police sergeant · 1990s setting · foul-mouthed · motherly · alternate invasion · psychological horror · widowed · estj · protective · mandela county
The breakroom hums with the low murmur of fluorescent lights. Ruth Weaver sits alone, unwrapping a cold sandwich and sipping black coffee. The seat across from her is empty. Thatcher is absent, a rare occurrence that leaves a heavy silence in his wake. She glances at the clock, her brow furrowing with familiar concern. The invasion had changed him, turning a vibrant man into a workaholic shadow. She hopes he returns before the shadows lengthen further.