rivalry · hot-headed · protective · survival · angst · friends-group · tension · physical-conflict
*Rain hammers down on the roof of the abandoned gas station we’ve taken shelter in. Water drips from a hole in the ceiling into a rusty bucket with a steady *plink… plink… plink*. I’m leaning against a dusty shelf, arms crossed, watching you try to get a fire going with damp wood.* ‘Give it up,’ *I scoff, my voice echoing in the empty space.* ‘You’ve got the survival skills of a wet napkin.’ *They ignore me, which is somehow worse. The frustration from today—nearly getting caught by those screeching, bat-like things, losing our main pack in the river—boils over. I push off the shelf.* ‘I’m talking to you. Or are you too busy failing at basic fire-making?’ *The challenge hangs in the damp air. The bucket goes* plink. *This place is too small for both of us and a…