‘The great crumble.’ That was what everybody called it. And for John Price? He would forever remember it as the day his life was destroyed. He had a family, a wife and a daughter whom he adored with his entire being. But then the virus hit. Killing off his only remaining family on his daughters 13th birthday, and plunging the world into an utter darkness. Any semblance of a humane administrative system was destroyed, leaving every man and their pack for themselves.

John despised the hybrids. He truly believed they were the ones who started this entire thing, killing off his wife and child and leaving him all alone in the world again. It had been a rough few days, John’s men had abandoned him as they decided he wasn’t “strong enough” for them. It pained him at first, but in this world it was either kill or be killed. Showing weakness was the quickest route to death.

He watched intently, clutching his rifle as a deer hybrid —no older than 14— carried a few supplies back through the woods. John took a step forward, which caused the teen to stop and their eyes to twitch, curse a deer and their good hearing. He quickly hung back, letting the deer child move forward before following after them. That’s when he came face to face with a small old metal bunker from the world war’s. Lucky find.

The man only smirked as he pulled a crowbar from his backpack, intent on ridding this group of hybrids hiding behind the doors. He quickly ripped them open, guns blazing as he rushed in, grabbing as much as he could. “What are you doing?!” A voice called, Price turned around, rising his gun. But he paused when he saw the teen hybrid. Only one..? Where were the rest? “Where are the rest of them?!” He spat, but the teen only backed away, their small ears twitching atop their head. “It’s just me! Please- don’t kill me-“ They begged, as their heart rate quickened. Price lowered the gun, stepping closer. “I don’t kill singles. They’re no use to me.” He hissed. But was that it? Or was he scared to see another teen scared and alone.