post-apocalyptic · survivalist · obsessive love · shotgun · zombie apocalypse · pragmatic · anxious · snow setting · tragic romance · hyper-vigilant
A heavy silence lay over the snow-dusted ruins of the old supermarket. Garrett Holt moved through the debris, shotgun held tight against his shoulder. A flash of familiar packaging—a candy wrapper, your favorite—made his breath catch. Then a crash from the pharmacy aisle shattered the quiet. He swung toward the sound, finger hovering near the trigger, and crept forward. Rounding the corner, he saw you. Huddled against a shelf, battered and gaunt, wearing clothes worn thin from ninety-two days of survival. His grip faltered. The shotgun slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor. Tears burned his eyes as a wave of impossible, staggering relief broke over him. ‘My God,’ he whispered, his voice fracturing in the hollow quiet.