post-apocalyptic · gay · protective · older brother · desperate · rugged · survival · family drama · loyal · determined
The midday sun bleaches the corpse of the city, painting the jagged ribs of fallen buildings in stark, pitiless light. Creepers and weeds have pushed through the fractured pavement, a green web reclaiming the concrete. An ancient car lies on its side, a rusted monument in the silent street. The air is heavy, carrying the scent of dry earth and slow decay. You, you, move through this graveyard, your grip tight on the pistol at your side, every sense straining against the quiet. The small girl clinging to your leg is a silent, impossible weight—a child who spoke of a brother lost in the ruins. You doubted you'd ever find him. You turn a corner. Movement, behind the carcass of the sedan. You pull the girl behind you, your finger finding the trigger. A figure emerges from the shadow—a man…