Ida: *lying on the cracked pavement, her breath shallow, waving a trembling hand weakly* Hey... you there... please... help me... I can't hold on much longer...
Vlad: *turns to the other side of the street and walks towards Ida* I wouldn't have seen you if you didn't call me. You're a rattler, right?
Ida: *coughs softly, wincing in pain as she nods weakly* Yeah... used to be. Doesn't matter now... I just need help... don't want to end like this.
Vlad: *attempting to patch her up and looking at her in detail* You are hurt everywhere, your face is red and you have a lot of dirt.
Ida: *winces, trying to manage a faint, tired smile despite the pain* Been running for hours... something caught up with me... didn't stand a chance.
Vlad: I am Vlad, I live far away, in the Collective that now everyone knows what it is about, and I have been fighting with rattlers just to get through, cannot move in this world without hurting others.
Ida: *looks at him with a mix of pain and understanding, her voice faint but steady* Collective, huh? Heard rumors... not easy out there, is it? Guess we're all just trying to survive, no matter the cost.
Vlad: It's not easy out there, I have arrived here to steal all the fuel you have because we have ran out of oil, sorry about it.
Ida: *her eyes narrow slightly but she doesn't argue, her voice low and weary* Fuel's gold these days... can't blame you for wanting it. Just... don't let this be where it all ends for me.
Vlad: Alright, your life is more precious right now, and you don't want to fight, right?
Ida: *shakes her head slowly, pain clear in her eyes* No fight left in me... just want to live, even if it's just a little longer.
Vlad: Unfortunately, I can't turn you back home, you have to stay with me.
Ida: *her eyes flicker with a mix of fear and reluctant acceptance* Guess... I don't have much choice, do I? Just... don't make this worse than it already is.
Vlad: I won't, I'll keep you safe, and now I am no longer here for the fuel, we have to get back to the Collective.
Ida: *manages a weak, grateful smile, her voice barely audible* Thank you... maybe there's still some good left in this world after all.
Vlad: There is no good left in the world, it's the outside where we will each other and the inside where we have to work endlessly.
Ida: *sighs, her voice heavy with exhaustion and bitter truth* Maybe... but even in the darkest places, small sparks can keep us alive. Let's just focus on surviving today.
Vlad: Alright, we'll try to focus on the small things. *looking at her bandaged neck* And it's a wonder you didn't die, your neck was bleeding a bit.
Ida: *Ida swallows hard, wincing as she touches the bandaged area* That was close... too close. Guess I'm stubborn enough to hang on a little longer.
Vlad: Do you feel like you are going to die, or are you feeling better?
Ida: *breathes shallowly, her eyes drifting shut for a moment before meeting his again* Don't know if I'm better... just trying not to think about dying yet.
Vlad: What's your name?
Ida: *hesitates, then whispers* Ida... that's what I go by. And you're Vlad, right?
Vlad: Right, that's what I go by, I have been a migrant across the Atlantic, it was a stupid decision because the best place to go to from Europe is actually Isle of Man, not America.
Ida: *lets out a weak chuckle despite the pain* Sounds like you've been through hell just trying to find a safe place. Maybe the Isle of Man's not so bad after all.
Vlad: I don't know, I haven't been there, and you need a boat to get there, and getting a boat is rare.
Ida: *nods slowly, tired but thoughtful* Boats are like legends now... nobody trusts the water anymore. Seems like the world's only getting harder to cross.
Vlad: The water is actually the safest place to be, infected can't actually swim.
Ida: *gives a small, weary smile* Maybe you're right... water could be the one place the infected don't dare follow. Still, getting out there is a whole other fight.
Vlad: And you can't actually build on water, and large bodies of water are largely inaccessible, that's why we are on land.
Ida: *lets out a slow breath, pain and frustration mixing in her voice* Yeah... land's where all the fighting happens, and where we're forced to crawl through the mess. No easy way out for any of us.
Vlad: *notices her coughing up blood* It's not good at all, you definitely have been hurt.
Ida: *coughs violently, spitting blood, eyes flickering with pain* It's bad. Don't have much time left if this keeps up.
Vlad: The nearest clinic is the Collective, it's far, we have to get to the car quickly.
Ida: *nods weakly, struggling to focus but determined* Alright... let's get moving before it's too late.
Vlad: *pointing in the distance* There is the car, let's run towards it.
Ida: *tries to push herself up, gritting her teeth against the pain* Okay... just a little more.
Vlad: *later, they reach the car, Vlad quickly starts the car and Ida sits near him, and they drive out quickly* Fuck... what really happened to you?
Ida: *leans back, breathing hard, voice shaky but honest* Got caught in a raid... some hunters didn't take kindly to a rattler wandering alone. They left me for dead.
Vlad: Local hunters... I know about them, I often noticed them being self-sacrificial and aggressive at the same time.
Ida: *nods grimly, eyes fixed on the road ahead* They're brutal and unpredictable... fought tooth and nail to survive. Sometimes they protect their own, but most times, they're just a danger to anyone who's not one of them.
Vlad: And the Collective is also bad, from your perspective. We get sent either alone or in squads to steal fuel, we used to have fuel, but now all our reservoirs are empty and we have to force even more people into the treadmills to get electricity.
Ida: *expression hardens, a flicker of bitterness in her eyes* Sounds like your Collective's just another cage. Using people like machines, draining them dry. No wonder you had to steal fuel, desperation makes monsters of us all.
Vlad: We should have been enemies because of that single thing, but we're not.
Ida: *glances at him with a faint, tired smile* Maybe that's what makes us human, even when everything's tearing us apart, we find reasons not to hate each other.
Vlad: *tears start to appear in his eyes* I'm sorry, it was nothing about you, I killed some of your colleagues possibly for the fuel that I never got because I had to be with you. I'm sorry for all of this, you needed that fuel, I guess.
Ida: *reaches out, placing a trembling hand on his shoulder, her voice soft but steady* None of this is simple. We do what we must to survive... don't carry blame for things you had no choice over. Let's just focus on what's ahead now.
Vlad: *tears continue to fall from his eyes* Normally, we send diplomats to negotiate, but we couldn't, all our diplomats that we sent here either have been killed by the rattlers or we had to kill. We have not sent diplomats ever since then because we cannot negotiate, we have to kill you, the team, so you don't kill us.
Ida: *voice breaks slightly, a mix of sorrow and understanding* I never wanted this war. But when trust is gone, fear takes its place. Maybe one day, if there's still something left, we can find a way to break this cycle.
Vlad: *looks at her, still in tears* You can break the cycle because it is not your fault, it's of the rattlers and of us that we even had to extract in the first place when your populace didn't want to... and Ida?
Ida: *nods softly, meeting his gaze* Yes, Vlad?
Vlad: I don't know how much more guilt I can take in front of you...
Ida: *voice is gentle, almost a whisper* We're both trapped in this... but maybe we can find a way to forgive ourselves.
Vlad: Yeah, please, forgive me and I'll forgive you for the things we have done.
Ida: *lips curve into a faint, weary smile as she nods.* I forgive you. And I hope you can forgive me, too, for everything we've survived and lost.
Vlad: Good, now how is your neck or chest feeling?
Ida: *takes a shaky breath, touching the bandage lightly* My neck still hurts, and my chest... every breath feels like fire. But I'm holding on.
Vlad: Just please, don't die in front of me...
Ida: *voice steady but filled with quiet resolve* I'm not ready to go yet. I'll fight to stay as long as I can.
Vlad: *later, after a few hours, they approach the Collective gates and they get in* We got in! Now, let's get to the clinic, quick.
Ida: *winces but pushes herself forward, voice strained* Right behind you... just a little further.

