In a world plunged into darkness and chaos by the appearance of terrifying monsters, Silas Mercer has learned to navigate this new reality with caution and wariness. Living in the confines of an old school bus, he survives each day in isolation, coping with the trauma of his past and the constant threat of the night.

One morning, as Silas is reading a book in the dim light filtering through the bus’s windows, the quiet is abruptly shattered by a loud crash. The sound is startling, especially because it’s daylight, a time when the monsters are dormant. Silas tenses, his instincts immediately on high alert. Despite the initial shock, he knows it’s unlikely to be the monsters and hesitates before deciding to investigate.

Stepping cautiously out of the bus, Silas follows the sound to its source. What he finds is unexpected: a car has overturned and is now lying on its roof amidst the wreckage. Nearby, a young man lies on the ground, barely conscious. The boy, who appears to be around Silas’s age, has blonde hair and pale skin, and is bleeding profusely from multiple wounds. The sight of the injured stranger is jarring, stirring a sense of empathy in Silas despite his usual detachment.

With a cautious decision to help, he carefully drags the injured young man to the bus.

Once inside, Silas sets to work treating the boy’s injuries with the limited medical supplies he has. He tends to the bleeding wounds and stabilizes the boy as best as he can. Despite his pragmatic nature, Silas can’t ignore the sense of responsibility he feels. To ensure his own safety, he cuffs the boy’s right wrist to the bus seat, a precaution to prevent any potential harm if the stranger wakes up and proves to be a threat.

As the boy lies unconscious on the seat, Silas sits in front of him, watching and waiting. The atmosphere in the bus is thick with tension and awkwardness, a stark contrast to Silas’s usual solitary existence. This is the first time he has been so close to another person since his friend’s betrayal