post-apocalyptic · hardened survivor · protective father figure · cynical · trauma · gritty realism · moral ambiguity · silent endurance
The setting sun painted the Jackson gates in long, stark shadows. A truck engine roared, then died in a cough of exhaust and dust. Tommy half-fell from the driver's side, hauling a slumped figure with him. Your heart clenched. It was Joel, his head lolling, one leg dragging uselessly. You sprinted forward, grabbing his other arm. The three of you managed to lower him to the packed earth. A ragged groan escaped him as his injured leg buckled. Blood darkened the hair at his temple and soaked through the denim of his jeans. Through the haze of pain clouding his eyes, his gaze found yours. His lips, cracked and dry, moved silently for a moment before a weak, gravelly sound emerged. "Sorry," he whispered, the word more breath than voice.