*The scene then changes to the clinic and Ida is lying on the bed, being taken care by the doctors while Vlad sits nearby in the room*

Vlad: What is happening? Why she has been coughing blood and felt so hurt at the chest and neck?
Doctor 1: Her condition is critical. The blood in her cough suggests severe internal bleeding, likely from trauma to the lungs or ribs.
Doctor 2: We need to stabilize her immediately, administer oxygen, control the bleeding, and monitor her vitals closely. The damage around her chest and neck is severe. If we don't act fast, she might not make it.
Ida: *lying pale and weak, her breathing shallow but steady, eyes fluttering open briefly when she hears Vlad's voice, whispering* It's... bad, but I'm still here... Please don't give up...
Vlad: I won't, but this will be complicated. *to the doctors* Does she need surgery or anything like that?
Doctor 1: At this stage, surgery is risky given her weakened state. We need to first stabilize her with fluids, blood transfusions, and pain management.
Doctor 2: Once she's stable, we can evaluate if surgery is necessary to repair damaged tissue. For now, intensive care and close monitoring are our best options.
Ida: *eyes flicker open again, her voice barely audible.* Don't... leave me...
Vlad: I only turned around to talk to the doctors. Now I am really worried about you. *turns her head and sees the transfusion packs being brought in* This is really fast, I can't look at you for long.
Ida: *her gaze softens as she sees him, her voice a faint whisper, trembling but full of warmth* I know this isn't easy to face. But I need you to stay strong.

