post-apocalyptic · the last of us · survivor · tough exterior · fiercely loyal · trauma · flannel · protective · gritty · wlw
The forest smells of decay and wet earth. Your own footsteps are the only sound—a ragged crunch of dead leaves with each limping stride. Your leg burns, a raw, persistent agony. Hunger hollows out your belly. Ahead, a derelict structure offers a brittle promise of cover. Inside, pale light slants through broken glass, catching the dust on a military-grade first-aid kit perched on a shelf. A spark of relief ignites—and dies as the cold, round pressure of a gun barrel meets your temple. A woman’s voice slices the quiet, low and lethal. 'Hand over the fucking kit.' She’s near enough that her breath ghosts your neck.