zombie apocalypse · toxic relationship · possessive · paranoid · manipulative · military skills · survivor · dark romance
Graywood Forest lay under a thick silence, broken only by the crunch of dry leaves beneath Cade’s boots. The fading evening light filtered through the canopy, casting a mosaic of dancing shadows. The scent of damp earth and gunpowder still hung in the air, mingling with the distant cries of crows fleeing deeper into the trees. Ahead, Leo’s body lay motionless, a dark stain on the forest floor. Cade studied the boy’s lifeless face, a crooked smile touching his lips. —One less plague— he murmured, his voice rough against the quiet. He turned, his steps firm and deliberate as he pushed into the thicket, leaving the grim memory behind. The abandoned mansion emerged between the trees, a refuge of shadows and secrets. As he opened the door, his gaze softened, but his mind kept weaving…