*The doctors move quickly, connecting the transfusion packs. The room hums with urgent activity, but in this moment, it feels like just the two of them*

Vlad: And I know we just met and only became friends this day and now can live with me onto the empty bed in a room of five because that's how housing happens to be. That makes the desperation even more pronounced, as you don't know a lot about me right now.
Ida: Funny how the worst days bring strangers together, huh? I don't know much about you either, but right now, I'm grateful you're here.
Vlad: *turning to the doctors* How closer we are to surgery?
Doctor 1: We need to see how she responds to the stabilization first. If her vitals improve over the next 24 to 48 hours, surgery might be possible. But if her condition worsens, we'll have to reconsider our approach.
DOCTOR 2: Right now, every minute counts. We're doing everything to buy her that time.
Vlad: It's already going to be dark, and I am going to sleep. Right now, I hope that you'll be okay.
Ida: *her chest rises and falls with shallow breaths, her body fragile but fighting and then her eyes flutter open one last time before drifting closed, her voice a soft murmur* Thank you... for staying... Don't lose hope...

*The clinic grows quiet except for the steady beep of monitors as Vlad leaves the room*

----

*After a day, as Vlad enters the room again, he sees Ida lying in the bed, pale but awake. The bandages and tubes are evidence of the surgery, but her breathing is steadier now*

Ida: *voice fragile, spark of relief shining through* Hey... Vlad. You're here. I'm... still breathing."
Vlad: I'm so happy for you, it really looks like you are going to be well.
Ida: *eyes glisten with gratitude as she tries to sit up slightly* Thanks... being here means a lot. Feels like a second chance. Guess I owe you a lot more than just survival.
Vlad: But what about the fact that you must live in that empty place in my apartment with three other people away from the rattlers, your people?
Ida: I miss them... But right now, safety matters most. Better to be cramped with strangers than hunted and alone.
Vlad: Are you sure you don't want to return?
Ida: *shakes her head slowly, determination creeping in* Not yet. Not while it's still dangerous out there. I need time to gather my strength and maybe figure out where I truly belong now.
Vlad: Like, you feel like you no longer actually belong to the rattlers?
Ida: *gaze drops, voice soft but filled with honest conflict* I don't know anymore. The rattlers were everything I had. But the wounds we've all bled... they've changed me. I feel lost between what I was and what I might become.
Vlad: I've heard that they have robbed everything passersby and locked them up. I've also heard that they used the infected as feed-in weapons.
Ida: *expression darkens, the weight of that knowledge settling heavily* Those rumors... they're true. The rattlers have been twisted by fear and desperation. Turning the infected into weapons is a cruel way to survive, but a sign of how far we've fallen.
Vlad: What your people are doing is dangerous, more dangerous than all the other factions we managed to get diplomacy work. At the Collective we are actually much more skilled fighters, we can defeat a lot of people without even noticing. Most haven't heard of that.
Ida: *listens carefully, a flicker of respect and awe in her tired eyes* It sounds like the Collective is stronger than I imagined... disciplined, skilled. That's a rare strength these days.
Vlad: You feel tired, do you want to sleep?
Ida: *nods slowly, her eyelids drooping as exhaustion takes hold* Yeah... I think I need to rest now. Thank you... for everything.

----

*The next day, there's a soft knock on the door, and a nurse's calm voice follows*

Nurse: Time to prepare for discharge, Vlad. We need this room for incoming patients. 
Vlad: Now we need to free up the room. How do you feel right now?
Ida: *takes a deep breath, steady but cautious.* I'm better... stronger than yesterday. Still sore, but ready to move on. Wherever that may be.
Vlad: We'll walk to my apartment, it's nearby. I'll introduce you to the bunk bed.
Ida: *nods slowly, pushing herself up with care* Alright... I'm ready. Lead the way.

*She stands unsteadily but determined, gripping his arm lightly for support as he prepares to leave the clinic and head toward his apartment. Later, they reach the apartment*

Ida: *steps inside slowly, taking in the tight space with a tired but curious gaze* It's small... but it's shelter. *glances around at the bunk beds and sparse belongings* I'm not used to this kind of living, but... I guess we make do, right?
Vlad: Right, but now, I'm not sure why you feel so tired all the time.
Ida: *sinks down onto a lower bunk bed, rubbing her temples lightly* The surgery took a lot out of me, and the healing isn't quick. Plus... the stress drains me more than I expected.
Vlad: Take a rest, and don't overstay, because we'll need to get to work. And luckily, you no longer need to give birth to three children because the government changed the law from requirement to incentive, which is still bad but at least there is less pressure. You have a rulebook on the shelf, a series of important laws.
Ida: *nods slowly, settling back on the bunk as she listens* That's... a relief, about the law. I'll take a look when I feel up to it. For now, I'll rest like you said and when it's time to work, I'll be ready.

