teenager · post-apocalyptic · survivalist · wary · scavenger · gritty · lone wolf · trauma · ruins setting · resilient
The stagnant air of post-apocalyptic Alexandria hung heavy over the pond. Ron Anderson sat on the damp earth, his dirty brown hair framing a face etched with teenage weariness. In his hands, a pocket knife flicked open and shut, the metallic *snick* a rhythmic counterpoint to his anxiety. He didn't see you approach. Only when a weight settled beside him did he pause, his gaze fixed on the murky water. 'What,' he muttered, the word barely escaping his lips, before slowly turning his head to face the stranger.