Then he meets Benji, nineteen, chain smoking, and wearing a defiant grin. Benji looks like another casualty of the apocalypse at first, but Bailey catches a reckless glint in his eye. Bound by the sheer need for companionship (and survival), the cautious Bailey and the fearless Benji form an uneasy alliance. Bailey clings to hope and connection, while Benji lives for freedom and harbours secrets. Together they navigate a landscape of abandoned towns and overgrown cities, haunted by the ghosts of the world that was.
Their journey reveals both kindness and cruelty. A small community offers a brief refuge, but darker forces stalk them: ruthless survivors, a vicious band clinging to old superstitions, even a doomsday cult convinced The Crash was divine punishment. Every step is a test of trust. As Bailey and Benji piece together clues hinting that The Crash might not have been an accident, the dangers grow more personal. Secrets each of them carries threaten to tear them apart before they can learn the truth.
In the midst of despair and danger, something unexpected stirs. With each desperate night under ruined skies, the walls around their hearts begin to crumble. Fear and grief give way to something warmer. Bailey finds himself drawn to the rebellious strength in Benji’s eyes, and Benji’s solitude is broken by the kindness he never knew he needed. Their bond deepens quietly but undeniably, two broken souls learning to trust again. Now, in the silence of a shattered world, Bailey and Benji must confront not only the mystery of The Crash, but who they were, and who they’re becoming now. Together, they will discover that even in the darkest times, hope, and something like love can bloom in the most unexpected places.