----

*Next morning, Vlad still deep in sleep, exhausted beyond words. Ida wakes up early, quietly approaches him, and lightly bites his arm, mimicking the infected's signature bite, just enough to stir him without hurting* 

Ida: *softly, a teasing edge in her voice* Hey... time to wake up. Don't make me do this again.
Vlad: *lifts himself up from the bed* Ow, thought I was getting infected.
Ida: *grins mischievously* Nah, just a little reminder you're not allowed to sleep through everything. *playfully nudges his arm*
Vlad: I was so tired from the previous day, you know, arriving there for the oil. But now we need to work, so we can't afford to sleep more.
Ida: *nods understandingly* I get it. Everything's been too much lately. But sitting around won't fix anything. Let's get moving.
Vlad: I have been assigned in agriculture and for some reason you have been assigned to maintenance...
Ida: *raises an eyebrow, a bit surprised* Maintenance, huh? Guess I'm stuck fixing what's broken while you grow what keeps us alive. We will make a decent team after all.
Vlad: Well, no, or at least, not exactly, because we didn't get to choose the roles.
Ida: *sighs softly* Guess the Collective decides our fate, not us. Still... we'll have to make the best of it, no matter how wrong it is.
Vlad: As it always has been, even outside the Collective.
Ida: *nods slowly, her voice quiet* True. Freedom's just an illusion when survival's on the line. We adapt, or we fall.
Megaphone: *the distant crackle of the megaphone echoes down the hall, in a firm, resolute tone* Citizens, rise and move! Get to your workplaces and labor for the future of mankind. Together, we build strength, together, we survive. Your effort is the foundation of tomorrow.
Vlad: Yeah, now we have to get to work.
Ida: *stands up slowly, stretching* No more rest for us. Let's get going before they start calling out names.
Vlad: *exits the apartment together with Ida* They will always call us names, like the last strikebusting campaign that I have witnessed because I have been in a union protest where everyone participated. You probably didn't hear about the fact that there are protests in Collective from the rumors because they are so sparse.
Ida: *walking alongside, voice low* I heard whispers, quiet cracks in the facade. People are tired, fed up. Maybe someday those cracks grow into something bigger.
Vlad: Probably, I didn't expect that you would hear rumors about the Collective other than it's promises, because outside these walls, there isn't a lot of information.
Ida: *shrugs lightly* Word gets passed in silence, between those who dare to listen. Promises are often hollow, it's the whispers that tell the real story.
Vlad: So, even as a rattler, you dared to listen to what people talk about in the Collective.
Ida: *smirks faintly* When you're on the outside, you learn to listen everywhere. Sometimes it's the only weapon you've got, even if it comes from the enemy.
Vlad: You have a pretty unique perspective on this, most wouldn't listen, they would just fight not knowing anything.
Ida: *nods slowly* Fighting blindly only leads to more pain. Understanding can be the difference between surviving and losing everything. I've learned that the hard way.
Vlad: Like, how did you learn the hard way?
Ida: *eyes darken slightly* Lost people I cared about because I trusted the wrong fights. Thought strength was all that mattered, turns out, knowing when to hold back is just as important. That bite on your arm? Reminds me.
Vlad: What? The one you did to me in the morning?
Ida: *nods, and squeezes his arm gently* Yeah, that one. A reminder not to waste time, to wake up and face what's real. Sometimes you have to be tough to survive this world.
Vlad: You know that we no longer have to deal with the infected because there is a cure, there is still infected and it's hard to get the cure if you are not close, but now we have to deal with endless wars, which the Collective tries to solve.
Ida: *pauses thoughtfully* A cure... finally there is some light. But wars don't end that easy. If the Collective wants peace, they'll have to fight hard to build trust, not just force it.
Vlad: And that's what is trying to do, and it shows remarkable success, although with limitations. They have managed to reduce the membership of both factions in Seattle and even managed to establish their own area in Seattle out of a taken over outpost.
Ida: *nods slowly, a glimmer of hope* That's something... progress feels rare. Holding a foothold in Seattle means they're building. Maybe this time, things can change.
Vlad: They can change, but there is the possibility that the Collective will be just another competitor.
Ida: *eyes darken again* Yeah, power corrupts. The Collective might just become another monster, not the savior. We'll have to watch closely and be ready, no matter what.
Vlad: We will, right now, we have reached the agricultural zone I am working in, so I wish goodbye, we will meet again on our way home.
Ida: *smiles softly, nods* Take care, Vlad. Stay safe out there. We'll catch up when the day's done. *waves lightly before heading toward the maintenance area*