Beyond Lives and Horizons

— Now that I'm blind, you're going to have to hug me all the time, right, Zack? — Airi said with a weak smile, trying to joke, but her voice betrayed the pain she felt. It was an attempt to break through the oppressive silence, to regain some normalcy amid the chaos.

Zack was surprised by her lightness at that moment. She was so fragile, so lost, yet still trying to find a way to face everything with a bit of humor. He was at a loss for words for a moment, unsure how to respond to her joke. But soon, a sad smile formed on his face, and he replied softly:

— You won't need to, Airi. I'll support you in everything. I'll help you with whatever you need, whenever you need it.

She laughed again, this time more softly, but soon her laughter broke, and she choked, her voice becoming heavy with emotion. The laughter had disappeared, and pain took hold of her once more.

— Zack… I… I never refused the idea that we… that we would get married in the future. I just thought you were too clingy before… — Airi feigned a bit of anger, but her attempt to be strong didn't last long. She swallowed her sobs, and her voice began to falter as she continued, quieter and filled with sadness. — But now… now you'll have to take me, since I can't see anymore…

Zack felt the tightness in his chest increase, and a sense of helplessness washed over him. She was trying to stay strong, but he knew how much she was suffering. Her simple words made his heart ache. He wanted to take all that pain away from her, to give her the world back. But for now, all he could do was be there.

He hugged her tighter, his face pressed against her shoulder, trying to convey, even in silence, everything he couldn't say with words.

— You don't have to force yourself, Airi. I'm here with you, and we're going to be okay. We'll get through this, together. — He whispered, trying to express all the sincerity in his words.

Airi, unable to hold back any longer, broke down in tears. She surrendered to her sobbing, and with her voice muffled by pain, she said:

— Thank you, Zack… I don't know what I'd do without you…

Zack simply held her tighter, feeling his own chest tighten with her pain. He knew he didn't have all the answers, that the future was uncertain and filled with challenges. But he also knew, with unwavering certainty, that he wouldn't abandon her. No matter what happened, he would be there, by her side, to face whatever came their way.

Airi's crying echoed in the silent night, but even in the pain, there was something profound in the promise they both made, without words. They had each other, and that was what mattered most at that moment.

Zack knew that although Airi was emotionally devastated, the journey ahead would be full of challenges. They needed to prepare, even if uncertainty was the only thing awaiting them. He looked around, trying to organize his thoughts, and then turned to Airi, who was still standing there with a lost expression.

— Airi, we need to grab some things before we go. Something you think is important. I… I'll try to improvise whatever is necessary. — He spoke in a calm but firm voice, trying to give her a bit of control over the situation, even though the reality was frightening.

She looked at him, her face expressionless, but her voice, despite its fragility, still held determination.

— I… I don't know what to take, Zack. What do you think is important? I… can't see anything, so I can't choose. — She was trying to hide her pain, but couldn't stop her voice from trembling.

Zack went into the small house where Airi's family had lived. He knew he had to be quick, and that anything they grabbed would be vital for the journey ahead. His eyes quickly scanned the objects around — there wasn't much, but he found some items that could be useful: a waterproof cloak to protect them from the rain, some pieces of rope, and a few kitchen utensils. He gathered them, placing them into an improvised backpack.

Airi, on her part, sat near a small chest, touching the things that were still left. Her agile fingers brushed over the items, and Zack watched from a distance, not wanting to interrupt her moment of introspection. She paused at an old photograph of her family that lay at the bottom of the chest. Her fingers hesitated for a moment before she asked, her voice trembling:

— Zack… what is this?

Zack approached her and, with a gentle look, replied:

— It's a photo of your family… everyone was smiling. — He pointed lightly, remembering how happy Airi's parents and she had been in that picture.

Airi remained silent for a moment, touching the photo with trembling hands. The weight of loss was still immense, but in that small piece of paper, she felt a connection to what had been lost. Her eyes filled with tears, but even without seeing the photo, she pressed it against her chest and held it tightly.

— I… I will take it, Zack. Even if I may never see this photo again. — She said, her voice almost breaking, but filled with a kind of silent determination.

Zack watched silently as she carefully stored the photo in one of the bags. He understood the value of that to her—something that went beyond sight; it was the memory of who she was and who she had lost.

With nothing more to say, Zack moving on, gathering other useful items — food and some essentials for their journey — and placed everything in the backpacks. He also improvised a walking stick from a piece of metal he found in the workshop of the house. As he shaped it, he thought about how difficult the journey ahead would be, but at least Airi would have something to help her move more safely.

He handed the walking stick to her carefully, and Airi held it, feeling the texture of the metal.

— This will help me, Zack. Thank you… — Airi said, her voice blending gratitude and sadness.

Zack gestured that it was time to leave. He approached her and, with a firm look, said:

— Let's go. We need to move forward. East… that's where we'll head for now. We don't know what awaits us, but we'll continue, no matter what happens.

Airi, although still scared, gave a slight nod. She knew the path would be difficult, but her trust was in Zack. He had made a promise, and she believed in him.

With everything they needed stored in their backpacks and Airi guided by the improvised walking stick, the two began to walk eastward. They had no clear destination, but they were united with the goal of moving forward, with courage, even without knowing what the future held.

The week had been difficult, filled with unexpected challenges. The forest they were traversing seemed endless, with tall, dense trees blocking out the sunlight. Zack and Airi were exhausted but felt compelled to continue, unsure of where they were heading, just following a direction they believed to be safe. Zack's appearance was unkempt — his hair dirty, his face marked by fatigue, and his clothes torn. He had lost more weight, the days without quality food making his body weaker.

