Keroli considered stepping out to speak to them, but doubt crept in. What if they're dangerous? He decided to stay hidden.
But then one of them noticed movement. "There's someone in there!" the person shouted, pointing directly at the staff room.
Immediately, the group became defensive, raising baseball bats and knives. Another voice called out, "Who's in the staff room? Come out now, or we'll kill you!"
Keroli's heart raced. He knew there was no use hiding any longer; they were already aware of his presence.
He glanced back at Helek, still sound asleep, and decided not to wake him. Taking a deep breath, Keroli stepped out of the staff room.
The group instinctively moved back, their expressions wary. Keroli raised his hands in a gesture of peace and began explaining how he and Helek ended up in the shop.
He recounted their escape from the skinwalkers and how they had sought refuge for the night. His story seemed to ease their tension, and eventually, they believed him.
Keroli learned that there were only three members in their group, though he was sure he had seen four figures earlier.
It must've been my imagination, he thought, blaming the dim lighting.
Their leader, Vruk, stood tall with a muscular build similar to Helek's. "Why don't you join our group?" Vruk asked, his deep voice calm but firm.
Keroli hesitated, glancing toward the staff room. "I'd need to ask Helek. He's sleeping now because he's exhausted. I'll let you know in the morning."
Eres, one of the group members, spoke up. "Call me Eres, 'cause I'm cute," he said with a playful grin. His bright personality matched his youthful, blonde-haired appearance.
The other member, a quiet man with black hair, simply introduced himself as Jack. He nodded once, his demeanor serious.
Keroli found himself relaxing. The group seemed trustworthy, and he was happy to meet them. He sat on the floor beside Vruk, feeling somewhat at ease.
But then Eres stood and began walking toward the staff room.
"I just want to see what Helek looks like," he said, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Keroli quickly intervened. "No, don't. He's asleep, and if you wake him up, he'll be upset. You can meet him tomorrow," Keroli insisted.
Eres ignored him and pushed open the staff room door. But the moment he stepped inside, he froze, his cheerful expression turning into one of confusion. He returned almost immediately, his face pale.
"There's no one in there," Eres said, his voice trembling slightly.
Keroli's heart sank. "What do you mean?" he asked, rushing past Eres to check for himself.
The staff room was empty. Helek was gone.