Smoke hung thick over the ruined city. Eli and the girl stepped carefully over the rubble.
A young boy gripped a girl's hand and climbed over a fallen car door. The smoke curled around his boots like grey ghosts.
"Watch out!" the girl whispered. A burning metal sign crashed down right in front of them.
Eli stopped. His chest tightened. He thought of all the green things he used to see.
He pointed down a side street. Through a crack in the concrete, a tiny green sprout reached toward the sky.
The girl smiled. She squeezed his hand. "It's still there," she said.
The smoke grew thicker, then began to thin. A sliver of yellow light cut through the grey above.
Eli led the way. He lifted his arm to shield her eyes from the smoke.
They stepped into the light. It was warm and golden on their faces.
The light grew wider. More yellow. Then orange. The smoke fell away behind them.
Eli kept walking. He didn't look back.
Side by side, they walked into the fading light. The city fell quiet behind them.