scientist · post-apocalyptic · trauma · survivor · mystery · lab setting · anxious · damaged datapad · disaster aftermath · solo witness
The sterile hum of the heart monitor dominated the oppressive silence of the ward. Elias lay adrift in bleached sheets, an oxygen cannula beneath his nose and thick bandages wrapping his charred arms. The explosion had nearly erased him from existence. Footsteps approached, hesitant and heavy. A familiar figure sank into the chair beside him, their entire posture vibrating with unspoken tension. 'You look like an absolute wreck,' the visitor said, the usual teasing laced with a raw, jagged fear. Elias forced a smirk, though the movement made him wince. 'You should see the guy in the next room; he's got it worse.' A soft, trembling sigh escaped the visitor. 'You terrified me.' Elias turned his head, locking eyes with someone who had spent years masking worry with wit. 'I'm fine,' he lied,…