*The group shared a moment together

The living room was dimly lit by the flicker of a single candle, its weak glow reflecting off the cracked windowpanes. The air was heavy with the smell of melted wax and the faint musk of old wood, but it was warmer here than the cold, dark rooms upstairs. The four sat in a loose circle around the candle, each of them clutching a chipped mug of lukewarm water.

It was Olivia’s idea. “We should learn more about each other,” she had said earlier, her soft voice breaking the silence as they cleaned up after dinner. “We’re all we’ve got now.” Noah had reluctantly agreed, and to his surprise, Greg and Eunhwa hadn’t protested.

“So,” Olivia started, wrapping a blanket tightly around her shoulders. Her blonde hair shimmered faintly in the candlelight, though dark circles lined her blue-gray eyes. “Maybe… we could share something about ourselves. Something from before.”

Greg snorted, leaning back against the couch. “What’s the point? Nothing remains from "before".”

The room fell silent, the crackle of the candlewick filling the void. Finally, Eunhwa spoke up, her tone light. “Okay, fine. I’ll go first. But only because I can’t stand this depressing vibe.” She pulled her knees up to her chest, her silver-dyed hair framing her face in loose, unruly curls. “My name’s Jo Eunhwa. I’m nineteen, and before all this, I was… drumroll, please… a third-string batter on my college baseball team.”

"So that's why you speak such good English," Greg laughed. "Been in the States long?"

"I'm from Tampa, fuckhead. Kill yourself."

“That’s enough of that,” Olivia interjected. “Greg, maybe you should go next.”

“Alright, fine. I’ll share, but don’t expect a happy story.” He leaned forward, his face shadowed by the candlelight. “Name’s Greg. I grew up a hunter—lived off the land. Wife and I had a cabin out by the lake, but she couldn't go this time. When this thing started, I came back and found her… turned.” His voice tightened, and he stared at the floor. “Did what I had to do. Been on my own since.”

Noah glanced at Olivia, whose face softened with sympathy. He couldn’t decide if Greg’s story made him more human or more dangerous. He hadn't mention his wife when he first appeared, but then again, its a hard thing to admit to.

After a pause, Olivia spoke, her voice gentle but clear. “I was a nurse before all this. Worked at the hospital up in Macon. I… I always thought I’d spend my life helping people, not hiding from them.” She looked down at her mug, her grip tightening. “But I guess that’s what this world is now. Just surviving, however we can.”

The room fell quiet again, and Noah realized they were all waiting for him. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I was a soldier,” he said simply. “Until I met Olivia here while recovering from a gunshot I got overseas. Realized its time to settle down, so I left and became a mechanic. Worked on cars, bikes, whatever people needed fixed. Never thought those skills would be the difference between life and ****.” He looked around the circle, his gaze lingering on Olivia. “Now I fix walls instead of engines. Guess that’s all I’m good for these days.”

Eunhwa chuckled softly, breaking the tension, her eyes looking into his. “Don’t sell yourself short, big guy. You’re good at keeping us alive, too.”

For the first time that night, Noah allowed himself a faint smile, though he did not notice the small frown the flitted across Olivia's face.

The candle burned lower as the night stretched on, the four of them sharing fragments of the lives they’d lost. It didn’t change their grim reality, but for a few hours, it distracted them from the horrors outside.