Restoration

In the aftermath of collapse, isolation feels like safety. He’s made it this long by staying underground, living by strict routines, and avoiding the one thing that gets people killed: attachment. Then he rescues two women from a savage attack in a ruined house. One is pragmatic, guarded, and ready to fight. The other is something else entirely—someone he recognizes, someone who changes the value of only mere survival. Bringing them back to the bunker is a risk. Letting them leave alone is worse. When they find signs of a larger group traveling north—fresh tracks, steady movement, purpose—they all decide to follow. He doesn’t believe in rumors. He believes in patterns, and the pattern says the world is getting stranger by the day. If they catch the group, they might find shelter. If they don’t, they’ll discover what the storms have been making out there—one mile at a time.