Jian and Nansich walked in silence along the broken road. Dust curled around their shoes, and the only sounds were their footsteps and the occasional distant rumble of falling rubble.
Behind them, an engine sputtered, then roared weakly to life.
"Hey! Wait!" the driver called out, his voice hoarse and shaken.
They turned. The same man who had crashed the vehicle earlier had somehow pulled it back together enough to move. He waved at them from the window, urgency in his voice. "Get in—it's dark, kids!"
Jian hesitated. His brows furrowed.
the cab drove up beside them and the man opened the door for them.
"Aren't you too shocked to drive?"
The driver gave a weak smile, one corner of his lip trembling. "Well, I've got to take you to your destination, don't I? Come on—get in."
Jian shrugged and opened the door. Nansich followed closely, clambering into the back seat. The car rattled as it started forward, rolling slowly down the broken road.
For a while, nothing was said.
