#eli sipes

[missameliep]

Polaroids & Promises

Book: Wake the Dead Pairing: Troy Hassan x Malia Jones (MC) Rate: Teen & Up Words: 3,830 Summary: While renovating the lodge, friendships are blooming and Troy finds hidden treasures he wants to share with Malia. A/N: This story is set right after the group reaches Red Meadows and starts to build a colony there; it doesn't exactly fit the original chronology we see in the first chapters, but it fits the mood. No warnings, just Malia and everyone working a lot and fluff moments with Troy. This is my submission to @aprilchallenge2026 (️The Radiant Path: 13. Sun). Thank you so much for hosting it @peonierose. It was so much fun to join this challenge!

My fingers ache.  

They ache from the cold water I’m using to scrub the dirt and grease out of them. There’s nothing one can do about it. At least the winter is gone. It could be worse.  

My fingers ache, but I’m grateful to have water running. Gelid and red-brownish as it is. The water flows from the faucet, falls into my hands, swirls and disappears down the drain carrying with it the black foam.  

My hands were never this dirty before leaving the Tower. A mix of ancient rust and grease that didn’t come out when I wiped my palms against the worn-out legs of my jeans. Water, soap and a brush were insufficient as well; dirt remained under the fingernails, and small cuts all over the skin of my fingers and palms were painted black, looking like tiny black rivers in a map. 

My fingers ache because I scrub too hard. The contact of the stiff plastic of the bristles against my bruised skin is painful. The fingerless gloves, essential to conserve the grip, did nothing to protect them from the cold or sharp edges. 

My fingers ache, but I won’t complain. We’re turning the dreaded zombie-infested lodge into a colony. More than that. Olympus is a dream we’re building together, and with our hands we can shape it however we like.  

After many hours working to fix the pipes that connect the water cistern to the pump, my fingers were stiff from adjusting the grip to tools I was never meant to use.  

It’s pointless to spend water, soap, and energy like this. My hands will get dirty again one way or another, but I did it anyway. It gave me something to do, something to focus on other than missing my sister.  

It’s a never-ending struggle to shove those thoughts to the back of my mind.  

When it gets dark, I’m left with my ghosts.  

Not even exhaustion from all the work and lying on a comfortable bed with actual bedcovers led to a nice sleep session... On the contrary.

I toss and turn in the dark, missing having someone hold my hand and tell things will be alright. I miss those first nights sleeping on the floor downstairs beside Troy. He reminds me of what’s important... It’s easy to forget when I’m alone. 

*** 

The lodge has been abandoned for so long; it needs cleaning and repairing. Attacks from zombies left behind broken furniture and doors falling off its hinges. From sunrise to sunset, we focus on turning deserted rooms into living spaces. It keeps us busy. It keeps us going.  

It would be easier if only we could figure out what half the objects in the toolbox were meant for. At the Tower, I trained to be a fighter and nothing more. I pushed myself beyond my limits. If I put my mind to it, I can convert any of those tools into a deadly weapon like a pro zombie-hunter. That would make Brynn so damn proud! However, when it comes to proper use of them and fixing things, my knowledge is basically nonexistent. Most of my companions fall into that same inept category...    

On the other hand, Eli knows all the names and purposes of each of them, and keeps exchanging pliers and drivers from our clumsy hands... I wonder who taught him: a mother, a father or someone else... 

“Thank you,” I say after he teaches me to use a wrench. “We’d be lost without you.” 

For a second, his face was a mix of confusion and surprise. Then his lips quirked slightly into the tiniest smile, and he seemed a little flushed, maybe not expecting recognition for what he does effortlessly.  

“Why having all this trouble?” he asked when I insisted on fixing the faucets in the kitchen. There was no judgement in his voice; he sounded genuinely intrigued. “Life can be much simpler.” 

Eli seemed satisfied with a roof over his head, fresh water nearby, a forest to hunt and gather wood, and a fire burning in the room. It was hard to explain that for those of us who came from the Tower working lights and running water were things we dearly missed. Even more than that, if we could make this place work, maybe we could do everything else, even survive the surge… and that’s the whole point. 

I respected his point of view about a simpler life but argued in favor of the renovation when we gathered around the fireplace that second evening. Fixing the machines to pump the water stored in the reservations back into the pipes of the main building would do good to the morale, especially in case of a prolonged lockdown. Not to mention the use of external lights to help us spot drones in the distance. 

At last, he agreed to teach us. In exchange, I conceded that we block every window and focus on making this building secure as a fortress. Troy’s smile lost a bit of its glow with some of our decisions, and he mourned the loss of windows after being presented with the alternative. 

By the end of the next day, every window was blocked and sealed.  

At the Tower, we lived so long without windows or a view; rooms illuminated exclusively with manmade lights. Except for those mandatory twenty minutes every three days. If it were not raining or snowing, dozens of people would take turns in the patio in the center to bathe in sunlight.  

“It’s good for the bones,” doctors used to say, but we didn’t need much convincing.  

Around us gray walls up to the sky. No trees, no grass. But nature seems to always find its way. Weeds growing from cracks on concrete testifying that... I admired that kind of resilience. 

For years, even in that confined space, anytime Troy and I were in the same group, I have watched his pleased expression with the sun; arms outstretched towards the sky. As if the sunbeams could re-energize him.  

Troy didn’t raise his arms like that when we first came to Red Meadows, but his expression was just the same.  

“It was nice having windows for a change,” Troy mumbled. The hammer hitting the nails almost muffled his voice, as I sealed the window in the room he chose for himself.  

“I know, but –” I said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.  

“We can’t take the risk,” he completed.  

Despite knowing it was the right thing to do, Troy sighed anyway when I hammered the last nail.  

“I’ll get more planks.”  

He threw a last glance at the darkened room and walked away. His despondent face almost made me reconsider and let him have a window. But that’s not how things work when we live in a colony... 

*** 

Despite being quiet and keeping mostly to himself, it’s good working with Eli. He’s a generous teacher. Together we created charts, divided tasks between us all and set rules for working outside: nobody works alone until the perimeter is secure. To every task, at least two people would be assigned. In the case of an attack, it increased the chance of survival. We established codes for whistle communication; one to signal attack, another to ask for help, and Troy created a third one just to call me. It was cute on the first day, but not so much when other people started using it too... I abolished it by day four. 

