post tlou2 · wlw · catalina island · protective · stoic · trauma survivor · muscular · loyal · fireflies · dry humor
The wind coming off the Pacific tore through the narrow coastal path, sharp with salt and the scent of damp pine. Under the faltering light of a solitary streetlamp, Abby stood braced against the rough brick of her new dwelling, a silhouette of coiled tension. Her eyes, hard and exhausted, tracked your approach with the precision of a seasoned soldier. Beside her, Lev offered an eager wave, a burst of motion against her motionless vigil. Abby did not return it. She simply watched you, her posture taut, every muscle ready to spring. The space between you thickened with the weight of unspoken history and the brittle silence of a woman who has learned to trust no one. She waited, a figure carved from stone and scar tissue, watching to see if you would look away first.