Chapter 2: Nothingness

Q felt a lump form in his throat at Mei's words, the harsh reality of their situation hitting him like a ton of bricks. He had been trying to remain hopeful, to cling to the belief that they would find a way out of this desolate landscape, but Mai's blunt honesty stripped away any pretense of optimism.

He had sacrificed so much, for... nothing. Because of him, in a distant past his family died alone and miserably, for what? For him dying of his first week of awakening. 

"Yeah," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know."

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their impending fate hanging heavy in the air. The desert stretched out before them, an endless expanse of emptiness that seemed to mock their struggle for survival.

But even in the face of despair, Q refused to give up. He had come too far, endured too much, to simply accept defeat. And he refused to let Mei face this ordeal alone. She might be new in his life, but their loneliness made them closer. 

"We'll find a way out of this," he said, his voice firm with determination. "We just have to keep going, keep fighting, no matter what."

"Mei, you know that even if we survive that, it's far from over..." 

"I know, Q, I know better than anyone.." she said looking away 

"We need to have a plan in case of we meet other civilisation, it's vital that we have the same version, do you mind if we talk about that now ?"

Mei looked at him, a mixture of disbelief and gratitude in her eyes. She had been prepared to face death alone, to succumb to the merciless grip of the desert without a fight. But Q's unwavering resolve sparked something within her, a flicker of hope in the darkness of their despair.

"Okay," she said softly, her voice barely audible over the howling wind. "Okay, we'll talk about that." And that's what they did.

After a time, with renewed determination, Q and Mei rose to their feet, facing the vast expanse of the desert with steely resolve. As they were going to come back inside, something abnormal appeared, light, there were light on the distant nothingness. Light meant life, they were sure of it. Q thought he was dreaming, he thought of keeping it for himself at first, but what if it was just an effect of his imagination. 

"Look" he said to Mei

Mai barely looked, as if hope had gone long ago already. But as she looked, her eyes went from dead to alive. Her almond eyes had that special they were green inside; almond green eyes were rare. 

They knew that the road ahead would be fraught with danger and uncertainty, but as long as they had each other, they were ready to face whatever challenges lay in their path. At least that's what they thought. 

They had nothing, no belonging and thirst and hunger were very real. 

Together, they set out into the unknown, their footsteps echoing across the barren landscape as they embarked on a journey that would test the very limits of their strength and resilience. But somewhere, in the depths of their hearts, they held onto a glimmer of hope, a belief that somewhere, beyond the horizon, there was light waiting to guide them home.

As Q and Mei pressed forward through the unforgiving desert, their steps grew heavier with each passing hour.

When they sun woke up, the scorching sunlight beat down upon them relentlessly, sapping their strength and resolve with every merciless ray. The landscape seemed to stretch on endlessly, devoid of any sign of life or civilization. At 7 am already the temperature was over 45 degrees (an estimation Q made out of nowhere and solely based on his desperation) they had no compas and only hoped going to the right direction. The light yesterday was distant, but not that distant, a day of 2 of walk thought Q. Mai said nothing, she surely was exhausted and kept her energy to walk. Q wondered if she could go through today, as she was already looking exhausted. 

Despite the overwhelming odds stacked against them, Q refused to falter. He drew upon every ounce of determination within him, pushing himself to the brink of exhaustion in his relentless pursuit of survival. Mei, too, matched his unwavering resolve, her eyes set with a fierce determination as she trudged forward alongside him. 10 ours later Mei felt for the first time, face first. As Q stopped to help her get back on her feet, she angrily pushed him away. 

"I don't need your help" she said while continuing walking, still with her natural grace. 

With each passing hour, their journey became increasingly grueling. Hunger gnawed at their stomachs like a ravenous beast, while thirst parched their throats and left them desperate for even a single drop of water. They scoured the barren landscape in search of any sign of sustenance, but the desert offered nothing but endless expanses of sand and rock.

As fatigue threatened to consume them, Q and Mei found solace in each other's presence. They shared stories of their pasts, exchanging tales of hope and despair as they sought to keep their spirits alive amidst the desolation that surrounded them. The stories were said slowly, with soft voice, and as the minds started to falter, I am not sure each other got everything of the stories, but hope was here, and they knew it was the most important. 

In those fleeting moments of connection, they found a glimmer of light amid the darkness, a reminder that they were not alone in their struggle.

But even as their bond grew stronger, so too did the challenges they faced. Sandstorms swept across the desert with a ferocity that threatened to tear them apart, while sweltering heat threatened to cook them alive beneath the relentless sun. Yet still, they pressed on, driven by a shared determination to defy the odds and emerge victorious against the harsh realities of their world.

It was in the depths of their darkest hour that they stumbled upon a glimmer of hope, a distant oasis nestled amidst the barren landscape. With renewed vigor, they raced towards it, their hearts pounding with anticipation as they prayed for salvation in the midst of the desert wasteland.

As they drew closer, the oasis beckoned to them like a mirage in the desert, promising respite from the hardships they had endured. With each step, their anticipation grew, until finally, they reached the oasis's shimmering waters and collapsed upon its verdant shores, their bodies weary but their spirits renewed.

In that moment, as they drank deeply from the oasis's cool waters and felt the warmth of the sun upon their skin, Q and Mei knew that they had overcome the greatest challenge of their journey. They had stared death in the face and emerged triumphant, forged in the fires of adversity and bound together by a bond that could not be broken.

But Q started to wonder how was it possible that the water was cool, with this sun. And he realized the water wasn't stagnent but moving, it cames from a tube, and this was human made for sure. 

That was the real good news, if there were working human made technology, he thought, then they were not alone. 

That night the light appeared closer than ever. And it becomes clear that it wasn't more than 2 days walk. Mei even though to see some human shoe trace in the send, but Q coudn't be certain of it.

Something interesting, and worrying Q was the "no trash" situation. He though that if they would be walking closer to humans, or on the path to humans, there would be trash or rest. But there wasn't any. 

As they gazed out upon the vast expanse of the desert, a sense of despair blossomed within them, darkening the way forward on their journey towards a better tomorrow. For in the darkest of nights, even the faintest glimmer of light can illuminate the path to salvation, guiding weary travelers towards a future filled with promise of death. 

After days of relentless marching through the unforgiving desert, with fatigue gnawing at their limbs and doubt weighing heavy on their hearts, Q and Mei were on the verge of giving up hope. The endless expanse of sand seemed to stretch out before them endlessly, mocking their futile struggle against the elements. The light every night seemed at the same distance, and yesterday there even didn't had any. Maybe they went to the wrong direction ? Thrist was here again, and they both had serious sunburn all over their body. 

But just when they thought they could go no further, when their spirits were at their lowest ebb, a glimmer of light appeared on the horizon, in plain sight.

At first, they dismissed it as a trick of the desert sun, a mirage born of their weary minds. But as they drew closer, the outline of towering skyscrapers began to take shape against the backdrop of the desert landscape.

Their hearts surged with renewed hope as they realized what lay before them: the fabled mega city they had saw ads of during their stay in the settlement. Its gleaming spires rose high above the sands, a beacon of civilization amidst the desolation of the desert.

With a surge of adrenaline coursing through their veins, Q and Mei quickened their pace, their weary limbs propelled forward by the promise of salvation that awaited them. As they drew closer, the magnitude of the city's grandeur became apparent, its towering skyscrapers reaching towards the heavens like monuments to human ingenuity and ambition.