The rules were not optional, but not everyone showed enthusiasm for abiding them.  

And by “not everyone” it’s mostly Troy. He keeps sneaking around by himself to explore the surrounding area and adjacent buildings whenever an opportunity is presented. I saw him fidgeting with ski equipment and staring at the snowy peaks with such intense desire that it looked almost lustful. 

“That man’s got a death wish or something,” Eli mumbles.  

I know who he was referring to even before spotting Troy careening down the hill and almost hitting a tree. My heart does a somersault. Troy swerves the giant blue saucer he’s sitting on to the left and is out of sight for a long while. I can only breathe again when I see him unscathed carrying the saucer and sprinting back up the hill.  

If I know him (and I do!), he’s practicing on the grass to replicate on the slope. He’s the most reckless man I know. The irresponsibility who could cost us a pair of hands or supplies if he gets hurt should make me angry; yet the feeling in my chest is not anger. There’s something endearing about his thirst for adventure. How many times has he spoken about a place just like this? 

“Actually, it’s the opposite, he’s got an urge to live.”  

“To live a short life, you mean.” 

I chuckled at the quip, and we resumed working on the generator.  

“It looks fun.” 

I see the way Eli glances at Troy, and there’s a hint of melancholy in his eyes. Can he also miss the kind of things we never had a chance to experience? Playing outside and laughter and silliness? How long was he completely alone in that cabin? 

I can’t be certain how many hours of collective work it took, but we succeeded in illuminating the main room on the first floor, the kitchen, and strategic external lights for better surveillance. No more squinting eyes to walk around after sunset. We’ll see each other’s faces. No more worrying about candles. An accomplishment big enough to be celebrated. One I wanted to celebrate with Troy.  

Near the fireplace, Mack and Eli were taking turns with the guitar. Sitting on one of the large couches, Shannon and Cassidy were reading magazines. Dirk was checking the locks. The only one not present was Troy. 

It’s been hours since anybody saw him last. The last time around the time he returned from the adjoining chalet with fuel with Dirk and Eli to start working on wiring the main building’s electricity.  

Eli was tuning the guitar when he heard the question.  

“I brought him back in one piece, my babysitting duty is over.” 

The sun will set soon.  

“Could he have gone outside?” 

Cassidy checked the perimeter and didn’t see him outside.  

“Did you check his room?” she suggested.  

With a small lantern, I climbed the stairs. The steps, marked by time and tragedy, cried. Upstairs, all was silent; Troy’s room, empty. 

Before going back downstairs, a sound of clattering and a thud from something heavy hitting the ground somewhere upstairs caught my attention. I listened to it closely, and couldn’t point it out exactly, but suspected it was coming from the attic.  

Before climbing the narrow staircase, I took the crossbow, even though it was nearly impossible for any drone to have remained concealed until now.  

The attic door was wide open. The warm glow of the candlelight spills out and illuminates the top steps. 

I shouldn’t be surprised that Troy would be there. He probably went through every other room, every drawer and closet on the main floors, and took his investigations to the attic, the only place where time seemed to stand still.  

The first time we came here to check for drones, Eli called that a death trap. A room clattered with boxes, old furniture, and more boxes, with only one way out is the absolute worst if you are under attack. We agreed to let the cluttered space with all the things from the past: posters from old glorious days with the lodge in pristine conditions, the snowy tops behind, people drinking steaming mugs of whatever and smiling in snow gear at the deck.  

Eli called it all garbage; Troy’s eyes glowed with excitement. 

Step after step, I climbed it carefully, and before I crossed the threshold, Troy was already smiling at me, and I forget all about the lights downstairs. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, the glow of a pair of half-burnt candles illuminated his silhouette, cradling something in his arms like a treasure.

The flashlight helped me see the many boxes surrounding him. On the side of one of those boxes, “lost and found” was written in bold black letters and the heads of two teddy bears and a stuffed animal with dark circles around its beady eyes were peeking out. 

“Found anything interesting?” 

The light from the candles flicked when I walked carefully inside. The wooden floor creaked beneath my feet as I avoided tripping on boxes and removed cobwebs from the way.  

“You’ll love this!” 

He pushed a box to the side and patted the now empty place beside him for me to sit. I noticed other large tomes, similar to the one in his lap. 

As soon as I was sitting beside him, I put the crossbow down, and he shoved the big book coated in dust in my hands. Then he held a candle closer, illuminating the yellowed pages with different handwriting.  

“What’s this?”  

“Guest books. People would come here and write their names and impressions of their stay, share stories, compliment the staff... That one has entries from 1972 till the early 1980s. But those over there look even older.” He jerked a thumb to point to a shelf behind us. “There’s another five of those over there, but some of the pages are too damaged to read...” 

We knew the lodge had been here for a while, but to imagine how many decades it lasted before the Old World ended and how many people spent time here over the years is a concept hard to grasp at times.  

“What about the one from 2021? Did you find it?” 

“No. But it was probably downstairs... Considering all the debris we found when we arrived, it was probably lost.” 

“Shame. It could have useful information...”  

“I can only imagine...” he cleared his throat, and started speaking with a high-pitched voice, “Rony got bitten today. Tracy managed to rip the keeper’s arm. Delightful time. We’ll come back next winter. 5 stars.” 

I couldn’t help but laugh too. But Troy soon moved on from that joke, flipping the pages from another book causing dust to swirl in the air. The pages were equally yellowed. 

“This will make you smile.”  

All the entries were from the winter of 1993. Most consisted of people complimenting the staff and promising to return next winter. Almost half the entries mentioned one person by name, praising his beauty and vivacity.  

“Talk about popularity! Everybody loved this Tommy guy!” 

“It’s a dog!” 

“Excuse me?” 

Troy repeated it slowly, and I reread the entries on the page. Suddenly the stories made more sense, but... 

“That’s crazy! Dogs can’t read, right?” 

Troy laughed, satisfied with my reaction.  

“People were weird back then...” I said, but my attention was still focused on the many messages, many lives that inhabited this place once upon a time. 

