Shadows Beneath the Campfire

Dinner was a feast—rabbit, venison, fish, and even snake meat. 

No one spoke much; they were too busy devouring whatever they could grab, grease running down their chins, mouths full of rich, smoky flavor. The fire crackled, casting a warm glow over satisfied, tired faces.

As the night settled in and people began heading to their tents, Jason heard the faint sound of a child crying.

"Why are you crying? Shut up! If you keep crying, I'll beat you!"

Following the voice, Jason walked toward Carol's tent—and what he saw made his blood boil.

Ed, a bulky, aggressive man, was towering over Sophia, yelling at her and raising a hand as if to strike her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Jason charged forward, grabbing Ed's wrist mid-swing and shoving him away with force.

Ed stumbled back, nearly falling. His face twisted in anger. "What's your problem? Mind your own damn business!"

"She's *my* daughter. Not yours!"

Jason stepped forward, his tone dropping ice-cold. "Watch your mouth. You lay a hand on Carol or Sophia again, and I'll knock your teeth out. Understand?"

Ed clenched his fists but didn't move. He knew Jason wasn't someone to mess with.

"You'll regret this," Ed muttered, backing away. "Just wait."

Jason didn't bother replying. He watched him disappear into the shadows, then turned to Sophia, who was still sniffling.

He crouched beside her and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Hey, don't cry. Can you tell me what happened?"

Sophia sniffled and nodded. "Dad hit Mom… He told her to do the laundry, but she's already really tired…"

Jason's heart tightened. A child her age should be playing in the sun, not surviving in a post-apocalyptic world under a violent father's shadow.

"You shouldn't have to go through this," he whispered.

Just then, a quiet voice behind him made him turn. It was Jim, a wiry man with tired eyes.

"You could probably do something about him."

Jason nodded. "Yeah. I will."

He turned back to Sophia and smiled gently. "Don't worry. I'm here now. He won't hurt you again. Try to get some sleep, okay?"

She gave him a small nod and slipped into the tent.

Jason and Jim walked off together under the moonlight.

"Why are you up so late?" Jason asked.

"I couldn't sleep," Jim replied with a faint smile. "I just went for a walk… and saw what happened."

He paused. "Ed's not a good man. Every day, I see him yelling, hitting Carol. It's hard to watch."

Fans of the old world might remember: Jim was once a father. His wife and child were gone, lost to the horrors outside. He wasn't always right in the head after that—but he was kind. And honest.

"Some things will change eventually," Jason said, glancing back at the camp. "Even if no one says it out loud, I'll make sure they do."

The two men nodded silently, understanding passing between them.

—

The next morning, Jason was stirred awake by shouting outside.

Still groggy, he rubbed his eyes and stumbled out of his tent—only to be met with terrible news.

All the children in the camp were sick.

A contagious illness, one that only affected children, had spread rapidly. It wasn't fatal, at least not yet—but it was enough to send a ripple of panic through the group.

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