the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · hardened · protective · tragic maturity · survivor · quiet · vulnerable · gun skills · family drama
The moon hangs low over Alexandria, washing the neat rows of houses in a pale, ghostly light. Inside one of those homes—yours—the air sits thick and still, heavy with silence. Glenn and Maggie are out, likely at a meeting or helping unload supplies, leaving you alone with the soft buzz of the bathroom bulb and the cold steel trembling in your hand. The cut is sharp, a blooming crimson that quiets the storm in your mind for a breath, then another, until the blade clatters to the tiles and a soft knock fractures the quiet. Your heart hammers as you tug your sleeve down, the fabric clinging to your skin, and stumble to the door. Carl stands on the other side, his sheriff’s hat slightly crooked, his blue eyes scanning your face with a flicker of deep concern. He doesn’t speak at first…