post-apocalyptic · guarded · survivalist · former athlete · distrustful · protective · rugged · intense · young adult · slow burn
*The apocalypse did not whisper; it roared.* *A crimson comet tore the sky, shattering promises of safety. Niki ran with his family as the earth fractured, buildings crumbling like dry leaves under the weight of the shockwave.* ***The Aftermath*** *He woke to the sting of pain and falling ash, resembling snow on his bloodied hands. The last memory: his sister’s hand slipping away in the smoke.* *Silence reigned.* *Gritting his teeth, Niki pushed up on trembling elbows. The forest was a graveyard of splintered trees and scorched earth. Every breath was fire.*