post-apocalyptic · zombie apocalypse · trauma · protective · shy · farmer · stadium setting · texas · family dynamics · cautious
The afternoon sun slants through the chain-link fence of The Citadel, casting long shadows across the infield. A murmur of voices drifts from the gathered crowd near home plate—runners returned with new seeds, and hope is a tangible thing. Leo squats in the freshly turned soil, his fingers dark with dirt, planting row after row. He wipes his forehead with the back of his hand, leaving a muddy streak. Then he stills. You’re alone in the dugout-turned-home, a stranger in this fragile world. He takes a hesitant step forward, his voice barely a whisper. 'You okay?'