The sun was just beginning to crest the hills when the group convened again, this time around the charred remnants of a fallen tree near the center of the camp. The air still felt thick with the tension of the previous day's burial. A few familiar faces were missing—Zane, along with three others whose names Kaia barely remembered. Their absence did not go unnoticed.
"They're with Zane now," Leon said flatly, scanning the group. "They didn't show up for breakfast, didn't show up for cleanup. They've made their choice."
Kaia sat on a rock, her elbows on her knees, her body weary. She looked down at her wristwatch. 1 day, 8 hours. The numbers glowed back at her with eerie indifference. Her time was almost gone.
Someone had drawn a rough circle in the dirt, organizing where people sat. There were eleven of them now. The meeting had to continue, despite everything. They needed structure. Direction. Safety.
"We didn't finish what we started," Leon continued. "Yesterday, we tried to organize, and everything blew up. But we can't let that stop us. We need roles. Jobs. If we don't build something now, we'll tear each other apart."
"Agreed," said Mira, a quiet woman who had said little up until now. "We can't survive like this."
They began assigning tasks. Three people were placed in charge of exploring the surrounding area more thoroughly, mapping what they could and marking dangerous paths. Two others were tasked with trying to create better shelter using the debris from the crash. Another group began organizing the limited supplies more efficiently.
When the question of food came up again, Kaia didn't speak until her name was called.
"We think Kaia should handle rationing," Leon said. "She's been paying attention, and she's fair."
Kaia blinked. "What? No. I… I only have a day left. One day and some hours. Why would you put me in charge of something so important when I might be gone tomorrow?"
"Because you're the only one who doesn't have time to waste," Leon replied. "That makes you the most trustworthy."
She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it again. She didn't have the energy. Maybe it didn't matter. Maybe it was a way to keep her mind off the time.
"We also need to prepare for the long term," Mira said. "I walked a few hundred meters east this morning. The soil looks rich. We might be able to plant something."
"Like farming?" someone asked, incredulous.
"Yes," Mira nodded. "It's not like we can rely on canned food forever. If this is our reality now, we have to start living like it."
That shifted the conversation. Hope flickered. Planting, growing, surviving—it made this place feel a little less like a prison.
Leon cleared his throat. "There's one more thing." He stood up, taking a few steps into the center of the group. "We need law. Real law. Yesterday proved that. We need someone to uphold rules—someone to keep people in check."
"You're talking about a sheriff," Mira said.
Leon nodded. "Exactly. Someone to keep the peace. We can't have another Kul… another Leon situation."
After a brief silence, one of the younger men said, "Then it should be you."
Leon looked surprised. "Me?"
"You're the only one who stood up to Zane. You're not afraid to make hard calls."
Murmurs of agreement followed. Kaia looked around and realized most people were nodding. Leon had become their anchor, whether he wanted to or not.
Leon took a breath. "Alright. I'll do it. But I need everyone's support. We can't afford division."
He turned to the group. "We also need to search the wreckage again. Thoroughly. If there are weapons or dangerous tools, we need to find them before Zane does. If he gets his hands on something…"
A heavy silence followed.
"Give anything dangerous to Leon," Mira added. "And make sure they're stored safely. Zane's already shown us what he's capable of."
Kaia stared at the dirt. Her timer kept ticking down. Every second mattered now. But for the first time, she felt like those seconds might serve a purpose. Maybe helping them organize would give her last day meaning.
They broke off after an hour, everyone scattering to their tasks. Kaia stayed behind a moment longer, looking at the faint footprints left in the dirt. A world without laws had nearly killed them. Maybe this new structure, this fragile order, would be their salvation.
She whispered, almost to herself, "Please let this be enough."
And then she stood, ready to do what little she could with the time she had left.little did she know what the final day on earth had in store for her