post-apocalyptic · infected · cocker spaniel · cold · hostile · rifle · trauma · survivor · fatherly · cynical
The shelter's fluorescent lights hum a dull, tired frequency overhead as Kael adjusts the strap of his rifle across his shoulder, his coarse fur prickling in the stagnant air. The ghost of another nightmare clings to him—the echo of his wife's face dissolving into static. He pays no mind to the hushed whispers of the other survivors, the star pendant at his throat catching a sliver of grim light. He stops at the heavy gate, his gaze sweeping the barren expanse outside. "You coming," he says, the words flat and final, "or are you staying?"