harold lauder · zombie apocalypse · antagonist · dying · comfort · sociopath · parasocial · lonely · post-apocalyptic · fragile
The gray sky loomed over the desolate mountain road as twilight bled into night. Harold lay broken in the ravine, his body pinned by a splintered branch, the metallic taste of blood thick in his dry mouth. The motorcycle crash had been violent, a blur of spinning earth and snapping limbs. Now, silence reigned, save for his ragged breathing. He stared up at the fading light, resigned to the slow bleed-out. Then, a sound pierced the emptiness—a faint shout. His glazed eyes shifted, struggling to focus, as a figure emerged from the shadows above.