I never was an early riser.

Before everything changed, I would hit snooze at least three times before dragging myself out of bed. Mornings were for other people—people with ambition, with purpose. I had neither.

Now, waking up late could mean death.

The sky outside my shattered apartment window was the color of rust, the sun buried somewhere behind thick, toxic clouds. The air was stale, heavy with the scent of burning metal and decay. The city had fallen silent, save for the distant hum of the patrol drones and the occasional scream that cut through the emptiness like a blade.

I sat up slowly, my muscles stiff from another night on the cold floor. The mattress had been too much of a risk—too soft, too easy to sink into oblivion. I couldn’t afford to sleep too deeply. Not anymore.

The curfew had lifted an hour ago, which meant I was already behind. Supplies wouldn’t last much longer, and the safest time to scavenge was just after sunrise, when the streets were momentarily abandoned. I cursed myself for oversleeping, but it didn’t change the fact that I had to move.

I pulled on my boots, wincing as the leather pressed against the fresh blisters on my heels. My jacket was threadbare, but it was all I had. Food was the priority—warmth was a luxury.

Stepping outside was always the hardest part. The world had changed so quickly, yet my mind still clung to old habits. For a moment, I could almost pretend that I was stepping out into a normal day—that the scent in the air was from distant rain, not burning bodies. That the silence was peace, not the absence of life.

I moved quickly, sticking to the shadows, my heart hammering against my ribs. I had a destination in mind—the corner store three blocks away. It had been picked over weeks ago, but I had seen movement there yesterday. Someone had found something worth coming back for.

And if they had, then I would take it.

Survival was not a matter of strength anymore. It was a matter of being awake at the right time.

I had woken up late. I just hoped it wasn’t my last mistake.