Inside the infirmary.
Ethan lay on a bed, his body still weak but alive.
Daisy stood beside him, checking his vitals.
Daisy: "Everything's stable… your condition looks good."
Ethan: "I'll try walking a bit."
He pushed himself up, sitting slowly, then tried to stand.
Daisy (careful): "Easy… want me to help?"
Ethan: "No… I can do it."
He stood with surprising ease and began walking slowly across the room.
A few steps in, his leg trembled. He stopped, leaning against the wall.
Daisy: "Does it hurt when you walk?"
Ethan: "Not exactly."
Daisy: "You'll need a cane until you regain full balance. Hold on—there's one in the closet."
She opened a cabinet and took out a walking stick.
Daisy: "Use this. You'll only need it for a few days."
Ethan: "Thanks."
Daisy: "You're welcome. You can walk outside a bit, just to get used to it."
Ethan: "Alright."
Before he could leave, someone stepped in.
It was Mosta.
Mosta: "Hey, Daisy!—"
He spotted Ethan and smirked. "So you're the new mutant, huh?"
Daisy: "Hi, Mosta. Yes, this is Ethan ."
Mosta (to Ethan): "Welcome aboard. I'm Mosta Grant."
He shook Ethan's hand firmly.
Ethan: " Ethan.....Ethan Walker. Nice to meet you."
Mosta: "So your injury wasn't that bad after all."
Daisy: "He just needs time. A week of light walking and he'll be fine."
Mosta: "Good."
He turned to Ethan. "Come on, walk with me. Let's stretch those legs."
Ethan: "Sure."
They left together. Outside, Mosta began showing him the small village hidden in the woods.
---
In the forest.
Khaled and Chris stood face-to-face, tension heavy between them.
Khaled: "I knew you'd come back!"
Chris: "And I knew you'd come looking for me… right about now."
Khaled: "You're one of us. Why hesitate to join? What are you afraid of?"
Chris (sharply): "One of you? Who told you that?"
Khaled: "You transformed into a werewolf before! I saw it!"
Chris: "Yeah… and that doesn't mean I was hit by radiation."
Khaled (frowning): "Wait—what? You weren't exposed to toxic radiation?!"
Chris (calmly): "No."
Khaled: "Then how did it happen?"
Chris: "I told you… I'm not like you."
Khaled: "You mean… you were born this way? How?!"
Chris: "Brother… you have no idea what kind of world you're living in."
Silence fell.
Khaled froze, uneasy. His thoughts raced.
What's he hiding? Could he be connected to the explosion? There's something bigger going on… and this man knows it.
Khaled: "Are you involved in the blast?"
Chris chuckled quietly.
Chris: "Me? No. But my enemies are."
Khaled: "Your enemies?"
Chris: "Yeah. There's a lot you don't know about this world. Humans aren't the only species living here. There are creatures that have existed for hundreds of thousands of years—unseen."
Khaled (in disbelief): "Hundreds of thousands?! That long and humans never noticed? That's impossible! Are you saying there are other werewolves?!"
Chris: "Werewolves, vampires… and much more."
He paused, staring at the trees before him.
Chris: "Here's a piece of advice—if you ever meet a vampire who seems kind, don't trust him. Not for a second."
Khaled: "What do you mean?"
Chris: "They're the reason the world's falling apart. The chaos, the wars—it's all them."
Khaled: "Why? What's their goal?"
Chris: "Simple. Control. They want the world under their rule. They've been fighting and corrupting from the shadows for decades."
He lowered his gaze, his tone darkening.
Chris: "They destroyed my homeland once… and they'll do the same to yours if you don't stop them in time."
Khaled: "Decades? So… vampires and werewolves have existed for centuries?"
Chris: "Hard to believe, I know. But you've only seen a glimpse of the truth."
Khaled: "Then how do we stop them?"
Chris: "Follow their trail. You'll find them where the corruption spreads."
Khaled: "Wait… are you saying they're behind the global purges? The chaos across nations?"
