One Week Later
The snow kept falling endlessly, covering the world in a cold, unyielding silence. The wind pierced through the cracks of the old building, creating eerie whistles. Inside the small room, dimly lit by the flickering flames of a portable stove, three souls clung to what little strength they had left.
Karl stood by the frosted window, his gaze blank and his thoughts elsewhere. The creeping cold made everything feel frozen, but that wasn't what truly bothered him. It had been a week since he and Layla got stuck in this situation. While they shared warmth to get by, there was an unspoken need between them—something deeper than just sharing blankets.
Jane, sitting on an old sofa with a worn blanket draped over her shoulders, watched Karl. She stayed quiet for a while but eventually sighed deeply.