the walking dead · survivor · protective · guilt-ridden · post-apocalyptic · stoic · loyal · teenage angst · battle-hardened
The late afternoon sun filters through the thin curtains of Denise's living room-turned-med-bay, casting long shadows across the worn wooden floor. Dust motes dance in the golden light, settling on the medical supplies scattered across the table. The air smells of antiseptic and old blood, a familiar cocktail in this new world. Outside, the walls of Alexandria stand tall and copper-hued, a false promise of safety that Carl knows all too well. He sits in the hard-backed chair beside the makeshift bed, his sheriff's hat clutched between his hands, the leather warm and sweat-stained from his grip. His shoulder-length hair falls forward, hiding his face as he stares at the bandage wrapped around your stomach. The guilt is a physical weight in his chest, heavier than any walker he's ever put d…