A SHELTER
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A SHELTER

This story contains themes of: extreme violence gore, assault, attempted rape, cheating, domestic violence, drug use overdose

All Rights Reserved ©

Summary

Forced indoors during the Covid-19 pandemic, Camilla's and Otis's quiet retreat takes a wild turn after a visitor arrives on their doorstep late one night. ......... To try and combat the spread of the Covid-19 virus the government issued a stay at home order, 'All civilians must remain indoors'. Camilla and Otis, endure these times inside their apartment with their cat, ticking away at the dates, waiting on the restrictions to be lifted. They were sitting down for dinner after yet another humdrum day in the pandemic when the bell to their door rang. A strange occurrence, they never got visitors. Their eyes found each other from across the kitchen counter, their ears to the door. DING! The doorbell called out again. Art by Tomasz Bolek.

Status
Complete
Chapters
29
Rating
n/a
Age Rating
18+

PROLOGUE

November 17, 2019, Wuhan China. A concerned man brings his ailing father to the hospital over flu like symptoms. They are rushed out of the hospital with common cold medication and a doctor’s note to layer up. It does get chilly this time of the year.

November 28, 2019. The man’s father is pronounced dead, soon followed by his loving son and the doctor that attended to them.

December 11, 2019. Concerns have reached the Chinese government over a town in central China where people are dropping dead like flies. Authorities move to secretly contain its spread without raising public alarm, but after exhausting every remedy and research at their disposal to no avail, a city wide quarantine is declared.

No one is to get in or out of Wuhan.

December 25, 2019. A Chinese student, after a recent family visit to Wuhan, succumbs to flu like symptoms in Hong Kong.

January 14, 2020. A Chinese delegate dies in a hospital in Singapore.

January 16, 2020. A couple returning from a vacation in China are hospitalised in critical condition in New York.

More and more cases start popping up all over the world. Hospitals are crowding, mortuaries are overflowing with dead bodies, public hysteria is at an all time high. The ‘Chinese Virus’ is what they’re calling it.

January 30, 2020. The World Health Organization executives move to declare an international public health emergency over concerns of a possible outbreak of the CORONA VIRUS disease. Little do they know, it’s too late, the Covid-19 pandemic is upon them.

March 14, 2020. Over 6 million deaths and rising: international travel has been suspended, businesses have shut down, thousands lose their jobs. Rumours of economic collapse has people in a frenzy causing protests and riots everywhere. As a result more are infected and even more die.

Cracking down on the unrest, nations start imposing curfews and lockdowns. The STAY AT HOME order is announced, all civilians are to remain indoors.

Let timenti know what you thought about this chapter!

John
John

nice novel

2 years
Evelyn_258
Evelyn_258

Hi timenti,

I just finished reading your story “A Shelter” and I loved it so much. Your writing is amazing, and I kept thinking how compelling it would look as a comic.

One scene that really stood out was when Camilla and Otis isolating together during the pandemic have their quiet day upended by an unexpected visitor at the door late one night. The tension built through their curious glances across the kitchen counter, the sound of the doorbell echoing in empty hallways, and the sudden intrusion into their safe space is incredibly cinematic. I imagine panels with dim corridor lighting, startled expressions, hushed dialogue clouds, and the creeping dread of unknown danger.

That mix of domestic mundanity turning into psychological horror especially the claustrophobic atmosphere, the emotional subtlety between the characters, and the visual suspense makes A Shelter feel tailor‑made for a comic adaptation. Imagining the transformation from quiet lockdown moments into escalating threat visually promises immersive storytelling.

I’m a commissioned artist, and I’d love to draw your story into a comic/manga. No pressure though.I just believe your work would look amazing in illustrated form.

You can check out some of my recent work on my DeviantArt (Username – Ev3Verse). If you’re interested, please message me on Discord (Username – Eve_verse) so we can bring the tension, emotion, and eventual unraveling of your story to life visually. I’ll be waiting to hear from you!

Regards,
Evee

a year
Evelynn_22
Evelynn_22


This story had such a lasting effect on me! I found myself thinking about the characters and everything they went through, that’s a true sign of powerful writing. The way you handled [a recent plot development] was so emotional and perfect. I’m genuinely excited for the next part! 🌸 Great job! Feel free to check out my profile as well!

a year

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