The following week passed quietly, the frost-laden world outside maintaining its unforgiving grip. Yet, for Karl, Jane, and Layla, the days seemed less harsh. Inside their small shelter, they found solace in the routine they had built—a fragile semblance of normalcy amidst the chaos.
Karl spent his mornings sorting through the contents of the Uncommon Storage, ensuring their supplies were in order. Jane kept busy by reinforcing their shelter, using scrap materials scavenged from nearby ruins. Layla, ever resourceful, had taken to hunting small animals, bringing back fresh food that supplemented Karl's canned goods.
That morning, as the pale winter sunlight filtered through the boarded-up windows, Karl sat at the makeshift table, sketching a rough map of the surrounding area. Jane leaned against the wall, her hands idly flipping a dagger Karl had found in storage. Layla was crouched near the fireplace, expertly skinning a rabbit she'd caught earlier.