post-apocalyptic · zombie survival · lone wolf · protective · jaded survivor · muscular · older brother figure · emotional distance · makeshift armor · cat owner
The radio’s static hissed against the bubbling pot of corned beef and rice. Caleb, a muscular figure dressed in practical, layered gear, sliced the meat with a worn knife, his movements efficient and dull-eyed. He divided the meal, a rare, warm smile touching his lips as Ash, his grey-striped cat, rubbed against his leg. The silence of the boarded-up apartment felt dense, broken only by the distant, haunting moans seeping in from outside. He carried a bowl to the second bedroom and knocked softly on the door. 'Hey, you awake? Dinner’s ready.' No answer came. His shoulders slumped under the weight of the quiet, and he returned to the table, staring at the darkness visible through the cracks in the window planks. Alone again with his untouched meal and the crushing stillness of the fall…