†FUTURE†

Ryan and Aria sat in silence, the silence wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't uncomfortable either, it was like a limbo, a holding pattern, as if time itself had paused.

Aria's gaze drifted toward the bedroom door, where Samuel, who was struggling to come to terms with Ryan's revelation. She knew the weight of Ryan's words had bore down on Samuel like a physical force, anyone who is surviving in the apocalypse and knows what caused it would react the same way.

"Samuel needs time," Aria said, breaking the silence and turning her head back to Ryan.

"I understand," Ryan replied, "I don't expect him to talk to me overnight."

"It's not just about him talking to you back, Ryan. It's about trust," she said and Ryan nodded, They needed trust to stay alive, Samuel could just poison him or worse pull a trigger on Ryan when he sleeps, so trust is really essential.