“It’s kinda of amazing too... All the people who came here. All the stories. Some guests would come here every year... Like the Lees. They even stayed in the same room. 108.” He flipped pages and his eyes perused the different messages and pointed the names to her. 

“Linda and Paul,” she read out loud. “Could they be related to Mr. Lee?” 

“I don’t know... but wouldn’t it be nice?” 

Mr. Lee’s face is lost in the abyss of old memories. But his classes and laughter remain vivid, and it warms my heart that maybe this Paul who had his Linda was that Mr. Lee, and they both had such amazing days here. I wonder if my fathers had trips like that too, and if somewhere there’s a guest book with their names on it. A memento of their existence. Somewhere their love is still alive. 

“Maly,” he called me, bringing me back from my musing, and I looked at his face. His voice was soft, and his gaze never moved away from the book in his lap. “Do you think the world will ever be the same again? With family trips, skiing, birthday parties, weddings?” 

I considered the question for a moment, dwelling between hope and reality. My mind settled on the latter. “I don’t know... Even if there were no more zombies tomorrow, things are so broken... including the people... how could it ever be the same?” 

He sighed, not hiding his disappointment.  

How is it possible to miss a world he never knew?  

“Not being the same doesn’t equal being bad,” I added quickly, and he finally looked at me, perhaps to make sure I’m not saying what I think he needs to hear. Not that I ever do that. We have an unspoken agreement of always being true to each other. Well, most of the time. There are some truths I’d rather not share with him. Not yet...  

“What do you want to do when this is over?” 

“So damn much!” He sighed so deeply that the candlelight flickered. “We got this far and now I can’t stop thinking about what we could do... I see the winter gear and skis and... my mind goes: ‘hey! we could do that!’ There’s a porch outside, we could sit and roast nuts. I want to try hot chocolate. I want to dance and sing and watch the stars...”  

“Nobody is stopping us from eventually doing that. We need to make this place livable and safe –” 

“And survive the surge.” 

I rested my hand on his knee and pressed it gently. “One day we won’t just survive, but live. We’ll have music and art again. And we’ll get to celebrate life. It’ll be greater than in the old days...” 

He placed his hand over mine and squeezed it lightly. A silent thank you.  

“So, is there anything useful in here?”  

“Probably not,” he looked around for a moment, considering the boxes and items surrounding us. “But I’m calling dibs on that lost and found box.” 

I looked at the box, then at his eyes reflecting the golden from the flame of the candle he was holding.  

“Why?” I asked, and before he answered, I was already stretching to reach for it before he had placed the candle back on the floor and launched himself to do the same.  

Grabbing the box, I ran towards the window, one we hadn’t considered blocking yet. The last rays of sun reflecting on the snow casting a golden glow over the content of the box. My free hand moved around, while I inspected the content. The three stuffed animals covered in dust and cobwebs I saw before, a few books, pens, a small red bag, one flask, two transparent spray bottles with amber liquid, something pink with a lens that looked like the cameras from the Tower but smaller and other strange objects I couldn’t name. 

Troy reached the other side of the box and picked up the pink thing with a lens. 

“This is an instant camera.” 

“Instant camera? What is it?” 

Instead of replying, he fished little paper squares from the box.  

“Look at this!” 

There was at least a dozen faded pictures of people who were probably dead by now. Some of the faces were barely visible, others conserved smiles and plucked lips. I put the box down and held one of them close. A man and a woman in their mid-twenties smiled with the snowy peaks behind them. I turned and read the black captions in the back.  

“Luke & Jules. March, 2020. They look happy...” 

“That’s the face of people who got laid and didn’t have to worry about zombie bites...” 

“Don’t be gross,” I ribbed him. “You don’t even know if they were a couple. They could be siblings. Or friends.” 

“How can you say that?” His question was coated with amusement. “Look at his hand! And how close they are!” 

I couldn’t help but look at us, his shoulders resting against mine, one of his hands on my back... his face was so close to mine, whenever he spoke his breath fanned my hair. 

“We are friends and we’re always this close.”  

“Maybe you’re into me,” Troy teased, and heat spread from my neck to my cheeks. 

“You wish!” I retorted and my heart was pounding so loud, I feared it’d attract drones from a mile away. 

He bit his lower lip, then looked me in the eye. “Keep denying it if you want...” 

I changed the subject before my resolve and brains left me. “It’s strange to think people would just leave this kind of thing behind...” 

“Maybe they left in a hurry,” he said, definitely considering all we left behind at the Tower. “Or maybe people just didn’t care. They could always get new stuff...” 

I examined the device. “Does it work?” 

“There’s only a way to find out...”  

Reading the tiny letters imprinted on the bottom out loud, Troy inserted the batteries that were in the box. Our eyes were fixed in that small device. At last, a faint yellow light turned green. 

“It’s worth the shot.” He smirked. “Got it?” 

I rolled my eyes at the pun, and he stood in front of me, pointing the round lens to my face. I smiled and he pressed the button. Nothing happened at first. But suddenly, it clicked again, then a whirring sound and the familiar white paper came from the bottom. 

We looked at it. It’s completely blank.  

Troy held it and gazed expectantly, until suddenly a image started to show. Very slowly. I gasped. It was me, really me! With my back turned to the window, my face was obscured, and there were uneven vertical streaks across the picture where the gray didn’t match the rest, but it was me. I could recognize my hair. We both held the picture like it was something magical. I laughed, and Troy’s gaze was fixed on my face, not the picture anymore. I can’t remember the last time I felt this kind of joy. 

“Let’s try again!” I said, almost shouting. 

“Together?" Troy asked, and I nodded, positioning myself in a different angle, the last rays of sunlight glowing on my face. I pulled Troy closer, to let his face be bathed in the sun rays too. Troy leaned even closer, wrapping an arm around my middle.  

“So we’ll both fit,” he explained, positioning the camera in front of us, and counted to three.  

Without moving away from each other, we watched the paper exiting the magical box and waited for the image to show. The photo of our frozen smiles also had uneven vertical streaks across the image and a hazy quality, like it was something from a dream. Our faces slowly coming to life were more visible; the gray painting itself into muted colors right before our eyes. Like magic. 

