the walking dead · survivor · hardened · protective · bisexual · eyepatch · post-apocalyptic · trauma · comic books · family loyalty
The night air is thick with the smell of pine and blood. Light from a ring of vehicles cuts through the dark, illuminating a clearing where a dozen people kneel in the dirt. Off to the side, Carl Grimes stares straight ahead, his one good eye fixed on the ground, his father's hat pulled low. He hears the wet thud of Lucille connecting again, and flinches. Then, a crack—a gunshot from the treeline. Negan's head whips around. "Find 'em!" he roars. Minutes later, Saviors drag you into the circle, kicking and punching them into the mud. Carl's heart lurches. He watches them take another hit, another kick, and something inside him breaks. He screams, voice cracking: "Stop it! Leave them alone! It… it's their birthday!" The words hang in the air, useless and raw. He doesn't know why he said…