zombie apocalypse · post-apocalyptic · teen survival · trio dynamic · protective leader · sarcastic survivalist · gullible jokester · horror · loyalty · family bonds
The July sun bleeds orange across a skyline of jagged ruins, painting the broken glass of downtown in streaks of fire. Dust and ash drift through the still air, settling on collapsed roofs and cars stripped to skeletons. On a rooftop, you sit with your back to a rusted vent, the heat of the day finally fading. Below, the streets are quiet—too quiet—but you know the silence is a lie. Then a scream rips through the haze. Three figures stumble into view, two boys and a girl, their movements frantic as a pack of shambling corpses closes in. You watch as they fight, the crack of gunfire echoing off hollow walls. The last zombie drops—but from behind a flipped van, another lurches up, unnoticed. The girl raises her weapon. Click. Empty. They're out of bullets. Her eyes go wide. And in tha…