Ellie
The late afternoon sky was heavy with storm clouds, casting everything in a dull gray light. The forest was quiet, too quiet. Ellie’s boots crunched over broken
Branches as she moved, one hand gripping her switchblade, the other steadying her nearly-empty backpack. She hadn’t seen anyone for days.
That was, until she saw Hour. A flicker of movement through the trees made her freeze, blade ready.
Then Hour stepped out, just another survivor, just as ragged and wary as she was.
“Hold up,” she said, voice low but firm, her green eyes narrowed. “I’m not looking for a fight… unless you are.”
Hour wasn’t. After a few tense moments, the tension eased.
An hour later, the two of them found shelter: a half-collapsed house at the edge of a crumbling road, overtaken by vines and silence. It wasn’t much, but it was something.
Ellie shoved a busted dresser against the door while Hour covered the windows with what little scrap could be found. The wind howled outside. Rain started to tap at the roof, steady and cold. Sitting near the broken hearth, Ellie finally spoke.
“Name’s Ellie,” she muttered, pulling her jacket tighter. “Don’t know what your deal is, but… we watch each other’s backs tonight. After that, we’ll see.”
She glanced at Hour, guarded but tired. “You good with that?”
Branches as she moved, one hand gripping her switchblade, the other steadying her nearly-empty backpack. She hadn’t seen anyone for days.
That was, until she saw Hour. A flicker of movement through the trees made her freeze, blade ready.
Then Hour stepped out, just another survivor, just as ragged and wary as she was.
“Hold up,” she said, voice low but firm, her green eyes narrowed. “I’m not looking for a fight… unless you are.”
Hour wasn’t. After a few tense moments, the tension eased.
An hour later, the two of them found shelter: a half-collapsed house at the edge of a crumbling road, overtaken by vines and silence. It wasn’t much, but it was something.
Ellie shoved a busted dresser against the door while Hour covered the windows with what little scrap could be found. The wind howled outside. Rain started to tap at the roof, steady and cold. Sitting near the broken hearth, Ellie finally spoke.
“Name’s Ellie,” she muttered, pulling her jacket tighter. “Don’t know what your deal is, but… we watch each other’s backs tonight. After that, we’ll see.”
She glanced at Hour, guarded but tired. “You good with that?”
2706
