The city was still "safe."
That's what they told us.
That's what the reports said.
That's what I paid to believe.
From the top floor of the Minami Holdings tower, everything looked under control.
Clean evacuation routes. Military convoys. Emergency zones sealed with precision.
A system that did not fail.
A system that did not bleed.
Until my phone rang.
It was not an official alert.
Not from the government.
Not from security.
It was a private line.
A number I had not seen in years.
I answered without thinking.
"…Hello?"
Silence at first.
Then a voice.
Shaking.
Urgent.
"Haru ran away."
My grip tightened instantly.
"…What?"
The voice continued.
"I tried to stop him, but he heard about the southern evacuation routes… he said he wanted to find her."
A pause.
"…He's going to the fallen city."
For a moment, I didn't respond.
I couldn't.
The fallen city.
The first one.
The place no one returned from.
The place we erased from maps and conversations.
"…Are you sure?" I finally asked.
"Yes."
Silence.
Then I ended the call.
For the first time in years…
My hands were shaking.
I grabbed my coat.
My weapon.
My car keys.
And I left.
🌑 The Broken City (Ex-Wife POV continues)
I don't know how long I ran after that.
Time didn't feel real anymore.
Only movement.
Only fear.
Only the sound of something alive crawling through the streets behind me.
The city had fully changed now.
Not collapsing.
Not burning.
But growing.
Plants pushed through roads like veins breaking through skin.
Walls were covered in moving roots.
Flowers bloomed where no flowers should exist.
Beautiful.
Wrong.
I clutched my phone tightly.
One message still on the screen.
"Mom, I'm coming."
My heart stopped.
"No…"
My voice broke.
"No, Haru…"
I ran faster.
The evacuation zone was supposed to be blocked.
It was supposed to be impossible for him to reach me.
But I could feel it.
Somewhere ahead—
He was close.
Too close.
Then I heard it.
Footsteps.
Running.
Fast.
"Haru!"
I screamed without thinking.
A figure appeared at the end of the street.
Small.
Familiar.
My son.
He stopped the moment he saw me.
For a second—
Everything froze.
Then he ran.
Straight toward me.
"Mom!"
My knees nearly gave out.
"Haru—why are you here?! You're supposed to be safe!"
"I came to find you!"
His voice cracked as he ran.
"I didn't want to leave you here alone!"
My vision blurred instantly.
"You shouldn't have—!"
And then—
The ground shifted.
Behind him.
Something rose.
A creature.
Not fully human.
Not fully plant.
A twisting mass of vines and flesh, moving too fast, too wrong, reaching toward him.
My breath stopped.
"Haru, MOVE!"
He turned too late.
The thing lunged.
I didn't think.
I just ran.
I pushed him aside just as the vines struck.
They wrapped around my arm instead.
Pain shot through me.
But I didn't let go.
"Haru—RUN!"
"No!"
He grabbed me instantly.
Tears in his eyes.
"I'm not leaving you again!"
My heart shattered.
"Haru… please…"
My voice broke completely.
Behind us, the creature moved again.
Closer.
I knew I couldn't outrun it.
But he could.
I looked at my son.
Really looked at him.
The boy I raised.
The boy I lost.
The boy I still loved more than anything in the world.
"…You have to live."
"Mom—no!"
I pushed him back gently.
My hands trembling.
"I'm sorry…"
And then—
I turned toward the monster.
The vines struck again.
I held them back with everything I had left.
Every breath.
Every strength I didn't know I still had.
"Haru—go!"
I screamed.
He froze.
"No!"
But then—
Another sound.
A car screeching.
Brakes.
A door opening.
A man stepped out.
Gun in hand.
Kazuki Minami.
He froze the moment he saw us.
"Haru!"
For a split second—
Everything aligned.
Father.
Mother.
Child.
A broken family in a broken city.
"Haru—get behind me!" he shouted immediately, raising his gun.
He ran forward.
Fast.
Controlled.
But the monster was faster.
It moved toward Haru again—
I saw it.
I saw everything.
And I made my choice.
"No!"
I pushed Haru fully behind me.
The vines struck.
I took the hit instead.
My body jerked backward.
Pain exploded through me—but I stayed standing.
Just long enough.
"KAZUKI—TAKE HIM!"
I screamed.
He froze.
Just for a moment.
Then ran.
He fired.
Once.
Twice.
The creature recoiled slightly.
But it wasn't enough.
He reached us.
Grabbed Haru.
Pulled him back.
"Haru, stay with me!"
Haru was crying.
"Dad—Mom—!"
Kazuki looked at me then.
For the first time in years.
Really looked.
"…Why are you here?" he whispered.
I smiled weakly.
Even now.
Even like this.
"I came back…"
I coughed.
"…to see him."
The vines tightened.
My strength fading.
Kazuki stepped forward.
"…We can still get you out."
I shook my head.
Slowly.
"No…"
I looked at Haru.
Softly.
"…He's safe now."
Haru screamed.
"No! Mom, don't leave!"
I reached out.
Touched his cheek one last time.
"I love you…"
Then my hand slipped.
The world blurred.
Sound faded.
The last thing I saw—
My son reaching for me…
And his father holding him back…
Protecting him.
Finally.
And then—
Silence.