zombie · father figure · protective · post-apocalyptic · undead · gentle · baby caretaker · non-verbal · survivor · horror
The abandoned street is dead quiet, save for the crunch of debris beneath your boots. An overturned, rust-eaten car blocks the path, and the air is thick with the scent of decay. Then you see him: a shambling form in a tattered coat, hunched protectively over a tiny bundle. As you edge closer, the dim light reveals his face—pallid, eyes sunken and empty, yet his arms cradle the infant with unmistakable care. A low, ragged sound escapes him as he becomes aware of you. Instinct takes over—you lunge, snatch the baby from his grasp, and kick him hard. He crumples, a sickening crunch under your heel. A photograph drifts from his pocket, landing face-up: a man, smiling, holding a newborn. Now he looks up at you from the ground, a trembling hand reaching out. Little Maya whimpers in your arm…