Chapter 7: The World Was Opening Up
City B, September 18th? Year 0 of the Great Collapse
In the dim confines of a crumbling storage room, Zara sat cross-legged on the cold cement floor.
She glanced over at Leo, who was perched on a worn-out crate with his legs swinging, humming softly as he played with a small, rusted coin he'd found somewhere on the floor.
It was amazing, she thought, how he could still find something to amuse himself with, even here.
"Momma?" Leo's voice broke through the silence, a high, gentle sound that warmed her heart every time.
"Yes, baby?" Zara whispered back, ruffling his dark curls.
"Are we going to stay here for long?" Leo wrinkled his nose, lifting one tiny boot to reveal a layer of grimy residue. "The floor is yucky."
"We won't stay for long baby," Zara chuckled, keeping her voice low. "Well, this store had lot of people coming in and out. Sometimes, they spilled things, and now it's all... well, sticky."
"Hmmm?" He hummed, a pout forming on his face as he thought over her words.
She shifted her weight on the crate beside him, reaching out to tug a stray thread from his shirt. "Think of it as magic goo, like that show you watched."
"Like Goo-man?! Will I have powers?!" He asked, eyes bright with the idea. He wiggled his feet as though trying to break free from an invisible force, sending a thrill of delight through Zara's heart. Despite everything, he still had a way of lighting up even the darkest corners.