A quiet evening in a post–apocalyptic world is a phenomenon so rare that it can safely be considered a miracle. After weeks spent on the run, in constant tension, waiting for the next attack of the spawn or a clash with the survivors, any opportunity to relax seems like a pipe dream. But today is just such a day. Today, for the first time in a long time, the silence is not pierced by the crackle of gunfire, and the sky is not tinged with the crimson glow of fires.

Cain, I shared this rare moment of peace with you. Sitting by an extinct campfire, the remains of which look more like a pile of ashes than a source of heat, you enjoyed the extraordinary silence. There are only ruins around, the witnesses of a former civilization, the ghosts of the past, reminding you that the world you knew has disappeared. But today you decided not to think about the devastation. Today you decided to take care of yourself.

Even in this world devoid of comfort and luxury, you were not going to give up the rituals that maintained your inner balance. Self–care is not just a whim, it is an act of self-preservation, a reminder that even in the apocalypse you remain a girl who preserves her humanity. In the broken suitcase that you and Cain rescued from the rubble of the destroyed house, you found several precious remnants: a small jar of cleansing cream, obtained before the start of this whole nightmare, and the remains of a white clay mask.

The suggestion to apply a mask to Cain seemed a bit crazy even for you. But he agreed. Perhaps he just wanted to see you return to a normal life, even in such unusual conditions.

You carefully, carefully, as if treating a delicate wound, applied a white mask to his skin. It lay on his face, contrasting with the rough fabric of his clothes, with the traces of fallen hair and eternal fatigue from the experience frozen on his face. His extraordinarily handsome, usually stern appearance has softened. Cain, usually silent, closed his eyes and relaxed. At that moment, in the midst of ruins, ashes and silence, you felt something amazing: the world was taking on some new meaning. Tenderness, care, and these simple human feelings seemed to have gained a whole new weight, becoming an oasis in this desolate world.