The army’s arrival brought a wave of relief to the hospital. As soldiers took up defensive positions around the building, Shihab and his companions knew it was time to move on. They exchanged farewells with the doctors and survivors, gratitude lingering in their words. "We owe you our lives," one of the nurses said, her voice thick with emotion. Shihab gave a firm nod. "Stay safe. The soldiers will protect you now." With that, he and his group turned away, stepping out into the uncertain world beyond the hospital walls. Shihab adjusted the straps of his new military suit, a formidable ensemble of bulletproof plating, reinforced leather, and an array of tools. A combat knife hung at his hip, a pistol holstered beside it, and grenades were secured in pouches across his chest. Various devices, their purposes unknown to most, completed the intimidating gear. Jawad let out a low whistle as he eyed the suit. "Damn. The System really hooked you up." Shihab smirked, flexing his gl

The truck raced back to their hideout, the fading cries of the horde replaced by the rumble of the engine and their own heavy breathing. No one spoke until the rusty gates of their base were securely locked behind them.Exhausted but buzzing with success, they unloaded the precious food into their storage room. They stared at the pile of boxes and cans. It looked like a lot, but as they started stacking it, a sobering reality set in."This..." Shihab started, wiping sweat from his brow. "This is not enough. It won't feed much people."Jawad sighed, leaning against a wall. "We risked our necks for this. It's a good haul. But you're right. If we just hand out cans, it'll be gone in a day, and most people will only get one meal.""We need to be smart," Karam said, his voice thoughtful. He picked up a bag of rice. "We should go to places where people are weakest first. The hospitals. The sick people there can't look for food themselves."Shihab nodded in agreement. "After that, the big sh

The next day, the old school felt different. The anticipation in the air lingered in the center of the dusty playground, a man with a red nose and colorful, patched clothes was juggling worn-out tennis balls. He was a former teacher who’d done kids’ parties before the world fell apart, and he’d happily traded his clown costume for an extra portion of food. The sound of children’s laughter, real and unfiltered by fear, filled the air as they danced and clapped around him. For a little while, the grim world outside the school walls ceased to exist. Inside the cafeteria, a different kind of energy was at work. Large pots bubbled on portable stoves, filled with a hearty stew made from the canned goods and rice. Shihab and Jawad, their sleeves rolled up, were working alongside a group of women from the school, chopping the last of the vegetables and stirring the pots. "It smells amazing," one woman said, offering Jawad a tired but genuine smile. "It'll taste better," he replied, giv

The next morning, the nightmare was still fresh in Shihab’s mind, a dark stain on his thoughts. He found Ayham making breakfast , humming quietly to himself. The casual normalcy of it, after the horror Shihab had envisioned, was too much to bear.“Ayham,” Shihab began, his voice more strained than he intended. “I’ve been thinking. You should go to Al Noor Island.”Ayham paused his humming but didn’t look up. “What? Why?”“To be with the family. With Mom and the others. They’re safe there. You should be safe there, too.”Now Ayham looked up, his brow furrowed in confusion. “But I am safe. I’m here with you.”“It’s not safe here!” Shihab’s voice rose, edged with the fear from his dream. “It’s dangerous every single day. You’re too young for this.”A defiant look flashed in Ayham’s eyes. He put the frying pan down and turned to his brother. “I’m not too young. I’m a Peace Seeker now. I want to help people, just like you do.”“That’s not the point,” Shihab argued, trying to keep his tone

For two days, Shihab and Jawad’s search for land felt like a cruel joke. Every promising spot, a community garden gone to weed, a flat rooftop, a cleared lot on the city's edge was either swarming with infected or drew them like flies the moment they set foot near it.They’d spent the morning sprinting away from a pack that had emerged from a ruined supermarket adjacent to a perfect, sun-drenched plot of land."Again!" Jawad snarled, bending over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath. "It's like they're guarding the stupid dirt! Every single time!"Shihab leaned against a crumbling wall, equally frustrated. They were wasting energy and ammunition. He watched a lone infected shambling in a wide circle farther down the street, oblivious to them. An idea, desperate and dangerous, began to form."Okay," Shihab said, straightening up. "New plan. We use their numbers against them."Jawad looked at him like he was crazy. "How? Ask them nicely to leave?""No," Shihab said, a focused