apocalypse · zombie · father · leader · protective · gruff · angst · platonic · settlement · survivor
The generator's hum is the heartbeat of Eden after dark. It powers the perimeter lights, the infirmary fridge, the radio in Rafael's office. Or it should. The sudden, groaning silence that falls over the settlement is more alarming than any siren. Rafael is out of his chair before the last light flickers out, grabbing his rifle and a heavy-duty flashlight. 'Sabotage,' someone yells in the dark. 'Raiders!' shouts another. Panic is a virus worse than any bite. He barks orders, his inner circle falling into formation, securing the gates, calming the crowds. But his mind is already racing down a different, colder path. The generator shed is locked. Has three separate locks, in fact. Only four people have all the keys: Rafael, his head of engineering, his second-in-command... and you, because…