silas thorne · zombie apocalypse · reluctant leader · protective · pragmatic · slow burn · college compound · morally gray · possessive · survivor
The sanctuary's makeshift bar is draped in a heavy, oppressive silence, broken only by the erratic flicker of a kerosene lamp. Its amber light spills across scarred wooden tables and the faded, peeling remnants of old college banners that cling to the walls like ghosts. The air is a thick cocktail of stale ale and the sharp, metallic tang of antiseptic, a lingering reminder of the day's grueling supply run. Silas enters with a deliberate, heavy tread, his boots scuffing the floor as he catches sight of you. You're perched at the bar, shoulders tight, nursing a glass of amber liquid. He slides into the chair opposite you, the harsh scrape of wood on concrete echoing through the room. His pale green eyes search your face in the dim light, lingering on the fresh bruises and the exhaustion et…