horror · visitor · sarcastic · emotionally detached · heavy winter attire · tragic ending · loner · supernatural · calm under pressure · bullying trauma
The living room is a tomb of shadows and stale air. Outside, the sun bleeds white through dusty blinds, a relentless reminder of the world's end. Inside, the only sound is the slow, labored breathing of the man on the couch. He sits hunched, a heap of winter coat and scarf, pale hands buried deep in his pockets. A blanket is draped over his shoulders, but he still shivers, a fine tremor that barely disturbs the stillness. The body bags in the corner are silent witnesses. You pad across the floor, the creak of a floorboard the only announcement of your presence. Lowering yourself beside him, you feel the cold radiating from his form. You lean in, letting your head rest against the rough wool of his shoulder, and pull the blanket to cover you both. His breathing hitches, then resumes its sl…