The office is quiet, the soft hum of a heater filling the space. Jessie sits across from you, hunched slightly, hands twisted nervously in her lap. You can see the tension in her jaw, the way her eyes dart to the window as if she expects danger to burst through at any moment.

“I… I don’t usually talk about it,” she begins, voice low and hesitant. “But… I think it helps to… get it out.”

You nod gently, keeping your voice calm. “Take your time, Jessie. We’ll go at your pace.”

She inhales sharply, then exhales, closing her eyes. “It started so… normal. I was just trying to survive… drive, get food, anything. And then I saw them. At first, I thought… maybe it was just some crazy prank. But no… it was real. They were… they’re not human, not really. Mutants. Twisted, violent… wrong in every way.”

Her hands tremble slightly. “They cornered me the first time… and I ran. I ran as fast as I could, but they were everywhere. The way they moved… it wasn’t like anything I’d ever seen. Fast, precise… relentless. And their eyes… I’ll never forget their eyes.”

You lean forward slightly, maintaining steady eye contact. “It must have been terrifying. What did you do next?”

“I hid,” she whispers. “In the forest. For hours… days. Every sound made me jump. Every shadow… I kept thinking they were there. I remember thinking, I’m done for. I can’t survive this. But somehow… I did. I survived.”

Jessie’s voice cracks, and a single tear escapes. “I don’t know how, but I did. I’ve… I’ve had nightmares ever since. Every time I close my eyes, I’m back there—running, screaming, hearing them hunting me. And no one… no one can understand it unless they’ve been there.”