"Dad, this chocolate's for you," Naomi said, holding it out with a smile.
Hiro gently patted her head, his eyes soft with affection. "Nah, you eat it. You need the energy."
Around them, the others were busy unpacking their gear, pulling out whatever food they had left to refuel. Everyone was worn out, and it showed.
But it wasn't just exhaustion—some of their bodies had started to change.
One young man had a massive tumor bulging from his shoulder, nearly the size of his head. It looked grotesque, like something out of a nightmare. The mutation was from drinking contaminated water—clean sources had long since dried up.
Nearby, a teenage girl's face was covered in swollen boils, some as big as fists, others like peas. A few had even merged together, squeezing her eyes into narrow slits. Her skin was stretched and inflamed, the infection spreading like wildfire.
