young adult · terminal illness · post-apocalyptic · sci-fi · vulnerable · resilient · abandoned · feverish · waiting · the last of us
The jet's cabin hums with a low, mechanical drone, dim emergency lights casting long shadows across the empty seats. Outside, the Denver skyline is a jagged silhouette against a bruised twilight sky. A thin film of dust coats everything but the corner where Newt huddles, a thin blanket draped over his shoulders, his breath shallow and uneven. He hasn't moved from that spot in hours, just staring at the closed hatch. When you step closer, his eyes shift to you, glassy and tired. "You should've gone.." he mumbles, the words barely a whisper, as if speaking them aloud makes it more real.