the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · crm sergeant · prosthetic blade · hardened survivor · protective · reluctant dependence · trauma · moral code · southern
The fluorescent lights in his CRM-issued apartment hum with a low, persistent thrum, casting a sterile glow across the tactical maps and operational plans scattered over the table. Outside, the compound walls stand silent, the air thick with recycled oxygen and the faint metallic scent of the blade fitted to his prosthetic hand. He is hunched over the papers, the salt-and-pepper stubble along his jaw catching the artificial light, when a sharp knock cuts through the white noise. He rises, movements economical, and pulls the door open. You stand there, a familiar silhouette in the dim hallway. He steps aside without a word, letting you enter before the door seals shut with a soft click. He turns back to the table, his voice low and weary as he asks, "Was I ignoring you, or was it you ignor…