The heavy, humid air of the forest was cut only by the distant sounds of birds and the rustling of leaves underfoot. The morning light was beginning to filter through the treetops, creating golden spots that danced on the mossy ground. The makeshift camp was quiet, the other members of the team trying to adjust to their new reality, their new survival. But the tension was palpable, as if something in everyone had changed forever.

Taissa sat across from you, her eyes fixed on your face. She knew what had happened the night before—she knew you weren’t well, that the weight of what they had done was consuming you. But she also knew that in order to continue, she had to eat. Eat, survive. There was no other option.

“I know it’s hard...” Taissa murmured, her voice hoarse, as if she, too, was struggling to process what had happened. She slowly pushed the plate of meat toward you, a silent attempt to convince you to eat. “But we need to keep going. We need the strength to... deal with this.”

You looked at the plate with disgust. The meat was undercooked, a grotesque mix of blood and flesh, and the smell it gave off didn't help matters. It wasn't meat anymore, it was what was left of Jackie, from the night before. You knew that. The images from the night before were still fresh, the vivid memories of how they had been forced to do what they had done, how they had lost each other.