My fingers touched the picture, tracing our faces, and I giggled. Troy’s eyebrows raised questioningly.  

“If humans can do this, they can do anything. Even rebuild what was lost.” 

[jerzwriter]

Another fic for @kisstember 's 9/1 prompt: kissing under the stars. This time, the smooches go to my favorite post-apocalyptic throuple, Eli, Zoe & Troy. 💛

Fandom: Wake the Dead (Playchoices) Characters: Eli Sipes x Zoe Rivera (F!MC) x Troy Hassan Rating: Teen Words: ~800 Summary: Zoe loves kissing under the stars - but tonight that leads to mayhem - and perhaps a miracle or two, too!

Kisstember 2025 Masterlist | Wake the Dead Masterlist

The deck creaked beneath Zoe’s feet as she stepped outside, lifting her eyes toward the night sky. The stars were burning bright tonight, glistening like a thousand flecks of gold falling across a tar-black sky. The silence echoed around her, and for a moment, she thought they were shrinking just for her. She cherished moments like this; it's what carried her through the hard times, which she knew were always lurking around every corner.

The peaceful interlude was interrupted when footsteps sounded behind her, but she didn’t need to turn. She knew Eli’s stride as well as she knew her own heartbeat. He had yet to say a word when the bushes rustled below, and he moved protectively in front of her. Zoe rolled her eyes. She could take care of herself , and she’d be sure to remind him of that later, but she had to admit, his presence did calm her in ways she could never fully explain.

They surveyed the area closely, confident their culprit was nabbed when a tiny raccoon scurried away. With the ‘threat’ gone, Eli took a step away, but Zoe had other plans. With a sparkle in her eye and an impish grin on her lips, she clutched Eli’s tattered shirt with her fists and pulled him close.  

“What are you...”

The words had barely escaped him when her lips crashed into his – soft, warm, and possessive – they claimed him in a way only she knew how to do. His hand quickly found her waist. Resistance was futile, and the two of them were absorbed by the tender moment. But it didn’t last long. The sound of crunching leaves startled them, and they reached for their bows with practiced ease. But once again, it was a friendly intruder.

“Well, well, well,” Troy drawled, the cocky tone in his voice leaving no question that it was him.

Zoe laughed without letting Eli go. “Hello, Troy.”

Troy leaned against the railing, the moonlight glistening off his signature grin. He eyed them up and down judgmentally before he continued.

“So, what have I stumbled upon? You two - locking lips under the stars like you’re the stars of some cheesy, post-apocalyptic romance, while I stand here – my lips tragically alone. Deserted. Sad. I’m left to wander this zombie-infested wasteland, unloved and unwanted....”  

Eli rolled his eyes as Zoe giggled, “Troy, please. You  know I can’t resist kissing under the stars... and your lips... well, they just weren’t here when they were needed.”  

“Wait a second,” Eli groaned. “Are you saying I was kissed solely out of... convenience?”

“Of course not, sweetheart,” Zoe started, but Troy cut in, clutching his chest dramatically.

“Eli, don’t you dare complain! I should have expected it - people warned me. In every throuple, one poor soul gets left out in the cold, and, apparently, tonight – that’s me. Poor, pathetic me, standing here while the two people who are supposed to love me....”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Eli grabbed the front of Troy’s jacket and yanked him into a fiery kiss – a kiss filled with such passion that Troy’s toes curled, and with it, a miracle occurred – he rendered Troy Hassan speechless.  

When Eli pulled back, Troy blinked in stunned silence.

“Wow!" Zoe exclaimed. “It looks like I’m not the only one who can’t resist kissing under the stars.”

“No,” Eli muttered, fighting the faintest smirk. “I just wanted to shut him up.”

"Well, you did that!" She grinned. "And you've left Troy speechless - that qualifies as a miracle."

Troy finally came to, still dazed but grinning. “Well, congratulations, Eli. You managed the impossible. But for the record,” he looped an arm around each of them and pulled them close, “the best kisses under the stars are when all three of us are involved.”

Zoe laughed softly, leaning in as all their lips found each others. “I have to admit, you're right on that one, Troy."

“Yeah,” Eli chuckled. “I have to agree as well."

“Wow!” Zoe exclaimed, searching the night sky. “Those must be magical stars! Eli left Troy speechless, and the three of us are in agreement! How often does that happen?"

"Pretty much never," Troy concurred. "But - even though we're in agreement - I think the three of us should kiss again - you know, just to prove the theory, once and for all."

"Of course," Zoe cooed. "We wouldn't want to leave anything that important to chance."

Eli rolled his eyes again - even though he was clearly unbothered. "Oh, fine," he scoffed. "But only for research purposes - and if the two of you tell the others I've gone soft - I'll never kiss either of you again."

"As if you could resist," Zoe said, locking lips with Eli once more.

"She's got you there, Sipes," Troy laughed.

Their lips met again, this time slower, more deliberate, as all three found themselves lost in the warmth between them. The deck creaked beneath their weight, and the forest echoed around them.

"Why don't we move this inside?" Zoe beamed - and there was no disagreement. The night, it seemed, had only just begun.

[somerandomjewelleryonthefloor]

❝ Dim light ❞ ✧ ೃ༄

Chapter 1: Time is of the essence

─────────────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. · ───

SUMMARY:

"The aftermath of a mission gone wrong."

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────────────────────────

Book/fandom: Wake The Dead, Choices.

Characters: Luciano Almirón, Shannon Fox, Troy Hassan, Eli Sipes, Angel Savage.

Word count: 1030

Audience: Teen & up.

Warnings: none that I'm aware of.

Extra: No Beta we die like real men. + This is just for fun, if it has mistakes and issues then idc.

Drabble Type: Angsty (?) (well it's definitely not HAPPY)

*ੈ°✩‧₊˚༺.☆༻*★₊˚*ੈ☆°༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚.*ੈ✩‧₊༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚•

It was a blur that afternoon they got back.

One minute they were scoping out unmarked territory.

One minute there's screaming.

One minute everyone's back home, and Shannon had made a beeline to her lab.

She threw the door open the minute she came in contact with it, going over to her table and grabbing a pair of hospital-grade gloves. They were light blue plastic and elastic and they made a large SLAP! Sound when Shannon ensured it was tight enough around her wrist.

