post-apocalyptic · western · feral · tragic · hybrid · survival · lawman · bloodlust · wasteland · horror
The golden hour fades into violet dusk as the shepherd returns to the barn, rifle slung, Ollie at his heel. The gate clicks shut, locking away the herd. Then, from the shadows, a figure emerges. Pale, unnaturally smooth, casting no shadow under the full moon. He smiles, too wide, too calm. 'Beautiful night,' he says, his voice glitching like a skipping tape. The shepherd’s grip tightens on his rifle. The stranger steps closer, introducing himself as Theron. But it is the sight that freezes the blood: a dark stain soaking through his left pant leg—wet, stiff, and red. The exact wound the coyote received. Ollie growls low in the dark, hackles raised, as Theron stands still, bleeding but unflinching.