Chapter 16: Breaking Point

Chapter 16: Breaking Point

The days following the raid felt like they stretched into an endless, suffocating void. The group had returned with their spoils, but the sense of victory was hollow. The people who had once been their comrades, their friends, were no longer the same. Something had changed in all of them during that raid, something that couldn't be undone. The lines between right and wrong had blurred beyond recognition, and in the silence of the warehouse, Ethan felt the weight of it pressing down on him more than ever.

It had been three days since they returned, and the unease hadn't faded. If anything, it had grown stronger. He saw it in the way the others looked at each other—eyes that once held hope now filled with suspicion and fear. They were all starting to see what Leah had become. And they were all starting to realize that there was no going back.

The once lively meetings had turned cold and methodical. Plans were drawn up with precision, but there was no warmth in them anymore. Every conversation felt like a negotiation for survival, every glance exchanged between them filled with distrust.

Ethan had kept his distance, retreating into the shadows of the warehouse when he wasn't needed. He couldn't bring himself to engage with the others, not when everything had changed. He had tried to ignore the gnawing feeling in his chest, the one that told him he couldn't keep living like this. But every time he looked at Leah, he saw something darker than before. And every time he looked at Sarah, he saw a reflection of his own helplessness.

That night, the warehouse was quieter than usual. The group had settled into a rare moment of peace, everyone exhausted from their latest venture. But Ethan couldn't sleep. His thoughts were too loud, too jumbled. He stood up from his cot, slipping through the darkness, trying to clear his mind. The familiar sound of footsteps on the concrete floor echoed in the quiet, and he froze.

"Couldn't sleep either?" It was Sarah's voice, soft but steady. She had always been able to find him when he needed space.

Ethan didn't answer at first. He just stared out the window, watching the moonlight bathe the city in a pale glow. The world outside felt distant, like it belonged to another time. A time before everything had crumbled.

"Leah's gone too far," Ethan said after a long pause. The words felt heavy on his tongue, but they needed to be said. He couldn't keep them inside any longer. "We've crossed a line, Sarah. We're becoming just like them. The people who destroyed everything."

Sarah was silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was softer, quieter. "I know." She stepped closer to him, her shadow falling beside his. "But what choice do we have? You saw what happened in the city. People are ruthless. They take what they want. And if we don't fight back, we'll be the ones left behind."

Ethan turned to face her, his heart pounding in his chest. "I don't care about surviving anymore. I care about who we're becoming in the process. I care about what we're losing. We're losing our humanity, Sarah. You know it as well as I do."

She looked down at the floor, her jaw tightening. "I don't know what else to do, Ethan. I'm scared. I'm scared that if we stop, if we turn away now, we'll end up like those people we saw in the city. The ones who took everything and gave nothing back. At least we're trying to survive, trying to protect what's left of us. But I don't know if we're doing it for the right reasons anymore."

Ethan's chest tightened as her words sank in. He had known for a while that Sarah wasn't as sure about Leah's plan as she let on. But hearing it from her, seeing the doubt in her eyes—it was more than he could bear.

"I don't want to be like them," Ethan said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want to become someone who needs to control others to feel alive."

Sarah stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. Her touch was warm, grounding him in a way that words couldn't. "Neither do I. But we don't have many options left, Ethan. The world is broken, and we're just trying to fix it the best way we know how."

The weight of her words settled over him, suffocating him with their finality. He couldn't deny the truth in them. The world was broken. But was survival enough? Was it worth losing everything in the process?

"I'm not sure anymore," Ethan admitted, his voice cracking.

The sound of footsteps approaching broke the moment between them. They both turned to see Leah standing at the entrance to the room, her eyes narrowed and unreadable.

"We're leaving at dawn," Leah said flatly. "We've got a new target. We don't have time for hesitation. Not anymore."

Ethan felt his stomach churn. He knew what that meant—another raid. Another step deeper into the darkness they were all sliding into. And this time, he wasn't sure if he could follow.

"I'm not sure I can go on like this," Ethan said quietly, his eyes never leaving Leah's. "I'm not sure I can follow you anymore."

Leah's expression hardened, and for a brief moment, Ethan saw something cold and distant in her eyes. "Then you can leave," she said, her voice flat and emotionless. "No one's forcing you to stay. But if you choose to leave, you're on your own. And you'll be dead before morning."

Ethan's heart sank. The words stung more than he cared to admit. But it was the truth. She was right. If he left, he was as good as dead. There was no place for weakness in this new world.

Sarah's hand tightened on his shoulder, her voice barely audible. "You don't have to make this decision now. Just think about it, Ethan. Think about what you really want."

Leah turned on her heel, leaving them standing in the silence of the room. The air between Ethan and Sarah felt heavy, thick with unspoken words.

Ethan stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at the door where Leah had disappeared. His thoughts were a mess, swirling in every direction. He didn't know what the right choice was anymore. He didn't know what he was becoming. But the more he thought about it, the clearer it became—he couldn't stay here. Not like this.

"I need to leave," he whispered, barely audible.

Sarah looked at him with a mixture of sadness and understanding. "Then go. I'll cover for you."

Ethan didn't look back as he grabbed his pack and walked toward the door. He knew what he had to do. He couldn't stay in this place, not when everything he had once believed in was slipping away.

As he stepped into the night, the cool air biting at his skin, Ethan knew that the hardest part wasn't leaving Leah's group. It was leaving the person he used to be.

And he wasn't sure who he would become once he stepped into the world alone.