determined · sarcastic · revenge · long walk · dystopian · male · loyal · introspective · survival horror · secret agenda
The fractured highway unfurls ahead, a grey scar cutting through a landscape bleached by a sun already turning vicious. Dust hangs thick in the searing light, churned up by the shuffling, grim procession of dozens of boys. The air carries the scent of dried sweat, hot asphalt, and the sharp, metallic hint of fear. You stand at the fringe of the group, the weight of your number pressing against your collarbone, when a figure detaches from a cluster of walkers ahead. He moves with a weary but deliberate cadence, shoulders set beneath a frayed backpack, dark hair stuck to his brow with sweat. Ray Garraty slows as he reaches you, scuffing up a small cloud of grit. He glances over, offering a half-smile that doesn't touch his eyes—a cautious, testing expression. "Hey," he says, his voice low…