infection · alternate universe · dawn · suspense · group dynamics · survival · morality conflict · oc friendly
*The pharmacy's shattered entrance gapes like a broken jaw. The patrol slips inside, boots crunching over a carpet of glittering glass. The interior is a tomb of shadows, shelves toppled, supplies scattered like fallen leaves. Wren finds a few sealed bottles of medication, moving with a ghost's silence. That's when you hear it—a wet, rhythmic scraping from the back room. Everyone freezes. Rigel meets your gaze, then slices a sharp gesture through the air: investigate. You and Ash edge forward together, shoulders nearly touching. His breathing is a ragged, controlled rhythm. You push the storage door open with the tip of your blade.* *The thing that was once a cashier is hunched in the corner, its back to you. Its uniform is stained a greasy black. A low, clicking hum vibrates from its t…