Chris: "More than that. They're embedded in governments, media, every power structure. You could say they control seventy percent of this world."
Khaled: "How do you even know all that?"
Chris (smirking): "Let's just say… I'm sort of an undercover agent for the wolves."
Khaled: "And how do I know the wolves aren't after the same thing?"
Chris (laughing): "You don't. But actions speak louder than words. You'll learn who your friends are soon enough."
Suddenly, Chris turned his head sharply—he'd sensed something.
Chris: "Trust is rare these days… especially now."
He looked back at Khaled.
Chris: "I have to go. Meet me here tomorrow—same time."
Then, before Khaled could reply, Chris shifted—his body morphing into a towering black-and-white werewolf with glowing blue eyes.
He dashed into the depths of the forest, vanishing into the shadows.
Khaled stood frozen, torn between trust and fear.
Should he tell the others—or keep it to himself?
Was Chris an ally… or a dangerous liar?
Either way, he thought, we're entering a new phase of survival.
---
Back in the village.
Mosta played with his dog while Ethan stood nearby.
Ethan: "What's his name?"
Mosta: "Rex."
Ethan: "Nice name. How old is he?"
Mosta: "Almost two years. He's my loyal friend—the only one left from my old life before the catastrophe."
Ethan: "For me… there's nothing left. Nothing to remind me of who I was."
Mosta: "Which part of Spain were you living in?"
Ethan: "Connor's Spanish, not me."
Mosta: "Oh, I see. I thought you two came together. Haven't met him yet. So—how'd you end up there?"
Ethan: "yes We came together but I'm from California. I studied marine engineering. Top of my class. I was selected for a research trip in the Mediterranean—five days at sea. We stayed in a hotel in Italy. I still remember… the second day, I was on the research boat… minutes before the explosion."
Mosta (quietly): "You must've been the only survivor."
Ethan: "Yeah. What about you?"
Mosta: "Serbia. The radiation cloud reached us late—maybe two weeks after. I remember that morning clearly. I was heading to the gym like always. The sky was darker than usual, but I ignored it. The city was poisoning itself slowly. During training, the air grew thicker, toxic… I passed out mid-lift."
Ethan: "What happened to your family?"
Mosta: "The whole city died. Only a handful survived—those who wore masks early on."
Ethan looked up at the sky, silent. His chest tightened.
Mosta noticed.
Mosta: "Don't lose hope. Everyone here's been through something, just like you. We start over—together. As one family."
Ethan: "Yeah… everyone has their own pain."
He changed the subject.
Ethan: "You're one of the leaders here, right?"
Mosta: "I was recently appointed as the village's combat instructor."
Ethan: "Really? You guys have a training hall?"
Mosta: "Sure do."
He pointed ahead. "That building there. The one next to it's the food storage—Stan's in charge of supplies."
Ethan: "Have you started training them yet?"
Mosta: "Today I divided them into squads. Easier to manage. Once you're fully healed, you'll join Khaled's team."
Ethan: "Nice. So, how's this place run?"
Mosta: "We have a council that handles village affairs."
Ethan: "You're part of it?"
Mosta: "Yeah. Me, stan , Daisy, Khaled , and Almy. Each of us has a role—and a vote."
Ethan: "That's impressive. So what are the responsibilities?"
Mosta: "I handle training and defense.
Stan manages supplies and food production.
Daisy runs the medical center—you've already met her.
Khaled leads the defense unit.
And Almy oversees surveillance and operations."
Ethan: "Wow… you're all really organized. I've only met Stan and Almy so far."
Mosta: "You'll meet the rest soon."
Suddenly, a loud horn echoed through the village.
Ethan and Mosta both turned toward the sound.
Ethan: "What's that?!"
Mosta: "It's a call for assembly."
He tied Rex outside his wooden cabin and started walking toward the main building.
Mosta: "Come on. Let's see what they want."
"Is Chris really an ally… or the beginning of a new danger? 🔥"