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Lava pooled on the streets. The thick, fiery ooze spread over the broken husks of automobiles and benches. Silver could have sworn he saw bones mixed in the rubble before the lava melted them. As he floated over the wreckage, he watched the lava break through the pavement, spilling and gushing like countless open wounds, and Silver rubbed his arms, pursing his lips as he found shelter atop a skyscraper.
Crisis City, and the world, had never seen better days. Magma flooded the seas, encouraged by the endlessly rumbling earthquakes. A haze covered the once crystal clear blue sky, its shade the color of blood. It was a miracle Silver hadn’t succumbed to any lung disease from how often he gagged on smoke.
But for now, he found peace. Even as the humid air suffocated him, he sat on the corner and surveyed the city. The same dilapidated buildings and ruins greeted him. Rubble fell, landing on the concrete or splashed into the lava. Hunching forward, Silver rested his elbows on his knees, grateful for the lack of Iblis’ screaming, and he idly rubbed his empty, unsettled stomach.
It was Blaze’s turn to locate food. He had found breakfast, a few pieces of surprisingly juicy fruit from a tree outside of the city limits. After a long day of beating back Iblis, she had ventured out to find dinner. It was the same pattern, rinse and repeat, an existence of everlasting despair.
Silver sighed and raked his fingers through his head quills. He stared at his palms, hardly surprised to find flecks of charred wood. It wasn’t unusual for debris to land on him while he searched for survivors, particularly when he maneuvered through decimated houses. He turned his palms to the ground, letting the wind carry the splinters and observing how the lava consumed everything in its path.
A growl from his stomach distracted him. He hunched forward, pursing his lips and focusing on the other rooftops. Most had caved with more holes than swiss cheese. His current resting place hardly faired better. A gaping drop was centered right behind him, and he heard bits of debris falling to floors below. Without his levitation, he risked tumbling to his doom, and the thought made him wince, for he couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t feared for his life.
But a dot of lavender clashed with the reds and grays of the cityscape. Silver brightened, watching her every graceful movement. Blaze ran, spun, and flipped across upheaved concrete, cars, and constructions until she reached him, landing soundlessly next to him. She carried a flimsy off-color bag, the contents steaming against the plastic, and she fished out a bottle of water, earning a gasp in return.
“You found clean water?” he asked, grabbing it with both hands. He quickly uncapped it and swigged, savoring the lukewarm liquid.
She chuckled and placed the bag between them as she sat. “There’s a convenience store buried toward the east. The supplies are good. I think a survivor group had used it as their base before-” She sighed. “-well, you know.”
Silver frowned, understanding her implication. “Iblis.”
Even quiet moments were interrupted. Constant reminders of Iblis’ tyranny reigned supreme. They couldn’t share a meal without being bombarded by the surrounding terrors.
The bottle crinkled in Silver’s palm. He sipped again, swishing the water between his teeth and harshly swallowing. It tickled the wrong pipe, and he coughed, beating at his chest. He sputtered and gulped, Blaze’s hand steadying his shoulder as he sighed, glaring at nothing.
“Don’t waste your water. You already know better than not to choke,” Blaze warned, setting her bottle aside. She reached into the bag and held something out to him. “Here. Eat this. It’s not exactly food fit for dinner, but it’ll do.”
Wrapped in a napkin was a flaky croissant. Warm meat and cheese filled it. Silver thanked her and gripped it, his fingers tight around it like a vice. When Silver bit into it, the flavors melted on his tongue. The blend of cheese, meat, and bread, even if the ingredients were most likely cheap, was a treat for his taste buds. He couldn’t remember the last time he sunk his teeth into something that scrumptious, and Silver was mourning the loss of his roll-up when he gave one last swallow.
“That was so good,” he sighed, crumpling the napkin.
Blaze finished hers, sharing a small smile with him. “There are more at the store. We can go there later tonight.”
A shelter was hard to come by. The duo often slept on burnt grass or tiled floors with thin blankets covering their weary forms. If a survivor group had made a home at the store, he supposed there would be good bedding and looked forward to sleeping well, even if it meant using someone else’s sleeping quarters
“I also found instant noodle packs and two chocolate chip cookies that haven’t expired,” Blaze said, taking out two covered styrofoam cups filled with hot water, noodles, and veggies. Throwing the tops away, she uncapped her water, filling them halfway, but at Silver’s gasp, she paused. “What’s wrong?”
He gestured at her half-empty bottle. “You must be dehydrated. You shouldn’t waste your water on me.”
“It’s that naive way of thinking that surprises me,” she countered, and Silver’s cheeks warmed. “If I made the ramen on the way here, it’d spill.”
“No, no.” He held out his hand. “I mean, I could’ve eaten my noodles later. You deserved all of that water.”
A soft sound of surprise left her, but a gentle grin replaced it just as quickly. “Silver, we’re going to the store soon. I’ll be fine with the bottle half-full.”
Silver acquiesced. Her point was sound, and her smile reassured him. He watched as she lit a spark on her index fingers, keeping it underneath the cups, careful not to set them up in flames.
When the water sufficiently boiled, Silver accepted the cup and plastic fork she provided him, marveling over the heat in his hands. Digging it through the noodles, he blew away the steam and munched through the blend of noodles and vegetables. The peas and corns tasted raw, but the noodles were chewy and flavored in a chicken broth. It was a step down from the roll-up, but he couldn’t afford to be a beggar.
They tossed their cups aside, and Blaze retrieved two cookies the size of their palms. Silver’s eyes lit up. It had been ages since he tasted sweets. Thanking Blaze as she handed the plastic-wrapped treat, he tore open the flap and crammed it in his mouth. The rich taste of brown butter and chocolate brought him back to simpler times. He slowly chewed, not wanting it to end, savoring every bite. He even licked the crumbs off his lips and glove, overwhelmingly satisfied.
“Great finds, Blaze,” he said as she swallowed her last bite.
“I still prefer the fruits you found this morning,” she admitted, wiping her hands together.
“What? But you found us meat and cookies. When’s the last time we ever had that?”
She chuckled. “That’s true, but the fruit was healthier.”
Agreeing, Silver rose to his full height and finished his water. He sighed, gazing out to the hazy horizon. Reality returned with scarlet hues. He wondered where Iblis would strike next. Sharing a meal with Blaze was only a distraction, but feeling her presence next to him, he knew the quiet moments were worth it.
Together, they took off for the convenience store. It might have only served as a base for one night, but Silver was grateful. As long as they remained together, with Blaze as his friend, he saw tiny glimmers of hope in the shade and heat, like distant stars in the night sky.