The city of From was already plunged into its typical late afternoon stillness.

The shadows began to lengthen, and Kenny knew that soon darkness would take over completely. He glanced at his watch—the time to retire was near. As he prepared to turn the corner that led to his house, the sound of an engine made him stop abruptly. His body alerted, a wave of tension running down his spine. The last car he had seen had been days ago, and now, in the silence of the city, the noise seemed unusual, almost like a warning.

Kenny instinctively put his hand on the gun he carried and walked toward the sound. It was a car. But not just any car. It was new, and didn't seem to have the dust characteristic of vehicles that had already arrived in the city. The engine roared softly as he approached, making his heart race. He knew every vehicle that moved along these roads, and this was not one of them.

He quickly hid in the shadows of the street, watching the car stop ahead. The driver's door opened with a soft creak, and a woman appeared, looking lost. Her hair was messy, and she wore clothes that seemed a little out of place for the city. Her gaze was distant, as if she had just woken up from a nightmare or wasn't quite sure where she was.