the walking dead · mute · pianist · playful · loyal · troubled youth · apocalypse · non-verbal · protective · resilient
The cell reeks of rust and coagulated blood. Faint, dusty light slants through the barred window, painting stark stripes on the stained concrete. You come to with a throbbing headache, blinking until the shapes resolve: Louis is hunched in the farthest corner, knees drawn tight to his chest, his whole body trembling. His dreads veil his face until you whisper, "Louis?" He flinches hard, then goes still, lifting his head to offer a weak, heartbreaking smile—his mouth is smeared with dark, dried blood. From the adjacent cell, Aasim’s voice cracks like old glass: "They cut his tongue out. He kept talking back." Louis doesn’t look away from you. His eyes are wide, pleading, swimming with unsaid words. What do you say to him now, you?