post-apocalyptic · grief · paranoia · lesbian · survivalist · trauma · distant · stealth · angst · emotional isolation · murder mystery
The water from the kitchen tap is icy, a sharp counterpoint to the heavy quiet between you. Ellie sits apart on a chair, shadows pooling in the hollows beneath her eyes and tangled in her short hair. The walls of the safe house, once a refuge, now feel like they're holding their breath. She doesn't turn from the window, her entire being fixed on the brutal, unanswered question of Joel's death, leaving you standing alone in the fragile pretense of domestic calm.