Chapter 11: The World Was Full of Traps
What little light there was filtered through clouds of gray and green haze, remnants of the acidic rain that had passed during the night. Small puddles pooled along the cracked, crumbling streets, releasing thin tendrils of steam that carried a sharp, chemical stench.
As she shifted him to prepare him for the day ahead, he whined softly, a fussy, half-asleep murmur. "Mama, no...too cold," he whimpered, squirming against her, his small fists rubbing sleepily at his eyes.
"Shhh, it's okay, Leo," she whispered, tightening her hold around him, fingers brushing soothingly over his messy curls. "We have to go, sweetheart. Just a little longer, okay?"
Her voice was gentle, but her eyes flicked constantly to the store's shattered windows and the empty streets beyond, her entire being focused to any movement or sound. She could feel Leo's arms slip around her neck, clutching her tightly as she strapped him to her chest.
Zara sighed, a pang of guilt twisting in her chest. She was careful, securing him as gently as she could, hoping he'd drift back to sleep for just a little longer.
"Mmm, Mama... I don't wanna move," he murmured, his voice thick with sleep.
"I know, sweetie," she whispered, her fingers brushing his messy hair as she tightened the straps. "Just hold on tight, okay? We have to go now, but I'll let you sleep a little more on the way."
He clung to her with tiny hands, his head nestling into the crook of her neck. She could feel his warm breaths against her collarbone.
Zara grabbed her backpack, adjusting it over her shoulders, then gently cradled Leo, doing her best to shield him from the cold air as they started their trek.
They had to leave before the light fully crept over the city. She knew that when it did, so would the dangers.
As they stepped out into the dawn, Zara's senses sharpened, and her pace slowed. She stood at the edge of a crumbling storefront, her eyes narrowed as she surveyed the remains of a city she barely recognized anymore.