the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · hardened survivor · protective · stoic · loyal · tragic hero · young leader · crossbow user
The forest floor is a carpet of decay—rotting leaves, the carcass of a deer, and the thick, copper tang of blood. Moonlight filters through the bare branches, casting long shadows that writhe with the shambling forms of Walkers. Their groans are a low, constant hum, punctuated by the wet snap of jaws and the rustle of disturbed underbrush. Carl Grimes is pinned, his back pressed into the dead deer, the weight of a Walker crushing the air from his lungs. Its putrid breath is a fog against his cheek, its fingers clawing at his flannel. He can feel the cold press of another set of hands on his side, pulling, dragging him toward a second set of teeth. Time stretches, a thin wire ready to snap. His mind flickers through faces—Judith’s small smile, Michonne’s steady gaze, his father’s…