I sneen dækkede landskab lå øde bygninger som tavse vagter over en verden i forfald.

In the snow-covered landscape lay deserted buildings like silent sentinels over a world in decay.

Soren trak sin jakke tættere om sig, mens han gik ved siden af Lea.

Soren pulled his jacket closer around himself as he walked beside Lea.

Hendes optimisme var som et varmt bål, der lyste op i de dystre omgivelser.

Her optimism was like a warm fire, lighting up the bleak surroundings.

"Vi finder noget, Soren," sagde Lea med et lille smil, der smeltede lidt af hans frygt.

"We'll find something, Soren," said Lea with a small smile that melted away some of his fear.

Hun bar deres lille rygsæk, fyldt med farveløse minder om en verden før.

She carried their little backpack, filled with colorless memories of a world before.

Det meste af indholdet bestod af skrald fra ruinerne og enkelte dåser, der havde undsluppet plyndring.

Most of its contents consisted of trash from the ruins and a few cans that had escaped looting.

De nærmede sig markedet, et sted hvor håb og desperation mødtes.

They approached the market, a place where hope and desperation met.

Her kontrollerede Asger, en skarp, beregnende mand med et dovent smil og en sult i øjnene, handlen.

Here controlled Asger, a sharp, calculating man with a lazy smile and hunger in his eyes, the trading.

Hans bod stod midt blandt de andre, garanteret af hans status som den nødvendige onde.

His stall stood amidst the others, guaranteed by his status as the necessary evil.

"Hvad vil I have?"

"What do you want?"

spurgte Asger skarpt, mens han så på dem bag sin bod.

asked Asger sharply, as he looked at them from behind his stall.

Hylderne var fyldt med små rationer, men det de virkelig manglede var det dyrebare våde: mad og medicin, de mest værdifulde goder i denne kolde verden.

The shelves were filled with small rations, but what they really lacked were the precious essentials: food and medicine, the most valuable goods in this cold world.

Soren trådte frem, tvang sig til at holde blikket fastlåst med Asgers.

Soren stepped forward, forced himself to keep eye contact with Asger.

"Vi har brug for mad og medicin," svarede han og følte Leas hånd forsigtigt røre hans albue, en stille støtte.

"We need food and medicine," he replied, feeling Lea's hand gently touch his elbow, a silent support.

Asger grinte kort og koldt.

Asger laughed shortly and coldly.

"Det koster," advarede han og sendte et undersøgende blik mod deres magre samling.

"It costs," he warned, sending a scrutinizing gaze toward their meager collection.

Soren vidste, at Asgers pris var høj, alt for høj.

Soren knew that Asger's price was high, too high.

Han tænkte på Plan B – at risikere en tur til de farlige zoner, men vinteren bragte med sig mange risici, og Lea kunne ikke klare mere uforsigtighed.

He thought about Plan B – risking a trip to the dangerous zones, but winter brought many risks, and Lea could not handle any more recklessness.

Et smerteligt øjeblik, valgte han.

In a painful moment, he made his choice.

"Vi tilbyder hvad vi har," sagde Soren og lod Asger inspicere deres bytte: tøj, nogle dåser, et rustent værktøj.

"We offer what we have," said Soren, letting Asger inspect their trade: clothes, some cans, a rusty tool.

Asger betragtede det, med en vurderende mine, før han langsomt nikkede.

Asger examined it with an assessing expression before he slowly nodded.

"Det er en dårlig handel for jer," sagde Asger og strakte sig efter dåerne.

"It's a bad deal for you," said Asger, reaching for the cans.

"Men jeg er i godt humør i dag."

"But I'm in a good mood today."

Lea skuede ind i Sorens øjne, en stille forståelse mellem dem.

Lea gazed into Soren's eyes, a silent understanding between them.

Dette ville tage dem videre, men til hvilken pris?

This would take them further, but at what cost?

"Vi tager det," sagde Soren uden tøven, selvom det rev i hans hjerte at se deres håb om en blomstrende fremtid blive handlet for dagens nødvendigheder.

"We'll take it," said Soren without hesitation, though it tore at his heart to see their hope for a thriving future traded for the day's necessities.

På vej hjem gennem sneen, følte Soren en ny fornemmelse.

On the way home through the snow, Soren felt a new sensation.

Ikke blot en lettelse, men en form for vækst.

Not just relief, but a form of growth.

Han havde tilbudt mere end bare deres sidste ejendele – han havde givet sin frygt vinger.

He had offered more than just their last possessions – he had given his fear wings.

Nu kendte han det indre kompas, der pegede mod overlevelse.

Now he knew the inner compass that pointed towards survival.

Lea så op på ham, hendes barnlige håb stadig intakt.

Lea looked up at him, her childlike hope still intact.

"Vi klarer det, Soren," sagde hun igen, og denne gang nikkede han, trofast og fast.

"We'll make it, Soren," she said again, and this time he nodded, faithfully and firmly.

For første gang følte han, at deres kurs mod både vinteren og fremtiden ikke blot var byrder, men også muligheder.

For the first time, he felt that their course toward both winter and the future was not just burdens, but also opportunities.