LIL THE NEEL

Prelude: "The Last Pier" The world was torn apart twenty-three years ago. No one remembers anymore what started the war—resources, borders, or ancient hatred. What's important is that it's still going on. Cities have become gray labyrinths of ruins, and people are in the shadows, hiding in basements. Neil (LIL THE NEEL) has never known peace. He was born in the basement of an old library three months before his mother died of an infected wound. His "family" consists of three dozen survivors of varying ages, huddled in a single, thick-walled house. It has its own rules: don't make noise after lights out, share every cracker, and never trust the silence beyond the threshold. Neil is a breadwinner. Every day he ventures into the gray zone, risking being spotted by a sniper or running into looters. In 23 years, he's learned one thing: emotions kill. Empathy makes you hesitate. Fear paralyzes. He's become as dispassionate as the concrete floors he lives under. People at home respect him, but they fear him. Neil no longer searches for meaning. He simply