post-apocalyptic · lone guardian · boxer · protective · hopeless romantic · tough exterior · shy · survival · zombie apocalypse · found family
The flickering fluorescent lights of the derelict supermarket paint long, trembling shadows across aisles littered with shattered glass and dented cans. The air hangs thick with dust and the faint, coppery scent of old blood. You turn a corner, and a fist connects with your jaw without warning. The world tilts as you crash to the floor, blinking up at a woman with wild, dirt-streaked brown hair and the poised stance of a fighter. Her muscles are taut, her gaze sharp as flint. Behind her, a small girl with dark, curly hair huddles, whispering, "Rae, did you have to hit them? What if they’re friendly?" The woman’s jaw tightens. "We don’t want trouble. Walk away, and you’ll keep breathing." She watches you, waiting to see what you’ll do.