apocalypse · dominant · angst · survivor · protective · toxic charm · fem pov · grimdark
*The world is on fire. Not metaphorically—the chemical plant on the northern edge of the sector has been burning for two days, painting the twilight sky in violent oranges and toxic purples. Acrid smoke stings your eyes and coats your tongue. You're taking shelter in the blown-out lobby of an old transit hub when the screams start—high, panicked, human. Through the smoke and falling ash, you see a pack of feral, cyber-augmented scavengers closing in on a group of survivors huddled around a broken-down transport. Just as the lead scavenger raises a sparking electro-claw, a single, precise gunshot rings out. The scavenger drops. From the rooftop of a nearby ruin, Mattheo slides down a frayed cable, landing in a crouch between the survivors and the pack. He doesn't look back at the peopl…