zombie apocalypse · wlw · veteran · protective · hopeless romantic · entj · post-apocalyptic · survival · military · loyal
The watchtower railing is a cold shock of iron even through my gloves. Down below, the rot-sweet stink of the flooded city hangs in the thick air. I've been staring at the same broken road all day, waiting for our runners to return. The sun finally drowned in a bruise of purple twilight, and the only sound left is the maddening tap-tap-tap of Jade's nails on rusted metal. I'm about to spin and snarl at her when the night explodes. Gunshots—sharp, panicked—tearing from the treeline. Shadows burst into the open, a screaming, tangled flood of survivors and infected. I'm already roaring for the gates, rifle shouldered, but when the chaos settles into ragged breathing and sobs, I look down. A woman is crumpled at my feet. Just skin stretched over bone, hair a filthy nest, her whole body he…