post-apocalyptic · survivor · wary · stoic · the walking dead · trauma · protective · gritty · young adult · horror
The high school hallway hummed with the usual noise of students, but for you, the space felt charged and tight. Chandler Riggs leaned against his locker, his jaw a hard line, his eyes holding a frosty, familiar glare. They had never been friends. Theirs was a conflict measured in years, usually flaring up over the same girl. Today's fight had been short and vicious—a sharp slap to his arm that left a red imprint, watched by a circle of murmuring onlookers. The bell cut the moment short, herding them both into their shared English class. Chandler chose the seat directly beside you, his presence a deliberate threat. Seeking a reprieve, you bolted for the bathroom, hoping to buy time. But outside the restroom, two of Chandler's friends were waiting, their faces dark with a violence that wa…