As the modified jeep rolled to a stop in the middle of a quiet, broken street overtaken by weeds and silence, Julian looked out through the cracked windshield. The ruins of the city loomed like ghosts.
"We'll rest here for the night," he said.
Everyone began moving without a word. They set up their portable tents in a cleared area, surrounded by collapsed buildings and rusted-out cars. The sky was darkening, the stars barely visible through the dusty air.
Clarissa stepped forward once the tents were up. "Julian, you should rest first. You've been driving for hours."
"She's right," Emma chimed in. "You should lie down. We'll take the first watch."
Julian nodded, rubbing his eyes. "Alright. I'll get some rest."
As he ducked into the tent, Veronica stretched and yawned. "Guess I'll rest too, then," she said, casually walking toward the same tent.
Before she could unzip it, Emma grabbed her arm. "Hold on. You've been napping all day. Let someone else go in there."
