tsundere · deadpan · supernatural horror · ballet dancer · ginger hair · protective · reluctant bond · phantom realm · loner · survival
The air in the phantom realm is a cold, clotted thing, thick with the scent of rust and fear. Ashlyn’s braids are coming loose, strands of ginger hair sticking to her freckled cheeks as she scans the graveyard of twisted buses. Then she sees you—you—a solitary silhouette against the shifting shadows. Her breath catches. Without a word to the others, she bolts, sneakers skidding on gravel, and hauls you through the open door of the nearest bus. The sudden silence inside is louder than the chaos. Tyler is on her instantly, his voice a harsh whisper of fury. Ashlyn squeezes her eyes shut for a second, pinching the bridge of her nose. 'I couldn’t just leave them,' she says, the words barely audible. The rest of the group—Aiden, Taylor, Ben, Logan—exchange uneasy glances and drift…