With each attempt at hunting, he failed. One day, he tried to catch a rabbit, but the animal escaped again. Now, with an empty stomach and frayed nerves, a frustrated shout echoed through the forest.

— DAMN IT! I couldn't catch anything again!

Zack punched a tree in anger, frustration written all over his face. He was beginning to feel the weight of responsibility. The pressure of taking care of Airi, ensuring she had food to eat and the safety she needed, was starting to weigh heavily on him. What had once seemed like a simple survival mission was becoming a daily struggle for survival, with no end in sight.

With a tired sigh, he turned and began to walk back. He knew Airi was somewhere nearby, and the sounds of the forest made her more vulnerable. But despite the situation, he couldn't help but feel relief as he approached her. He already knew how hard she was trying, feeling her way through the world around her, trying to maintain some normalcy, even in such a cruel setting.

When he got close, he could already hear her, Airi's soft voice breaking the silence of the forest.

— So, did you catch anything? — She asked, a hint of irony in her voice.

Zack paused for a moment, trying to hide just how frustrated he was. He didn't want her to know how much he was struggling. But with a tired look, he replied:

— Your hearing is getting better and better. Now I don't even need to announce that I've arrived.

Airi chuckled softly, her voice still gentle but with a touch of humor:

— You're complimenting me because it means you caught nothing, right?

Zack couldn't help but smile slightly, despite his exhaustion. He sat down beside her, pulling out the backpacks and beginning to rummage through them.

— Haha, you caught me there. I'm having difficulty getting good food for us. Luckily, my dad taught me how to fish, so at least I can catch something for us. — He said, trying to convey that there was still hope.

Airi, although worried about the situation, couldn't help but feel a bit relieved to hear Zack's voice trying to lighten the weight of their predicament.

The morning was quiet in the forest, with only the sound of the wind passing through the leaves and the rustling of the trees around. Zack was trying to hunt once again, but as usual, he had no luck. His tired gaze reflected the hard days they had gone through. With each step he took, the weight of his responsibility for Airi increased, and he felt frustration taking over.

Back at the spot where Airi was, she was carefully feeling her way through the bushes, trying to find something useful. She was still learning to cope with her blindness, but her other senses were sharper, which helped her navigate. When Zack approached, she lifted her head, already knowing of his arrival.

— So, did you catch anything? — she asked, her voice a bit tired but still carrying a light tone.

Zack smiled humorlessly as he sat next to her.

— Your hearing is getting better. I don't even have to announce that I'm here anymore — he replied, laughing a little, trying to break the tension in the air.

Airi raised an eyebrow, with a hint of teasing, but her voice revealed an underlying concern:

— You're complimenting me because it means you didn't catch anything, right?

Zack let himself fall onto the grass beside her, rubbing his face, feeling the weight of the days without rest.

— Haha, you got me. I'm struggling to find good food for us… thank goodness my dad taught me how to fish. So at least I can catch something. — He shook his head, feeling a mix of gratitude and sadness for everything his father had taught him, knowing he would never hear his voice again.

Airi said nothing, but her silence was enough for Zack to feel that she was absorbing his words with the same concern he had. She knew he was doing his best, but she couldn't shake the feeling of becoming more dependent on him. When Airi placed her hand over his, he looked at her, noticing that she was trying to stay strong, as always.

Suddenly, the breeze passing through the trees brought a familiar scent — the scent of a safe place, something that made Zack's heart race, albeit a little suspiciously. Airi, with her sharpened senses, also noticed something. She stopped, tilting her head as if listening intently.

— Zack, do you smell that? — she asked, her voice soft but tinged with curiosity. — I think… there's something over there.

Zack stood up and followed the direction she indicated, feeling an intuition that they might be closer to something important. After a short walk, they reached a small clearing where a cave partially hidden among the rocks opened in front of them. The place was quiet, with no signs that anyone had used it recently, but there was a sense of warmth, of refuge.

They entered cautiously and soon realized that the interior of the cave was dry and relatively safe. As they explored deeper, they found an area that seemed to have been used by some traveler or lost resident. There were remnants of an extinguished campfire, some ceramic dishes, and even a wicker basket with some preserved food. It was simple but enough for a welcome break.

Airi moved closer, feeling the environment around her. She recognized the feeling of being in a closed space but took her time to speak. Upon seeing the improvised shelter, Zack smiled lightly, feeling relief. He didn't know what more would come, but he knew that, at least for now, they had found something that could help.

— I think we can stay here for a while… rest and replenish. — Zack said with a sigh of exhaustion.

Airi, even without being able to see, felt the shift in atmosphere. She sensed that Zack's relief was shared with her, and a slight smile appeared on her lips. She let herself slump onto the ground, leaning against the cool wall of the cave.

— I can't see anything… but I think this place… is safe. — Her voice was softer now, a sense of peace settling in after so much time in uncertainty.

Zack sat down beside her, starting to prepare what he had found in the basket.

— It will be temporary, but it's the best we can do for now. I… will fish later. You must be hungry. — He tried to appear calm, but he knew every day was becoming more difficult.

While Zack worked, Airi remained silent, feeling the warmth of the newly lit fire and the comfort of the makeshift shelter. For a long moment, she simply listened to the sounds around her, Zack's words echoing in her mind.

Then, with a deep sigh, she spoke, more to herself than to Zack:

— Even without seeing, I can still feel that we are safer here. Thank you, Zack. You don't know how much this means to me.

Zack paused for a moment, looking at her.