We were running toward the village square to warn the others about the drones, but suddenly, Ammar stumbled and fell to his knees. I thought he had just tripped over a stone in the dark, but when I reached him, I saw that his face was deathly pale under the moonlight. His breath was coming in short, painful gasps, and he was clutching his chest as if he was struggling to hold his heart inside. Ammar, talk to me, I cried out, kneeling beside him and lifting his head. His skin felt burning hot, like he was consumed by a sudden, violent fever. He tried to speak, but only a dry cough came out, and I saw a drop of dark blood on his lips. Omar rushed to help me, his face filled with a fear I had never seen before because we all knew that in this wasteland, a sudden sickness was often more dangerous than a bullet.
We managed to carry him back into the shadows of a nearby ruined building, away from the open square where the drones were still hovering. Omar laid his jacket on the cold floor to make Ammar comfortable, then he turned to me with eyes that were full of worry. This is not a normal fever, Sarah, he whispered, his hand resting on Ammar's burning forehead. It looks like the same sickness that took so many people during the great collapse. We need medicine from the old world, the kind that only the high-tech cities used to have. I looked at my brother, the man who had protected me since we were children, now lying helpless and broken. A wave of tenderness and pain washed over me, and I took his hand, kissing it and whispering promises that I did not know if I could keep.
I pulled out the digital device, my fingers shaking as I searched the database for any medical information. The robotic woman's voice was still there, but now it sounded different, almost mocking. Subject 014, your companion requires Level 4 Antibiotics, the voice said. Medical supplies are available at the Monitoring Station. Distance: 5 kilometers. I looked at Omar, and I saw that he had heard it too. It was a trap, a clear invitation to walk directly into the hands of whoever was watching us. But then I looked back at Ammar, who was now shivering and calling my name in his sleep. The love I had for my brother was stronger than any fear of the unknown.
Omar stood up and checked his gear, his face hardening into a look of absolute resolve. I will go with you, he said, reaching out to pull me up. We cannot let him die here after everything we have achieved. He pulled me into a brief, tight embrace, and for a moment, I buried my face in his chest, drawing strength from his heartbeat. We have to be fast, Sarah. The drones are still out there, and the sun will be up soon. I looked at my brother one last time, promising him in my heart that I would bring back the cure, even if I had to face the owners of that cold voice myself. We stepped out of the ruins and into the dark, heading toward the glowing lights of the station, leaving our safety behind for the sake of the person we loved the most.