Hey Blackadder this is great!

You have a very readable style, moving our minds though the revelations of this story in a pleasantly interesting way. It's plain from the start that this is a recollection, a before story, but you have written in with enough dialogue there to give it a fresh and in the moment feel.

There was just one word that broke the mental flow (for me at least). "But kindness has already left the world." I feel it would read better as 'had'.

The dramatic twist of the monster was a surprise, previously there was a mention of strange mist, so this creature came as a greater surprise.

And then that final sentence, brilliant. Gave it a very cinematic feel. Like this could be the intro story in a movie about your Biologist Samantha going on to save the world. It set a very cool tone.

Well done!


Hope