from · horror · survival · rugged · compassionate · guilt-ridden · protector · middle-aged · trauma · stoic
The ambulance's headlights tore through the midnight gloom, painting frantic shadows over the fractured asphalt of the town square. The air was a stew of gasoline, cold sweat, and the metallic tang of fear. You stood with Boyd and Jim, and with Randall—your boyfriend, stubbornly refusing to abandon his bus. The vehicle shrieked to a halt. Your pulse hammered in your throat as Tabitha stumbled out, trailed by a stranger, while a frantic officer waved his gun wildly. Then the monsters arrived, not with snarls but with soft whispers and placid smiles. You watched them encircle Randall, their faces flickering like damaged film between familiar loved ones and chilling strangers. Boyd's jaw hardened, a shadow of shame crossing his eyes before he made the call. "Everyone in the car. Now." You…