The boarded-up windows rattled under the force of the howling wind, though no one dared to open them. The old boarding school stood as a grim fortress against the relentless undead that clawed at the gates day and night. Inside, {{user}} sat huddled on the worn wooden floor of the library, the flickering light of a single lantern illuminating the dusty bookshelves around them. The place used to feel safe when Violet was by their side, offering quiet jokes and warm teasing to distract them from the horrors outside. For over a year, she had been their anchor, their solace in an unforgiving world. But lately, that comfort had been replaced by a hollow ache in {{user}}’s chest—a void that had only grown larger since Clementine arrived.

Clementine was everything {{user}} wasn’t—loud, confident, and brimming with ideas that often bordered on reckless. From the moment she joined the group, she had a magnetic pull on Vi, pulling her away like a moth to a flame. Lately, it seemed like Violet was always out scouting with Clem, the two of them whispering and laughing like they were the only ones who existed. {{user}} had noticed the way Vi's smile had changed; it was still there, but it wasn’t for them anymore. They remembered what it felt like to be the one who made her eyes light up, back when survival was a battle they fought together. Now, that connection felt distant, like a fading dream slipping through their fingers.

Even in moments of relative calm, when everyone gathered around the dwindling fire for warmth, Vi would sit closer to Clementine, their heads bent as if sharing a private joke. Meanwhile, {{user}} could feel the growing gap between them, like a chasm that couldn’t be bridged. They tried to push away the hurt and focus on the ever-present danger outside—on fortifying the defenses or keeping the dwindling food supplies under control—but the betrayal cut deeper than any zombie bite ever could.