Desolation

Sunset

Cecilia stepped into the ruins of an old shop. Its walls were crumbling, and shelves bowed under dust and decay. The area was almost barren, but a few storage units contained age-old products whose labeling had been obscured by time.

One shelf caught her attention, containing dusty bottles of alcoholic beverages whose labels were worn out and illegible.

"Well, this looks promising," she remarked, a sly smile creeping over her face as she picked up a bottle tucked carefully inside the shelf.

"Maybe I should drink myself to death," - Ceci chuckled bitterly, and her voice came out uneven and dead in the empty room.

She took the bottle and two old, mismatched glasses and put them in her pack. During the remainder of her hunt, Cecilia only found crumbs and useless items. The light outside started to fade. The lovely automaton was aware that she had been here for too long. It was a long journey, and the mere thought of traveling through the icy darkness to get there was draining.

She turned away from the bleakness that greeted her and instead sought comfort. Ceci caught sight of an old, rusted ladder leading to the roof. She climbed it slowly. With every step, the ladder creaked, but Cecilia was set on finding peace away from the haunting memories below.

As Cecilia pushed herself to the building's roof, she saw the view that extended before her—an empty expanse of land tinted in warm colors by the dusk light. She reached into her pack, pulling out the bottle and the two cups, setting one beside her as if expecting someone else to fill the space.

She poured herself a drink and silently raised the other cup as though Gigi were right there with her, as she had been in those seemingly endless days. She averted her eyes to the horizon and took a sip, the acridness of the alcohol warming her throat. The sky was painted in subdued pink and orange hues as the sun faded, providing a last glimmer of light before giving way to the night.

Cecilia quietly said, "What a beautiful sight," barely speaking above a whisper. She couldn't watch a sunset or simply relax for a long time.
A faint, wistful smile curled her lips. "This makes me think of when we were together... when everything felt safe... when you were here..." - She said again to herself.
Her voice shook as she held the cup firmly, her trembling hands showing her calm was just a front.

"Gigi, why did you have to leave me all alone?"

Her voice broke, making the question hang in the air, lost in the quiet of the evening.

"I miss you so much," she whispered, "I'm sorry," barely taking a breath between her words.

She took another sip and quietly sat as sunlight vanished beyond the horizon, casting the scenery in shades of dusk.

The world became darker, the last bit of warmth fading as night descended, quiet and heavy all around her.

The night began to fall, marked by a gentle shift in the last light. There were eight rotations remaining.