I wandered aimlessly under the scorching sun, determined to find sustenance for me and my younger brother. Surrounded by rust and decay, I opened every single door of all the vehicles now abandoned on the highway, to find nothing but a few rags and the sight of a couple of cans. My eyes opened wide, recognizing the food, impulsively throwing myself at it. I hoarded the cans in my hands while lying in the deteriorated backseat, slowly lifting my eyes, looking at every direction.

A smile spread across my face as I placed them inside my bag. Today, fortune was on my side, we will have dinner on the table. Tomorrow begins with uncertainty, a discouraging fact that it might not yield the same outcome as today. The sun is about to set, it was time to return home knowing the night had promised to be frigid as it usually does.

I slammed the door shut, and began to walk towards the village, when a sudden sound caught my attention. I stopped to hear it again, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath as I worked to calm my rumbling heart. The sound emerged again, freezing me in place as it entered my ears. It related to my memories, a distant past when my younger brother used the exact same noise to ask for food.

The sound of a crying baby.

I ran towards it, driven by an urgent hope that I could be the first to respond to the cry for help. Unfortunately, they arrived first, my competition in this barren landscape— coyotes. They surrounded a small car, scratching the doors, unsure how to get to the crying child. As I moved closer, one of the coyotes charged at me, triggered by my sudden appearance. I entered the car next to me and closed the door. The pack jumped on top of the car, growling in desperation for a quick meal. One coyote managed to thrust its head through a broken window, its eyes burning with a fierce desperation, as they struggled to find food, just like us.

Inside the car, I spotted a piece of metal pipe, likely the only object I could use to defend myself against the ravenous animal. Gripping the pipe tightly, I swung it forcefully, striking the coyote in the face and causing it to withdraw from the window.

"Find yourself another meal!" I yelled, noticing the pack had stopped its relentless attack.

I peeked through the window, finding no signs of the coyotes. Slowly, I opened the door and placed one foot on the ground, when suddenly, the injured animal reappeared in front of me, this time sinking its teeth into my right arm. I ripped my arm out of its mouth, kicking the coyote with all strength I could muster. The coyote received another blow of my boot on its nose, whining at the pain the hit caused. The animal stepped back, taking one last glance at me, before fleeing with its pack.

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Once the coyotes had fled, I took a deep breath, only to wince in pain from the bite wound inflicted by the coyote. I tore a piece of my shirt and wrapped it around my injured arm to stem the bleeding. The sound of crying echoed in my ears again, this time louder and more desperate. Urged by the cries, I quickly got out of the car and ran towards the source of the distress.

I opened the door of the backseat of the deteriorated car, finding the source of the desperate sound. It was enveloped in a dirty blanket, tucked on the floor, a baby girl, crying unconsolably. Gently, I picked up the small child in my hands, immediately falling in love with her light green eyes.

Bringing her home would certainly pose more challenges, considering we already struggled to feed ourselves. But I didn't have the heart to leave her behind, I know for sure my brother will understand. I took my bottle of water, filled the cap and placed it on her lips. At the touch of the water entering her delicate mouth, the child stopped crying.

"You are coming home with me. I'm your big brother now."

Arriving at the village entrance, two men stood, blocking the gate. The moment I stopped in front of them, both rolled their eyes but neither moved to open the gate as they typically would for others. The quarrel seemed directed solely at me, likely because I had a reputation for breaking the village rules.

I paused to keep my emotions in check before addressing the guards. "I would like to enter, please. My brother is waiting for me."

The two men exchanged a glance before bursting into laughter. "Show us what you got, Farris. You know the rules. We have to inspect all bags coming into the village."

I didn't want anything bad to happen to my little sister, now cozy on her blanket, sleeping in my arms. That was the first time I agreed to play by their rules—for her sake. I placed the bag in front of the guards, leaving only my little sister in my arms. After rummaging through the bag, and taking some of my supplies, one of the guards took a step forward stopping in front of me.

"What's on the blanket?" The guard asked.

I shifted my arms to shield the sleeping baby from his reach. "You're not getting through these gates until you show me what you're hiding in the blanket."

I felt forced to accommodate his demand. Without hesitation, I moved the blanket over, revealing her angelic face. The guard's expression turned into terror at the sight of the baby sleeping in my arms.

"Have you lost your mind? The elder will exile you and your brother for bringing that child here. Most of the people are sick and starving. Yet, you have the audacity of adding another mouth to feed?"

"I will take care of her, I promise."

The gate opened as the guard laughed hysterically at my comment. An old man walked in, abruptly stopping at the sight of the baby.

"Farris, what you have brought to our doors?" The old man asked.