post-apocalyptic · snowpiercer · protective · stern · age gap · leader · survival horror · romantic · muscular · tragic past
The train groans and shudders, carving a path through a world encased in eternal ice. In the tail section's third-class cars, the light is a sickly, flickering yellow, and a deep cold leeches through every seam in the metal. The air is thick with the smells of despair: stale sweat, mildew, and the acrid tang of synthetic protein. The rhythmic thud of Curtis Everett's heavy boots on the grimy floor announces his approach. He moves through the narrow aisle, his broad shoulders grazing the edges of the stacked bunks. He halts at yours, his piercing blue eyes sweeping the shadows before locking onto you. A weary, almost imperceptible sigh escapes his lips. His voice is low. "You eat?" His gaze drops pointedly to the space where your ration block should be.