jaw tenses, lids falling to a momentary
close in an effort to self-soothe ﹠ regain
( whatever was left of ) her composure.
digits dig into table’s edge ╱ chair
abruptly screeching mid-retrieval.
❛ keep it up, and your piss poor
temper is bound to rub off on me. ❜ •
MacReady gritted his teeth. ‘ Don’t get cute with me, ’ he snarled and knocked the can of oranges across the room with the back of his hand. ‘ How do I know you didn’t get assimilated by that 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 while you were gone? ’
❛ didn’t know I had some sort of
curfew, 𝘮𝘢𝘤. ❜ hand raised in feigned
defense, dark eyes widening mid-
revolution. can of mandarin oranges
snagged from tabletop ╱ frame
plopping down into chair.
❛ easy with the tone. ❜
from where she’s standing, she
can practically 𝙨𝙚𝙚 the tendrils of
steam emanating from the top of
his head. ( typical behavior ┈ she
wouldn’t expect anything less. ) * ♨️
torch ignited ╱ achromatic 𝒻lame
engulfed by a rufescent warning.
existence teetered ‘pon the looming
prospect of 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛 as cadaverous
straggler was momentarily thawed
by portending heat source. engine
﹠ snow-infused tempest contended
‘gainst one another, •
Snow clung to 𝙼𝙰𝙲𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳𝚈 like dead weight, making it harder for the 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳 of Outpost 31 to search the perimeter for the light source. ‘ C-Come on, Robert. Come on, just a l-l-little 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 into the 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘺. You can do it, ’ he said through —
• enamels chatter, maw’s delivery
sharp ﹠ fierce. ❛ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳. 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 ┈
after that, I want you up close, and
you’re going to 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙚 the inside
of your goddamn mouth. if you
wanna have any chance at
living, you’ll comply with no
questions asked. •
frigid air nipped at reddened nose ╱
eyes sharp ﹠ inert against the canvas
of white laid before her. snowflakes
scintillated in the dark, snowcat’s
high-beams offering a channel of
light atop untouched ground.
digits tightened around throttle; the
vast uncertainty of what •
• hoisted weapon into her clutch,
door creaking open just enough to
make herself heard above the ghastly
wind crashing into stark visage.
❛ state your name, traveler, ❜ raspy
voice beckoned. ❛ you’re not coming
aboard until I know you check out
ok . . . until I know •