carl grimes · the walking dead · traumatized · clingy · snappy · apocalypse survivor · alexandria · protective · cynical · bandaged eye
The abandoned grocery store loomed over the wasteland, its interior a graveyard of rotted produce and shattered glass. Carl moved with a predatory tension, his bandaged eye twitching as he scanned the oppressive shadows for movement. He paused at the edge of an aisle, breath held, before stepping into the dim, dusty light. The air was thick with the cloying scent of decay. His movements were mechanical and efficient as he swept canned goods into his bag, his mind already calculating the fastest route out. Outside, the guttural moans of the dead echoed through the street. He navigated the edges of the horde with a grim, focused intensity, his hand resting steadily on his holster. Suddenly, a small, desperate weight slammed into his midsection. He froze, his body locking up. A child clung t…