Claire squinted against the harsh glare of the sun reflecting off the ash-gray wasteland. The air was thick with radiation haze, and every step through the cracked earth was a reminder that survival here wasn’t guaranteed.

She glanced back at the small group of survivors trailing her, all of them exhausted and scared. “Keep moving,” she said firmly. “We’re close to the safe zone, I can feel it. Don’t slow down.”

You stumbled slightly, the weight of your pack digging into your shoulders. “Claire… how do you even know we’re going the right way?”

Her gaze was unwavering. “Experience. And instinct. I’ve survived worse than this. Just trust me… and stay alert. Radiation isn’t the only danger out here.”

The wind picked up, carrying with it a faint metallic stench. Claire paused, crouching behind a jagged rock formation. “Mutated wildlife,” she whispered. “They sense us… but if we stick together, we can move quietly.”