"Hello, are you okay?" the stranger asked, his voice filled with concern.
Rex stared at him in silence, his mind clouded with confusion. He glanced around and saw other strangers in the distance, some in camouflage pants, others in civilian outfits. They were talking amongst themselves, examining the ruins as if trying to make sense of the destruction. They looked like a mix of soldiers, reporters, and science students. Among them were young adults, one of whom stood before him now.
Rex turned his gaze back to the young man speaking to him. He had dark hair streaked with faint silver strands and sharp brown eyes that seemed to pierce right through him. He wasn't dressed like a typical soldier but carried an air of authority. His black pants and brown shirt were tucked in neatly, and a camouflage scarf hung loosely around his neck. He looked like someone from a security agency, someone important.
"I'm Felix," the stranger introduced himself, scanning Rex's appearance. The boy's clothes were torn, his skin covered in ash and dirt, yet there wasn't a single injury on him. What stood out the most, however, was his hair—white with faint red tints. It was unusual, unnatural even, for someone so young. It wasn't like that before the apocalyse. Somehow, his once dark hair had turned stark white, with faint red tints woven through the strands.
"It looks like you survived the disaster without a scratch," Felix observed. "That's… odd. Do you remember anything?"
Rex remained silent. His eyes were distant, unreadable. He wanted to speak, to ask questions, to cry, but the words wouldn't come. It was as if something inside him had locked his emotions away, leaving only a hollow numbness in their place.
Felix let out a slow sigh, running a hand through his messy hair. "Look, kid, I need you to talk to me so I can help you. Before those guys over there—" he tilted his head toward the group behind him, their uniforms dark against the fading light, "—find you and decide to run experiments on you. Because a lot has changed in the past four weeks since the apocalypse. You don't want that, do you?"
Four weeks?
Rex's breath hitched. He had been unconscious a month? The last thing he remembered was eating that strange fruit. Then, excruciating pain. And then darkness. Now, he was here, awake and unsure of what had happened to his body, only the eerie feeling that something inside him had changed.
"It wasn't a dream," he finally whispered, his voice hoarse.
"What?" Felix leaned in.
"The destruction of the Earth…" Rex lowered his head, as if trying to piece together his memories "It was real".
Felix's expression darkened. "Yeah, it was real. The world was wiped out. Well, 80 percent of it, at least. But it was devastating." He studied Rex's face. "You don't remember anything?"
Rex shook his head
"It's a miracle you survived," Felix said, then gave a small nod after a moment. "Alright."
He paused, his eyes flickering over Rex's rugged appearance. "You don't look… too different. Not like some of the others we've come across. But we have to be careful. If they find you, they might see you as a threat, or worse, a test subject and hurt you by running some experiments on you, and so we have to make sure they never get their hands on you."
Felix glanced toward the distant camp. "We're camping over there for the night. Tomorrow, we head back home. Some chariots are leaving early, carrying special supplies we found, and I'll be traveling with them by land." He turned back to Rex, his voice lowering slightly. "Stay here, behind this tree. Don't move. I'll come for you at midnight and get you to town with us. Got it?"
Rex gave a small nod, pressing himself against the rough bark of the tree as Felix turned to leave.
Just then, a deep voice cut through the air.
"Felix"
Felix's heart skipped a beat as he turned, quickly masking his expression with a small, casual smile. A tall, muscular man in his forties approached, Mr. Ray, the head of the army squad. He wore camouflage pants and a tight black shirt that highlighted his strong build. A long scar ran across his cheek, sharpening the already commanding edge of his face. His neatly combed brown hair barely softened the intensity of his dark, watchful eyes, which swept the area like a predator searching for its next target.
"Find anything?" Mr. Ray asked with a cool tone
Felix shook his head. "No, sir."
Mr. Ray narrowed his eyes. "You know how dangerous it is out here. With the rise of strange monsters and beasts, you should be careful. And if you see anything strange, anything at all" he emphasized "you report it to me immediately. Understood?"
Felix gave a firm nod. "Yes, sir."
Mr. Ray exhaled sharply, scanning the surroundings one last time. His gaze lingered on the tree where Rex was hidden with an unreadable expression. Then, after a long pause, he turned back to Felix.
"Let's go," he ordered, giving Felix a firm tap on the shoulder before walking away.
Felix followed immediately. But before he left, he stole one last glance at the tree, silently hoping Rex would stay put.
Midnight
The campfire had died down, leaving the area bathed in shadows. The only light came from the moon, its pale glow casting eerie shadows across the ruined land.
Felix moved swiftly, his footsteps barely making a sound. When he reached the tree, he felt a wave of relief to see Rex was still there, wide awake, his amber-colored eyes reflecting the moonlight.
"Hey," Felix whispered. "Time to go."
Rex hesitated only for a second before taking Felix's outstretched hand. Felix led him carefully through the camp, toward a waiting carriage.
Felix turned to Rex. "Alright, get in qui—"
"What are you doing?"
The sharp voice cut through the night like a blade.
Felix froze, a chill running down his spine. Slowly, he turned.
Mr. Ray stood just a few feet away, his piercing gaze locked onto them. His face remained eerily calm, and then his eyes flicked to Rex, who stood stiffly beside Felix staring back at him with an odd expression.