She grabbed 4 vials off her top harness, holding them carefully as she dropped her journal on her desk and grabbed 2 small clear plastic slides and placed them on the metal table.

She was focused, of course, but in the back of her mind she couldn't help but feel stressed and worried. Who wouldn't be in this situation?

[Oh Luci...] She thought, [We'll help you, don't worry...]

As she carefully used a water dropper to extract one of the warm dark red samples from her vials', she heard loud footsteps of converse shoes behind her. The bottom of the shoes slapped the floor, and they quickly came up beind her.

"I got a few notes on Lulu's injuries." Troy's voice was right by Shannon's left ear as he kept explaining, "They're very deep. Obviously broke a few layers of skin, but her bones aren't damaged or fractured from what I can tell. Since we ran out of bandages I had to use cloth scraps."

"Clean?" Shannon asked as she prepared a slide.

"Of course." He affirmed.

Troy placed a small piece of paper on the table, near the microscope Shannon was about to use. It had "Luciano" written on the top with a list of sentences such as "high temperature" "Sweating profusely" "running nose." And "Has a headache. Possibly a migraine, as complaining about a "drum kit playing in her head" when asked severity".

Troy watched as Shannon put a cover slide over her sample and slid it under her microscope. She quickly fumbled around with the scope until it was focused properly and was clear.

"I need to go get Lulu some soup, I'll check back after."

"Got it..."

Shannon's voice wavered, and that wasn't lost on Troy. He walked over and planted a soft kiss on the top of her head.

"We'll find something, don't worry." He reassured her, "Lulu in capable hands. She'll be okay..."

He gave her a soft smile in spite of his glistening eyes. She couldn't see it, but the head kiss he gave her enough to ease even a little of her nerves. And that's all that mattered.

Troy then left the lab, leaving Shannon to her samples...

30 minutes later, Troy was power-walking through the kitchens with a warm bowl of soup and a cold Steel mug full of apple cider. The soup was only tomato. It was something Luciano never liked for lunch, but she needed to have something.

His swift pace was consistent, weaving and swerving with practiced ease through the full house as he moved into the foyer of the lodge. His thoughts were comprised on one thing: getting to Luciano's room.

He slipped through the crowd, making hast as he travelled up the stairs and to the second floor of the lodge. His pace did quicken however as he found himself in a ghostly hallway with no one in sight.

His weight made the floorboards underneath him creak as he practically flew to the end of the hallway, where the most important person in his life lived.

Room 189.

He sucked in a deep breath as he stood Infront of the closed door. He heard faint sniffling seep out from the weared down black wood, and he used to toe of his shoe to gently knock on the door three times, before waiting.

His face was the picture perfect example of worry. Furrowed brows accented with forehead wrinkles, shiny eyes and pouted lips as his breath was uneven.

He couldn't focus on anything else though, he couldn't even if he tried.

The door opened, and Troy was met with sage green eyes as Eli held the door for Troy.

"Lulu doing any better?"

Eli couldn't speak. His eyes looked down as they darted between the dark oakwood ground and the bed. Troy felt a small pit in his stomach form as he let out a shaky breath.

Getting inside, he moved over to the bedside table. Placing the food and drink on it, he quickly looked over at the actual bed, where he heard deep breathing as Luciano layed on her side. Angel was laying in front of Luciano, her faded purple and blue hair and black roots sprawled over her pillow as she kept a hand on Luciano's face.

Her eyes were puffy and red, and she sniffled as Luciano leaned into her touch.

Angel made eye contact with Troy, as he was about to tap Luciano's shoulder. She mouthed "no" with her lips, and he soon instead backed off and walked around so he could sit next to where Angel was.

The sound of the door shutting was the only sound you could hear besides heavy breaths being taken in. From where Troy was sitting, her saw Luciano's face fully flushed red as her eyes were sewed shut and her forehead was glistening with a thin layer of sweat.

It had only been 5 hours since, and she looked... Terrible.

Angel's thumb rubbed soft circles over Luciano's cheek, staring at the large woman in front of her struggle to even breathe properly.

...

Angel then shuffled closer and pressed her own forehead over Luciano's, gaining a small unintelligible mumble from the woman as Angel felt the warm tip of Luciano's hot nose touching hers.

It was the first time in months that they'd all had been quiet. That they'd all let the silence suffocate them like this.

They were only supposed to get in and out of a cabin close to the mountains.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

*ੈ°✩‧₊˚༺.☆༻*★₊˚*ੈ☆°༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚.*ੈ✩‧₊༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚•

Tags: @cadybear420 @lover-also-fighter-also (tell me if you wanna be tagged for this ^^)

[chapter list]

[choicescommunityevents]

Wake the Dead Appreciation Week

Welcome to Wake the Dead Appreciation Week! Since the zombie parasite emerged in 2025, I figured now would be the perfect time for a WtD Appreciation Week! Prompts and Rules below the cut :D

Day 1: Introducing…

Introduce us to your MC (and their LI(s))! What motivates them? Do they like being a leader or did they become one simply out of necessity? What are some of the hard choices they had to make? Do they have any long-term goals?

Day 2: Olympus

Tell us about your colony! What’s it called? How does it run? What are its core values? What structures did you build? How damaged was it during the solstice?

Day 3: Allies

How does your MC (and their colony) get along with their allies? Are there certain allies they support more than others? With whose values does your MC most align? Does your MC outwardly show any biases or do they try to be a fair leader?

Day 4: Three Years Later

It’s been three years since WtD was released. How is your colony doing three years later? Preparing for the next solstice? Enjoying the relative quiet before then? Searching for a cure? What are their plans for the future? Do they have any?

Day 5: Crossovers!

How did your MCs from other books handle the Z25 parasite outbreak? Did they get infected? Did they survive? Did any of them form or join colonies of their own?

Day 6: In An Alternate Universe…

What would your MC (and their LI(s)) be doing if the zombie apocalypse hadn’t happened? What would their childhood have been like if it had been normal? Do you think they still would have found their LI(s)? Or would they be with someone else?

Day 7: Free Day!

Share with us anything you didn’t get the chance to share yet this week!

