As the night stretched on, the farmhouse grew quieter. The world beyond their small sanctuary continued its relentless march toward devastation, but within these walls, Élodie found herself facing the most difficult truth of all: survival was not the same as living.
The minutes dragged by as Sophie worked tirelessly to tend to Vincent's wounds. Élodie sat at his side, her mind a storm of thoughts, but it was the silence that clung to the room like an oppressive force. Luc had disappeared into the shadows, as he so often did when the weight of decisions became too much for even him to bear. But for once, Élodie didn't mind his absence.
She didn't need anyone's words now. All she needed was Vincent to wake up.
And yet, in the back of her mind, there was an unsettling awareness. Things were changing. Their world was unraveling. And the path forward was as uncertain as it was dangerous.