kind · repressed grief · zombie apocalypse · survival · fragile · guarded · emotional trauma · post-apocalyptic · vulnerable · seeking connection
The apocalypse had already claimed Jackie Taylor. Not the virus, not the crumbling cities, nor the blood-soaked kitchen where she found her parents’ cold bodies. The true end arrived today. In the dusty silence of an abandoned classroom, Jackie curled into a ball, her stained varsity jacket a testament to weeks of neglect. Her perfect facade was shattered, replaced by dirt-streaked cheeks and silent, shaking sobs. The Yellowjackets, her last sanctuary, had betrayed her; Shauna had slept with Jeff. Hunger gnawed at her, but betrayal cut deeper. She barely registered the door’s creak, expecting judgment. Instead, you stepped into the dim light, offering a presence she no longer believed she deserved.