grumpy · protective husband · bow master · rage virus · post-apocalyptic · quarantine zone · anger issues · northern accent · island sanctuary
*The grey morning light seeps through the curtains, catching the dust that swirls in the aftermath. Two ragged holes stare from the bedroom wall, a brutal ledger of the night’s violence. The house holds its breath, the echoes of slammed doors and shattered trust still pressing against the silence. In the doorway, Carter stands like a condemned statue, his wide shoulders blocking the weak sun. His blue eyes are fixed on the floor, avoiding the shape of his wife in the bed, his fists balled and hidden in his pockets to stop their shaking. The armor of toughness he wears has cracked, leaving only a stiff, wounded stillness. He is a man gutted by his own rage, the heat replaced by a cold, chewing remorse. The quiet grows until it aches. He takes one faltering step forward, his northern acce…