Expected Encounter

Riley stumbled through the dense underbrush, branches scratching at her arms as she navigated the overgrown path. She had been searching for any sign of life, any trace of humanity that hadn't been obliterated by the demons. The remnants of a once-thriving world seemed to close in around her, a constant reminder of what she had lost.

As she pushed through the last few bushes, she emerged into a clearing. Before she stood an abandoned survivor's camp, its remnants littered across the ground. Torn tents sagged in the trees like ghosts, and scattered supplies lay half-buried in the dirt, overtaken by weeds and time. It was eerily quiet, the kind of quiet that signaled something had gone wrong.

"Hello?" Riley called, her voice echoing back at her. The wind rustled through the trees, but no other sound followed. She felt a familiar pang of loneliness, the weight of being utterly alone in a world that had gone mad.

Cautiously, she stepped closer, scanning the area for any signs of life—or death. It was a graveyard of hope. A half-burnt campfire lay in the center, surrounded by makeshift benches that had long since rotted away. She spotted remnants of canned food, but they were all either empty or ruined. As she ventured deeper, Riley noticed a trail of blood leading away from the camp. Her heart raced, and she swallowed hard, the feeling of dread creeping in. It didn't take much imagination to figure out what had happened here. Suddenly, a rustle in the bushes snapped her attention. She turned sharply, her instincts flaring. Out of the foliage stepped Cass, her expression tense, a knife clutched tightly in her hand.

"Not you again," Cass said, her voice low and cautious.

Riley felt her heart sink. "Great. Just what I needed. What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question," Cass replied, scanning their surroundings with narrowed eyes. "This place was hit hard. You shouldn't be here."

"Yeah, I figured that out," Riley shot back, irritation bubbling up. "I was hoping to find other survivors, but it looks like I was wrong."

Cass stepped closer, her demeanor shifting slightly. "There aren't any left. It's just us." Riley's stomach dropped. "Us?"

"Unless you want to count the demons." Cass's voice was sharp, but beneath it lay an unspoken fear. A heavy silence settled between them, the weight of their situation pressing down like a physical burden. They were two reluctant strangers trapped in a world overtaken by darkness, each feeling the pull of survival but clinging to their mistrust.

"What do we do now?" Riley asked, her voice quiet, betraying a flicker of vulnerability.

Cass hesitated. "We need to get out of here. This place isn't safe."

"Maybe we should look for supplies first," Riley suggested, forcing herself to keep her tone level. "If we're sticking together, we need to be prepared."

Cass raised an eyebrow, her skepticism evident. "Sticking together? You and me? Seriously?" Riley bristled but held her ground. "If we split up, we're both dead. I don't like this either, but we don't have a choice." Cass studied her for a long moment, then let out a resigned sigh. "Fine. But let's make it quick."

They began to scour the camp together, the tension between them palpable. Riley focused on finding anything useful—canned food, medical supplies, anything that could help them stay alive just a little longer. As they rummaged through the remnants of the camp, Riley spotted a small, weathered folder tucked beneath a pile of papers. She pulled it out, flipping it open to reveal neat, handwritten notes.

"Hey, look at this!" she called excitement sparking in her voice despite the circumstances.

Cass approached, peering over her shoulder as Riley flipped through the pages. "What is it?"

"It's research from someone who was here—a survivor. They were studying the demons." Riley scanned the notes, her heart pounding as she read about the creatures' behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses. But what caught her eye was a section near the end, discussing the government's involvement. "Listen to this," Riley said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "It says here that the government knew about the demons before they were released into our world. They did it to gain control over the population, to consolidate their power." Cass's eyes widened, her expression shifting from skepticism to disbelief. "That can't be right. Why would they—?" 

"They thought they could control them," Riley continued, her fingers trembling slightly as she turned the pages. "But it went wrong. It went horribly wrong."

"Do you think it's true?" Cass asked, her voice barely above a murmur.

Riley nodded, feeling the weight of the revelation sink in. "If it is… it means we're not just fighting for our lives. We're fighting against something much bigger." Cass's expression hardened, her resolve solidifying. "Then we take this with us. If it's true, we need evidence. We can't let this go unchallenged." They carefully folded the notes back into the folder and tucked it into Cass's pack, a new sense of purpose igniting within them. "Okay," Cass said, her tone more resolute now. "Let's get out of here. We have to go."

Riley hesitated for a moment, caught off guard by the weight of that word. "We?"

"Do you have a better idea?" Cass shot back, her eyes glinting with defiance.

Riley managed a small smile, the tension easing just a fraction. "No, I guess not."

With their uneasy alliance forged in the face of adversity, they made their way out of the camp, side by side. The path ahead was uncertain, but at least they wouldn't have to face it alone. And in a world full of demons and darkness, that meant everything.