Day 45 – The Cave
Jas sat near the fire, cradling the hand-crank radio. The ash had settled for the time being, but the cold was still unbearable. They could barely feel their fingers. It had been days since the last radio transmission from Alex, and their heart felt heavy with the distance between them.
Then, suddenly, the radio crackled to life. Jas’s pulse quickened.
“Jas?”
It was Alex's voice, faint but unmistakable.
“Alex! It’s you!”
There was a pause, and Alex’s voice came back, quieter this time.
“I’m here... I just wanted to check in. How are you holding up?”
Jas felt their throat tighten. “I’m surviving... but it’s hard, you know?”
“I know,” Alex said, their voice full of compassion. “This world’s... different. I’ve had a lot of time to think about things. And, Jas, I think you should know something.”
Jas’s breath caught. “What is it?”
There was another pause. Alex exhaled.
“I’ve changed. A lot. The world has, too. And maybe... maybe what we had before doesn’t fit anymore. Not in this new reality. I don’t know if we’re supposed to pick up where we left off.”
Jas felt a strange ache in their chest, but it wasn’t heartbreak. It was an understanding—an understanding that had been growing inside them for weeks.
“I understand,” they whispered. “But I don’t think we need to go back. I just need you to know that... I still care. And I hope you’re okay. That’s all.”
Alex’s voice softened. “I care about you, too, Jas. You’ve been a lifeline for me, even if we’re not what we used to be.”