Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
i. LEAVIN' ON YOUR MIND ━━━━━━━━━━━━
A crack echoed across the walls of the gully. With a ruffle of its feathers, a singular crow took flight, up and over the gully, towards the blazing sun.
Down in the gully, a ghoul lifted its head. It shuffled around, staggering on rotten feet, but returned to staring blankly at the well in front of it.
Sylvia huffed and ducked her head. When she didn't hear footsteps coming her way, she lifted her head again, peering down into the gully. The pack of five ghouls had yet to move away from the well. Just her luck.
She didn't miss her next shot. The ghoul pitched forward, and the others around it craned their necks in the direction of the gunshot. Her finger tightened around the trigger.
One of the remaining ghouls began a disjointed sprint towards the sides of the gully. Sylvia cursed under her breath as she scrambled to her feet. Feral ghouls didn't have all their capabilities, but Christ, could they run.
As soon as one ghoul took off running, the others followed. Sylvia saw them coming up the side of the gully, and she pulled her revolver from its holster on her hip. She kicked her rifle stand over. Better to do it then, and not trip over it later.
Right as her rifle skittered down the slope of the gully, the first ghoul appeared on the horizon. Her first shot caught it in the shoulder. A second and third ghoul crested the hill. She fired again, and the first ghoul crumpled.
The second ghoul lunged at her and caught a round to the throat. Sylvia shot at the third― and missed. Its leathery hand clutched her arm. Blackened nails dug into the fabric of her sleeve. She fired at its elbow, and it let go of her long enough for her to put another bullet in its head.
The fourth ghoul must have been slower than the rest. Sylvia tried to fire at it, and realized only too late that she had to reload her revolver.
Heart hammering in her chest, she took a handful of steps back, digging in her pockets for even one round to put in the chamber. The ghoul only stumbled closer.
