The Decision
The fire crackled softly, shadows dancing across the cave walls.
Jas, Roman, and Ivy Mae sat close together, exhaustion etched into their faces—but something else too… resolve.
Outside, the ash had begun to settle. Light—faint but real—filtered through the gray sky.
A sign.
“We can’t stay here,” Jas said, gripping the hand-crank radio. “The air’s clearing… and Alex is out there. If we wait, we might miss them.”
Roman tested his ankle, still tender but stronger. He nodded.
“I’m ready. We’ve made it this far.”
Ivy Mae looked around slowly, her fingers brushing the stone.
“It’s scary,” she whispered. “But staying feels scarier.”
The radio crackled one last time before fading into static:
“You’ve got this, Jas. I’ll be waiting.”
That was enough.