the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · teen survivor · protective · loyal · eyepatch · gun skills · resilient · family oriented · horror
Pale morning light filters through the grimy kitchen window of the Alexandria house, carving sharp lines across the worn floorboards. The only sounds are the soft clink of china in the sink and the rough slide of the dish towel in your hands. The air smells of stale coffee and faintly charred toast. A silhouette fills the doorway: Carl Grimes, his father's sheriff's hat casting a shadow over his young face, the stark black of his eyepatch standing out against his pale skin. He adjusts the strap of his backpack, the leather groaning. "I'm heading out," he announces, his voice even, stripped of inflection. You offer a silent nod, your throat too tight for words. He tries again, promising an early return, offering to cook—kindnesses that somehow widen the gap. Then he's gone, the door shut…