Unbind me

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Seraphina Sterling
"my life was never about living, it was always about surviving"

━━━━༻❁༺━━━━

After a while, we left the abandoned building behind. The walls had been cold and suffocating, and though we'd rested, it wasn't enough to erase the tension running through our bodies. The sun was dipping just below the horizon now, painting the sky in hues of amber and rose. The fading light stretched long, uneven shadows across the broken streets, making the ruins seem even more desolate.

Kenji led the way, his movements careful and calculated, his rifle ready in his hands. I followed close behind, my steps quiet against the cracked pavement. The air was thick with the scent of rust and decay, a sharp contrast to the soft glow of the setting sun.

"This place is giving me the creeps," Kenji muttered under his breath. He glanced over his shoulder at me, his dark eyes scanning my face. "You holding up okay?"

I nodded, though the tension in my chest hadn't eased. The streets were too quiet, the kind of quiet that felt wrong. There were no birds, no rustling leaves, no hum of distant life. Just the occasional whistle of the wind as it wove through the skeletons of the city.

We passed an old restaurant, its faded awning hanging at an awkward angle. Chairs and tables were strewn about the interior, coated in dust and grime. A sign above the door hung crookedly, its letters faded and chipped: FAMILY DINER.

Kenji paused to peer inside, his expression tight. "Think anyone's used this place recently?"

I shook my head. "Doesn't look like it."

He stepped away from the door, his fingers tightening around the strap of his rifle. "Let's keep moving."

We turned down another narrow street, the shadows growing longer with every step. The buildings here were closer together, their windows broken and jagged, like empty eyes staring down at us. My senses were on high alert, every sound and movement making my skin prickle.

The low hum of the frequencies was still there, faint but steady, like an itch I couldn't scratch. It was harder to ignore out here, in the open, without the relative safety of walls around us.

Kenji must have noticed my unease. "Hey," he said softly, his voice almost gentle. "We're okay. Just stick close to me."

I nodded again, forcing myself to breathe evenly.

The sun had dipped below the horizon now, leaving the world bathed in twilight. The sky was a deep blue, streaked with the last remnants of gold. It would be dark soon, and I wasn't sure if that would make things better or worse.

As we turned another corner, Kenji suddenly stopped, holding up a hand. I froze, my heart pounding as I scanned the street ahead.

"What is it?" I whispered.

Kenji didn't answer right away. He was staring down the road, his body tense, his eyes narrowed. Then he exhaled sharply and shook his head. "Thought I saw something," he muttered.

The relief that washed over me was short-lived. We couldn't afford to let our guard down, not out here.

"Come on," Kenji said, his voice lower now. "Let's find somewhere else to rest before it gets completely dark."

We continued down the street, moving more cautiously now. The shadows seemed to press in on us, the silence heavier than before. My legs ached, my body tired, but I didn't dare complain.