Rules

This event will start on Monday, May 26 and end on Sunday, June 1. Late submissions will be accepted through June 5.

While there are prompts, the use of them is not required. You also do not have to follow the prompts on their given day. If you want to submit something for day 1's prompt on day 3, you can.

Submissions must include some form of a title

Submissions must include the characters full name and which Choices story they are from. GOC characters must also include a gender tag (ex. m!MC, nb!OC). If you do not include this information, please send me a dm @peonyblossom to let me know how you would like your character's names and such to appear on the masterlist.

If your work contains a relationship it must be labelled correctly, using "x" or "/" for romantic/sexual relationships and "&" for platonic relationships.

NSFW/mature submissions are allowed, but must be tagged properly and have the proper community label.

You cannot submit AI generated content for this event.

Tag this account on all submissions. If I don't reblog within 72 hours, please DM the post to @peonyblossom as sometimes Tumblr tags can be unreliable. In addition, you can also use the #wtd appreciation week

[storyofmychoices]

Wake the Dead Love Interests

All four of my sketches together. I'm so grateful to @choicescommunityevents/@peonyblossom for hosting WTDaw. I had a lot of fun teaching my self how to sketch digitally and I think just in 4 drawings it's easy to see the growth. I hope I have time to keep practicing and keep learning!

Individual Sketches: Troy || Shannon|| Eli || Angel

[rjschoicesstuff]

The WTD gang...

I finished my replay 2day n honestly I rly rly like this group, 1 of my faves on the app methinks

Under the cut Ill add some notes abt my mc's relationship w all of them + also some other characters for anyone who's interested :)

I feel like im always better at showing this stuff in art and comics buuut I dnt have tht much time either this week so!!

Also saying in advance that Luke is in a polycule with Angel, Shannon and Troy.

Troy

Him and Luke are childhood best friends, always been very close and causing trouble together lol >:). I imagine they already were intimate with each other a lot before book 1 starts (unlike canon mc) but more friends with benefits-ish I guess? Which still feels like idk the wrong word to describe it tho but idk.

I think once they escape the Tower their relationship starts going into more romantic-ish territories, I think partly them realising they could've lost the other giving them a bit of a wake-up call? Tho I think still not that much changes about the way they treat each other and behave around each other, I think they've always been v in each others bubble while also not being that kinda couple that's big on PDA or whatever. I think a lot of people would not realise they're a couple lol.

I'm also very much gravitating towards having Troy and Shannon be a couple too, eventually.. so them being a triad.

Luke is very protective over Troy. Like kinda once again, Luke haaates when other people get overly protective over him but he definitely does that to Troy. Especially after leaving the Tower, because Troy hasn't been trained to fight drones like he has.

Troy is v knowledgeable about the old world and Luke loves listening to him talk about it + always asks him a lot of questions about it. I imagine Troy would also often gift Luke stuff like diaries, magazines etc. From the old world that he was ordered to destroy at his job at the Tower.

Shannon

Luke is in awe at her intelligence and he loves helping her out in the lab, especially with autopsies because those are interesting to him too. He thinks she's a huge asset to Hestia and he reminds her of it all the time. I imagine they can talk very well together.

He's very protective over Shannon too, even more than over Troy. In the hard choice where you have to choose between helping Minna or Shannon, he went to help Shannon. Because I imagine he just panicsss and goes after her even though she should be fine, he didn't rly get the time to logically think it over and he just wants those drones AWAY from her, especially when she sounded so scared.

Shannon is sooo Luke's type, she's smart, she's kind, she's beautiful.. he's smitten from the start lol. He loves flirting with her and her getting all flustered. He loves seeing her work in the lab, all in her element. He loves that she's not squeamish or scared to get dirty. Hestia's research score was very high because Luke loves indulging her. Umm Everyone can tell how much Luke likes her lol, not that he tries to hide it anyway lol.

Angel

Luke's really intrigued by her from the moment they meet, he thinks she's so fun and cool and exciting. And he loves her style lol, obviously. He does initially worry that she might cause trouble because she's so impulsive and not used to having to look out for anyone but herself, but she proved him wrong and he's glad about that.

I think they become friends very quickly, despite Luke deciding to kill her parents before bringing her to Hestia. Luke really really likes her and she's good at bringing out his more playful, goofy side, she makes him really happy, I think she's the best at cheerling him up when he needs it. Because of Angel, Luke finds out he loves blowing shit up lol.. especially zombies.

Unlike his other 2 partners he's not as protective over her, like he rly does trust she can protect herself. I think he's more worried she might carelessly get herself hurt someday than that a drone would get to her.

I like to think Angel was the one who initiated things between her and Luke. Tho Luke did always find her attractive. Also ik Angel says she has a gangly body which wld imply she's tall but HDHD TO ME she's rly short and Luke loves feeling tall next to her. She triggers like major cuteness aggression in him lol.

Eli

Luke really looks up to Eli honestly. I think initially he's not super sure what to think of him, but clearly he's super strong and capable, like it's crazy to him to imagine he's managed to survive in that cabin for so long. He considers him someone he can learn a lot from and I think he appreciates that Eli doesn't really treat him like he can't look out for himself.

Luke refused to execute Eli after he got bitten and he's so glad he did. He also tried to break through to him instead of shooting him after he gave him the treatment. Like he knows he it was technically all the wrong choices, especially when Dirk confronts him about that later. But like also it worked out and he's glad his friend is still alive.

Sledge

Luke initially despises her (and the Raiders in general) like she's just the polar opposite of him regarding how they view the world, how they think other people should be treated, their stance on 'weak' people etc. By the end of the book he's warming up to her a bit, getting to know the Raiders as people he thinks they are quite nice and fun. But it's hard to forget about especially what happened at Sunflower Creek. And how they were even willing to target children and elderly people..

He hopes after the Solstice it'll be easier for all the colonies to cooperate and that the Raiders won't go back to their old ways, but he worries about it. And that's partly why he feels it could be beneficial to stay on her good side. Like he also won't forget how she still stepped up and saved him and his friends when they went into the zombie hive. Which also makes him feel like she might be changing her views a bit.

