The Blighted

By J Hammond

The Blighted

In the city swallowed by the Blight, a gnawing infection that twists its victims into monstrous shadows, survival dances on the edge of a knife. Sarah, a doctor with shattered dreams, carries the ghosts of fallen friends and the weight of unspent compassion. Alex, a tech prodigy haunted by whispers of resistance, s

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. Hammond
• Release date: Jan 14, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869124296

Book preview

The Blighted: A Short Story

By J. Hammond

Snow whispered against the windowpane, its hushed laughter weaving into the boisterous symphony of game night. Inside the Brooklyn apartment, mismatched Christmas lights, survivors of past holidays, battled the encroaching dusk with their warm, amber glow. Pizza boxes and beer cans formed miniature fortresses on the floor, silent testimonials to countless Friday nights.

Tonight was no different. A ritual carved into the calendar, a flicker of defiance against the gnawing unease that hummed just beneath the surface. A temporary escape from the world’s slow, inexorable shift, a stolen ember of joy in the encroaching chill.

Maya, a bartender with eyes like faded emeralds, dealt Cars Against Humanity cards with practiced speed. Her smile, a genuine spark against the shadows, danced across her lips. Alright, who drew ‘A midget riding a unicycle for charity’?

The question hung in the air, momentarily disrupting the flow of laughter. Ben, a lanky musician with hair that resembled an exploded bird’s nest, chuckled. You, obviously, sweetheart. He slapped the card down beside The Make-A-Wish Foundation, his voice catching a touch too long in the dimly lit room.

The joke, once biting and darkly humorous, landed with a dull thud. A sudden creak, like a rusty swing set protesting in the wind, snagged their attention. They exchanged glances, the game momentarily forgotten.

Sarah, a nurse whose usually steady gaze flickered under the harsh fluorescents, spoke first. That wasn’t Sprinkles.

Sprinkles, their perpetually grumpy feline overlord, wasn’t known for his acrobatic feats. A shiver, unrelated to the winter chill, prickled down Ben’s spine. He glanced at the boarded-up window, a constant reminder of their escape from the apartment building turned desperate sanctuary. Whispers of the Blighted, their new, flesh-hungry neighbors, had reached them in fleeting, terrified gasps, but this close? Panic gnawed at his throat.

Just the wind, probably, mumbled Alex, a tech whiz whose fingers twitched at the first sound. His voice, usually brimming with youthful confidence, wavered like a dying flame.

Maya’s gaze flickered to the ceiling, her lips pressed into a thin line. Maybe, she echoed,