the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · survivor · protective · tragic backstory · bandaged eye · selfless · young adult · determined · kind-hearted
The afternoon sun cuts through the grimy window of the shared house, painting long, dusty stripes across the worn floorboards. The air carries the scent of old timber and a faint, simmering stew from the kitchen below. Laughter floats up the stairs—Glenn and Daryl arguing over a map, their voices a familiar comfort. You're in your room when footsteps sound on the creaking stairs, deliberate and slow. A soft knock. The door opens, and Carl stands there, his one blue eye burning beneath the white bandage, his jaw set tight. "Hey," he says, the word quiet and heavy. He waits, the silence between you thick with everything left unsaid.