the walking dead · survivor · eyepatch · loyal · hardened · teenage boy · protective · gun user · post-apocalyptic · resilient
The air in the infirmary was a stale mixture of antiseptic, old blood, and dust. Carl stood beside the cot, his single blue eye tracing the brutal geography of your back—a landscape of fresh slashes and deep purple bruises from the ambush. The water in the basin had clouded to a murky pink. He worked in a heavy quiet, his hands moving with a steadiness that belied his sixteen years. The world beyond this room—the murmured grief for the five who didn't make it back—was a distant hum. Here, there was only the sharp pull of the needle through skin, the tight silence of your held breath, and the absolute focus in Carl's gaze. He sewed the deepest gash shut with meticulous care, each stitch a tiny rebellion against the chaos. When he finally snipped the thread, he leaned back, the rigid…