The fire crackled softly inside the cabin, its warm glow pushing back the cold that pressed in from every corner. Outside, the wind moved through the trees in low, whispering sounds, carrying with it the quiet weight of the forest at night.
Luis stepped slightly away from the fire, pulling out a compact satellite phone from his jacket. The signal was faint, but stable enough. He turned his back slightly toward the door, keeping his voice low.
After a few seconds, the line connected.
"Dad."
There was a brief pause before Federick's voice came through, steady but clearly relieved. "Luis."
"We're fine," Luis said calmly. "We found shelter. An abandoned cabin in the forest. No signs of infected or other people."
"Location?"
"Further out than expected," Luis replied. "We lost the direct path back. The snow covered the terrain. We'll move at first light."
Another pause followed, quieter this time.
"Understood," Federick said. "Stay alert. Do not take unnecessary risks."
Luis's gaze flickered briefly toward Mia, who sat near the fire, wrapped in the blanket, her face illuminated by the soft orange glow.
"We won't."
Federick's tone softened just slightly. "Make sure she's safe."
Luis answered without hesitation. "She is."
A final moment of silence passed before the call ended.
Luis slipped the phone back into his pocket and returned toward the fire.
Mia looked up at him. "Everything okay?"
He nodded. "They know we're safe. We'll head back tomorrow."
Mia let out a quiet breath, some of the tension easing from her shoulders. "Good."
For a moment, neither spoke. The warmth of the fire filled the silence, steady and comforting.
Luis reached into his pocket again and pulled out a couple of small energy bars. He held one out to her.
"You should eat."
Mia accepted it, glancing at the packaging before giving a small, amused look. "Chocolate and cherries?"
Luis shrugged slightly. "It was what I grabbed."
She unwrapped it and took a bite, pausing for a second before her expression shifted just slightly. "It's actually good."
Luis opened his own and took a bite. He nodded once. "It is."
Mia let out a soft laugh, unexpected but genuine. "Of all the things to survive the apocalypse… chocolate bars with cherries."
Luis's lips curved faintly. "We got lucky."
She shook her head lightly, still smiling as she took another bite. For a brief moment, the tension that had followed them all day eased into something softer, almost normal.
They sat there, eating quietly, the fire casting flickering shadows across the wooden walls.
Mia glanced toward the door briefly, her expression shifting back into focus. "We shouldn't relax too much."
Luis nodded. "We won't."
Even in that small moment of ease, both of them remained alert, their senses tuned to every sound beyond the cabin walls.
The forest outside remained still.
Too still.
After finishing the energy bar, Luis brushed his hands lightly and leaned back slightly, his posture still alert.
"I'll stay up," he said.
Mia looked at him immediately. "You don't have to take the whole night."
"I'm not taking chances."
She studied him for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Wake me later. I'll take over."
Luis didn't argue. "Alright."
Mia adjusted the blanket around herself, settling closer to the fire. The warmth wrapped around her slowly, easing the cold that had settled deep into her body.
She leaned back slightly against the wall, her eyes lingering on the flames.
"I'll just rest for a bit," she said quietly.
Luis gave a small nod. "Sleep."
Mia closed her eyes. The exhaustion she had been holding back all day caught up to her quickly. Her breathing steadied, her body relaxing as the warmth of the fire and the safety of the cabin surrounded her.
Despite everything, the uncertainty, the danger, the unknown beyond the walls there was a quiet sense of calm.
Because he was there.
Mia drifted into sleep with that thought lingering faintly in her mind.
---
Luis remained where he was. Still, silent and watching. The firelight flickered across Mia's face, softening her features, making her look far more at ease than she had been all day. Strands of her red hair caught the light, glowing faintly like embers. For a moment, Luis simply looked at her. There was no urgency in that moment, no immediate threat pressing in, just the quiet awareness of her presence beside him.
Then his gaze shifted back to the door and windows.
His posture straightened slightly, every sense sharpening again. The calm was temporary. It always was. The forest outside remained silent, but Luis did not trust silence. Not anymore. His hand rested near his weapon, ready. A faint sound brushed against the edge of his hearing. So soft it could have been mistaken for the wind. Luis's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't move. Another sound. Subtle.
His gaze shifted toward the door. Still closed.
Still unmoving.
Luis stood slowly, careful not to make noise. He moved a few steps closer to the door, his attention fully focused.
Nothing, just stillness.
He remained there for a few seconds longer before stepping back, though his alertness did not drop. His eyes moved once more toward Mia. She was still asleep, her breathing even, her expression calm. Luis returned to his position near the fire but did not sit.
Instead, he stayed standing, watching.
Listening.
Every small sound outside was analyzed, every shift in the wind considered.
Time passed slowly.
The fire burned lower, its light dimming slightly, but Luis didn't move to add more wood immediately. He preferred the darker shadows. It made it easier to see movement beyond the windows. His gaze flickered again toward Mia.
She shifted slightly in her sleep, pulling the blanket closer around herself. Luis's expression softened for a fraction of a second then it hardened again because something was out there, he could feel it.
Not in the way of a direct threat, not like a rushing infected or a sudden attack.
But in the way the forest felt… aware.
Watching and waiting.
Luis's grip tightened slightly. He didn't wake Mia, not yet.
He would confirm it first.
Until then, he stayed exactly where he was.
Awake, alert and ready.