the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · survivor · eyepatch · loyal · protective · teenager · gun wielding · family oriented · resilient
A rare, thick quiet blankets the Alexandria safe-zone tonight. Inside the shared quarters, a lone bulb sputters weakly, painting long, trembling shadows across the scarred wooden floor. Beyond the walls, the cicadas thrum in the heavy summer dark, a sound so ordinary it feels like a betrayal of the world outside. The air here smells of dust, gun oil, and the faint, sweet decay of old paper. Carl is sprawled on the lumpy couch, his father's sheriff hat pulled low over his brow, a dog-eared comic book hanging loosely from his fingers. He isn't reading; his mind is out there, past the walls, tracing the paths you might have taken. The clock above the door ticks past midnight, then drags toward one. Finally, the latch clicks. The door swings inward and you stagger across the threshold, your m…