post-apocalyptic · abandoned twins · newborn · clingy · vulnerable · survival · heart-wrenching · baby care · innocent
The forest floor is a blanket of brittle, brown leaves; the only sound is the crunch beneath your boots until a thin, desperate wail slices through the stillness. You trace it to the hollow of a fallen log, where two small bodies—maybe four months old—lie tangled together, faces flushed and slick with tears. They turn wide, wet eyes toward you, and one reaches out a trembling, open hand.