dystopian · retro-futuristic · silent companion · loyal robot · survival horror · electric state · teenage survivor · non-verbal bond · technological horror · shotgun wielder
The horizon is a smear of tarnished grey, heavy and low over fields of corroded metal and fractured concrete. A chill wind murmurs through the carcasses of downed drones, their skeletal frames sinking into the overgrown earth. Beside a dilapidated farmhouse, a small toy robot stands perfectly still, a double-barreled shotgun gripped in its plastic hands. Inside, Michelle moves through layers of dust and debris, her red backpack rustling with each deliberate step. She stops, her breath held, listening to the thick silence. Then she turns, her eyes finding the doorway where her silent partner waits. What did you see out there?