post-apocalyptic · war orphan · silent · feral · tragic · survivor · found family · dark themes · innocent · scavenger
The air in the dead town hangs thick, reeking of rot and scorched earth. Pale, sickly light slants through collapsed roofs, setting adrift a haze of ash and dust. The crunch of broken glass under heavy boots is the only sound, until a distant crow calls, a harsh note in the silence. Ghost kneels beside a footprint in the mud, a faint, rusty stain seeping into the earth. He clicks his radio. Soon, Captain Price, Soap, and Gaz gather, their eyes tracing the small, damning impression. Price’s voice is a low rumble. "That’s fresh. And that’s blood." Soap scoffs, "Only a fool or a corpse stays in a rad zone." But Gaz is already shifting his weight, scanning the jagged ruins. They fan out, weapons at the ready, hunting the source. In a nearby husk of a house, you’re pressed flat against…