There is Something Strange: Chapter 21

We made it through the night, but before the first light of day broke, we faced the great truth that had been waiting for us. From the depths of the northern forest, a group emerged, part of those "strange things" we had been watching for so long, unable to fully understand them.

Rauf, early in the morning, along with a few brave men, headed north. A few hours later, they returned. There was astonishment on their faces, but also a sense of relief. They quickly came to us.

— "Commander," Rauf said, "They... they're humans. But... they're not exactly normal. Or, at least, they're very different from us. But they didn't come to fight. They watched us, yes, but they had a reason. They're a group trying to survive, like us, lost."

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. The strangeness had seemed like a threat lurking in the dark, but now we knew more. They were another group of people trying to survive the effects of the catastrophe. Their paths, like ours, had been shattered, fragile, and solitary. Just like us.

Rauf continued:

— "There was an injured man. They were just trying to survive. They lost their team, and they had no choice but to approach us."

There was a few moments of silence. Everyone thought about something, but eventually, the truth came to the surface. This was a world we all had to escape, but it was also a world where other people were fighting to survive. Perhaps the enemy we had imagined was just another group of people trying to find hope again.

My mission wasn't just to survive in this world; it was to understand. To understand and move forward with awareness. And in that moment, I understood that our fight wasn't only about surviving; it was about leaving hope for those who would come after us.

Then, I made a decision:

— "We open our doors to anyone who wants to join us," I said. "But there are conditions. To ensure safety, to build a new life, we need to trust each other. Not to fight, but to live together."

Süleyman stood beside me. He nodded and smiled.

— "We can do this, Commander. Together."

A few days later, that group began living with us. We worked together, ate together, defended together. Slowly but surely, we adapted to this new life. Security, food, shelter, and most importantly — friendship — became our greatest strength.

Over time, the camp grew. We built new structures, began planting crops. With each passing day, our strength to stand in this new world grew. Every morning with the rise of the sun, we felt the value of every moment spent together more and more.

The old, ruined world was left behind. Now, we were not just surviving; we were learning to live, together.

And one day, under the stars rising in the sky, people realized how beautiful it was to live together, to grow stronger together.

We made it through the dark night and moved toward the light of the sun. The strange things that once seemed like a threat were, in the end, just another side of life. By embracing each other, we began to rebuild this new world.

And at that moment, we fully understood that everything — everything — started with hope.