Dirk

I always imagine Dirk was one of Brynn's closest friends and Luke was very familiar with him because of this. Like I think he was a bit of a big brother figure to him too? Once they started building Hestia, he really always cared about his input and he always tried to make sure to let Dirk know he appreciated him. He could tell he was having a hard time with Brynn's death, but Luke not being much of a 'talk about ur feelings'-person, never really brought that up. I think partly because he was trying not to think about her much himself. He could also tell he was getting angry and frustrated a lot. When Dirk tells Luke he wishes he'd died instead of his sister he's rly fucked up over that I think. Still, he did not see his betrayal coming, but in the end he believed Dirk when he said he didn't know Blackstock was going to execute him. And he spared his life. Luke mourns Dirk too, like I genuinely don't think there's much hard feelings, he's just really upset that things went that way in the end and that Dirk died during the Solstice, so they never got a chance to properly talk again.

@choicescommunityevents

[still-a-morosexual-help]

Just realised the Wake the Dead crew are literally just human/non-fantasy versions of the BOLAS crew. MC even meets them in the same order...

The class clown who uses humour as a coping mechanism to try to hide and/or ignore how incredibly fucked up his life currently is. A thief with authority issues. Teaches MC to sneak into places to steal things. The first LI introduced. Is the one who connects MC to the outside world by telling them more about it and having interactions with it that they long for. Him and MC have a somewhat similar surface personality, so you get incredible banter, teasing, a back-and-forth relationship between them. Uses jokes to pretend he's too cool & doesn't take things seriously enough to care about them but is probably on the verge of a mental breakdown. Illegally (?) sells items he steals.

The sweet, soft one without much experience of the outside world who was raised in a closed community by a group of adults after being separated from her family. She spent almost her entire life isolated from the outside world raised by people with similar skills/beliefs/interests as her (scientists vs priests). She is also an expert in her field which includes trying to understand how the biology/magic that governs their world works, how to use this biology/magic to help her group, and is the medic/healer of the group. The first time she meets MC is when MC rescues/helps her. Her first ever sexual/romantic relationship is with MC.

The no-nonsense, serious loner who is intially only focused on fighting but is actually very caring and kind underneath it all and eventually gets dragged into the found family. Believes in the mission over opening up, relaxing and having fun. Quiet and brooding. Has deep ties to his biological family but is eventually forced to leave his house. The remnants of his old life is in ruins. The one with the most experience fighting against the threat they're facing, and so lowkey acts as a teacher to MC. Meets MC when he jumps in to save MC & others from an attack.

The tough, fun wildcard who is always up for creating chaos and kicking ass. When she first meets MC she is involved in things with greatly dubious morals. Lowkey an antagonist when she first meets MC & the group, and is willing to to let them die/kill them if needed but ends up teaming up with the group to fight against a common monstrous foe in order to get something they both want. Hides deep-seated trauma behind her personality. Really looks up to MC.

Bonus (spoilers):

Leader of an army of antagonists. Tough, serious, would do anything to protect her people, including killing civillians in other groups. Spends a lot of time trying to kill MC. Kind of just snatches MC up and takes them back to her place. Teaches MC a way to fight right before throwing them to the dogs. Starts working together with MC to protect both their people. Reluctantly starts softening to MC and gets seduced. Ends up getting dragged into the found family and/or polycule.

[angel-ant-the-alien]

Vollin Napane

A complete presentation of Wake the Dead mc, for the @choicescommunityevents

Vollin is an inventive young man, dedicated to regular and daily work. Consistent in constantly working on some personal project, either by drawing new tools or struggle to repair a machine. His every day is devoted to personal work; he is engaged in repairing engines, motors, electrical devices, batteries, etc. Stubborn and tenacious over his work. Mostly a mechanic, but will get his hands dirty with other smaller devices.

Song: Firestorm - SIAMES

Personality

In general, he’s tense and hard on himself. From the moment he loses his sister Betty, all his flaws begin to surface: he won’t admit that he’s anxious or afraid—not because he’s ashamed, but because he doesn’t want to hear it himself. He hides his worries as much as he can, but his body betrays him: sweating, shaking, staring at specific places or people. He lashes out under pressure and loses self-control. In battle, someone else almost always ends up saving him. He freezes, stutters, and blames himself for not being good enough. His rebellious spirit, however, still burns—especially toward authority figures.

Background

When they were children, Vollin and his older sister Betty lived with their father and mother somewhere around Reno, Nevada. The day the pandemic started, he and Betty were on a daily school trip, each with their own class. He was very young to remember details of the gory images, but Betty held him in her arms and shielded him from the violence. He holds the memory of a madness and nothing more.

On that fateful day, chaos ensued and the drivers and teachers tried to return the children back to their families. Yet, they never made it back because two of the three buses crashed and the third, where Betty and Vollin were, derailed. Many children lost their lives and only one teacher managed to gather as many children as she could and led them to safety out of the city. She helped the children into the caravan as it headed toward The Tower.

Betty remembers it more clearly, maybe some of the other survivor kids do too, but all Vollin is left is the awful feeling of separation, when the road that would have brought them back to their parents was torn like paper. He still can't say for sure if they are alive or dead.

At The Tower he still socialises with the children who survived the accident. But he could not fit in with any of them despite their common trauma, clinging constantly to his sister. One young man, who once happened to take a glimpse of Vollin's drawings and has since been greeting him and asking him if he has any progress, managed to take the role of 'Vollin's friend', who holds it with pride; and that is none other than Troy Hassan. Troy and Betty liked each other from the first moment; Vollin remained true to his introvert self, though his sister could tell that he liked Troy as well. They started hanging out at approximately six years after Napane siblings' welcoming to The Tower and Betty loved that her brother finally found someone who shared the same enthusiasm as him (because she knew her brother's obsession and passion for creating and connecting wires and gears). Perhaps she was also a little relieved that Vollin was spending time with others and not constantly clinging around her (as much as she could tell, she grew a little tired of it).

As he grew older, Vollin began questioning Blacksock's authority which Betty did share but tried to keep him quiet and not draw attention to himself. There were many noteable incidents where Vollin would spit in the cups of the officers or act disobedient toward commands, getting a hit or two, though Betty was always there to free him of charge —she and her dear friend and later partner Dirk.

