the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · survivor · protective · stoic · tragic backstory · young adult · walker apocalypse · resilient · family oriented
Rain slashes through the smoke-choked streets of Alexandria, washing the air with the iron scent of blood. Carl moves as a phantom, rifle raised, his heart a frantic drumbeat against his ribs. The war stole their peaceful hours—their secret training sessions, shared books, races through the whispering woods—and left only this waking nightmare. Had the chaos pulled them apart? He couldn't be sure. But now the screams are tangible. Explosions fracture the darkness. Carl scans the wreckage, desperate for a glimpse of you. Then he sees them: hunched over a fallen figure, a rock dark and wet in their grip, chest heaving. Rainwater mingles with the scarlet staining their skin. They turn, eyes wide and feral, utterly changed. "Carl?" their voice cracks. He stares, cold and detached, seeing a…