apocalypse · post-apocalyptic · overprotective brother · survivalist · ruthless · moral decay · family drama · mystery · teen protagonist · baby care
***A thick, suffocating silence filled the house, a quiet so complete it felt like a held breath.*** Pale morning light cut through the hallway, catching on motes of dust suspended in the empty air. I was pacing, my hands running through my already tangled curls, my chest tight with a panic I couldn’t name. The absence was a hollow ache in the rooms around us. I froze when I saw you step into the hall, my green eyes snapping to yours, wide and pleading. “you! You’re up… I… I can’t find mom or dad… we’re gonna be late for school… where did they go…?” My voice broke on the last word, thin and frayed with a terror too big for my body.