When he turned eighteen years old, Vollin was put by an officer with a grudge to join the Scavengers, in an effort to get rid of him, claiming that he did nothing to help the colony other than randomly toying with machines. However, Betty went and transferred him to Pest Control, in an attempt to postpone and help him learn to fight with melee and ranged weapons and become prepared to join the Scouts in a few years training. Vollin didn't know about the Scavengers and was angry with his sister who forced him to train for an upcoming battlefield team, but didn't slack off. When he finished his Scout training years he went on his first mission with the Scouts —not the best fighter but headstrong nonetheless.

Relationships

Troy Hassan

Vollin’s relationship with Troy is simple on the surface, but quietly complex. Neither of them talks openly about their romantic feelings. Neither has been with anyone else, because they’ve never liked anyone the way they like each other. They share a deep comfort, the kind that allows them to talk about everything, from nonsense to genuine concerns. Even when tensions rise and rivalries flare —often sparked by Vollin’s sometimes harsh words— Troy rises above it. Deep down, he knows that if their roles were reversed, he’d probably say the same thing, maybe even worse.

Troy loves Vollin’s inventive mind: the way he finds opportunity in things that seem completely lost. Vollin can bring a wrecked engine back to life, turn a pile of scrap metal into a makeshift table, or repurpose the bulb of a burnt-out lamp into a spice container. It’s not just his skills that Troy admires, but the way Vollin thinks: the spark in his eyes and that sly little chuckle when he figures something out —whether it’s realizing the odds are actually in their favor, or making a sudden connection that leads to a clever, unexpected solution.

On Vollin’s side, what’s not to love about Troy? He is like a walking pre-apocalyptic encyclopedia, always ready with some obscure fact or bit of knowledge from what the world used to be (Vollin could listen to him talk for hours.) He discovers new ways to cheat the system. He listens to others and respects their opinions, even if he disagrees. He is endless with jokes. And most of all, he's incredibly handsome.

Betty's loss has certainly brought them closer together, despite all the crisis that Vollin is going through.

Betty Napane

Vollin often hid behind his sister, who was confident and composed. He was the brains, and Betty was the action. When he was assigned to the Scavengers without his consent or knowledge, Betty managed to delay the process and had him signed up for Pest Control instead. At the time, he had no combat training whatsoever. Over the next seven years, while preparing for the Scouts, he learned the basics of both close and ranged combat. He also learned to keep his mouth shut—to avoid openly challenging The Tower’s authority.

That is, until the day of his first mission, when a single unwelcome question landed him on the blacklist.

Betty always took care of Vollin, so much that he relied on her for almost everything. When she is gone, his world collapses to pieces, and he must struggle to find a way to reshape it.

Dirk

Vollin trusts Dirk's judgment, though he is angered by his abrupt manner. Dirk loved Betty and they shared a common revolutionary ideology. However, a rivalry is born between him and Vollin after Betty's loss, since there is no one to remind them that they believe in the same thing —wanting the best for those they care about.

Later, as Vollin becomes more audible than Dirk, Dirk is shaken and becomes more vicious against him.

Shannon Fox

They share their favorite obsessions, Shannon for medicine and Vollin for repairs. He helps her with the equipment and maintenance to encourage and keep her studies alive.

He sees a little bit of himself in her —not being strong enough for this violent post-apocalyptic world. Though, through Shannon’s perspective and dedicated nature, he manages to strive for the best.

Eli Sipes

Eli is much more measured than Vollin, so Vollin prefers to let Eli announce orders and plans. Vollin trusts his judgment and admires his restraint. And also finds him the best partner for missions.

Vollin reminds Eli of his lost brother, they had the same eagerness to avoid danger, but somehow always ended up in it.

Angel Savage

Although they didn't start off very well, as Vollin agreed to kill her "parents", over time they develop an unlikely friendship. The girl’s straightforwardness inspires Vollin to act without letting second thoughts get the better of him. At the same time, Angel feels how much more beautiful life is when she has friends to drown in alcohol and cry about their misfortunes. It is a way to appreciate the joys of life.

Their shared love of repair work gives them endless topics to talk about and plenty motivation for deeper conversations.

Sledge (and the Raiders)

Vollin prefers to hang out with their motorcycles rather than them, but they’re better allies than enemies.

Others

From all the alliances, his favourite is Skyweld.

Other

Weapon of choice; hand axe;

Vollin is a good strategist, not a good fighter, so he stays hidden or climbs in high places to avoid battles. If a drone comes near him, it is a bad sign and he must move quickly to shove it off. (Also a hand axe can be used as a hammer if needed.)

Compatible weapon of choice; crossbow;

At their escape of the Tower, Betty thought the crossbow was a good weapon for him. He was hesitant but kept it anyway. Now he is using it to assist as a sniper from the roofs or other high places. (Better than doing nothing – would prefer a shotgun though.)

Notes:

Chews on thumbs, eats his nails; wears gloves to avoid hurting his fingers.

Gathers his hair into his aviator hat when adventuring or fighting.

Has an obsession for screws and wires.

About the colony

The colony; Thothopolis

The role of the leader

Vollin doesn’t try to maintain a fair judgment, because he doesn’t see himself as the leader. He lets Dirk take responsibility, openly agreeing or disagreeing with his decisions.

In every alliance they’ve formed, it’s been Vollin and his team (Troy, Shannon, Eli and Angel) who have led them to victory. So, when the alliances are introduced to the official leader, Dirk, they don’t show the same level of support as they do for Vollin’s team’s judgment. This boy and his team are the ones who fought to secure the alliances, so the loyalties lie more with him than with the supposed leader. Dirk is clearly stressed about this—and so is Vollin.

It feels like The Tower is repeating itself: one authority figure (Dirk, the so-called leader) standing against the rebellious and risky ideals of Vollin. But this time, Vollin isn’t afraid to voice his disapproval—there’s no longer blacklists and the fear of sacrifice.

Motivations

First it was his need to rejoin with his parents. He wanted to survive for a chance to see what happened to them, still hoping they could reunite after so many years.

After Shannon’s research grows larger, it renews his faith to find a cure for the epidemic.

———

@kokoretsaki you’re a shining star