⋆ ★ REQUIEM FOR THE ACCUSED ⋆ ★

FEAR

"i don't want to live this way." - current joys

carl and salem moved cautiously, their eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. the quiet was unnerving, the silence only broken by the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. then, they saw them—two walkers shuffling aimlessly in the middle of the street. carl froze, not wanting to shoot his gun so close to their shelter. the noise would draw more walkers, and they couldn't afford that kind of attention.

carl glanced at salem, who nodded in understanding. they needed to lead the walkers away, take them somewhere they could deal with them quietly. with a quick gesture, carl motioned for salem to follow him as they started to move, drawing the walkers' attention. the undead followed, their groans low and guttural as they stumbled after them.

carl and salem led them up the street, weaving through the yards of other houses. the grass crunched under their feet, and the walkers drew closer, their decaying hands reaching out. when carl felt they were far enough from their shelter, he pulled out his gun, ready to take the shot. but before he could pull the trigger, another walker came up behind him, its cold, rotting hands grabbing onto him with surprising strength.

carl struggled, his gun slipping from his grasp as he tried to break free. at the same time, another walker grabbed salem, its teeth snapping dangerously close to her face. panic surged through her, but she quickly shoved it back. she scurries back on the ground as it crawls toward her. suddenly, carl stands up, shoving his knife through it's head right as it reaches salem's foot. salem sits on the ground panting, tears building in her eyes. "it's okay." carl says, helping salem up.

the two walk back to the street spotting a house nearby, carl motioned toward it, and the two of them quickly made their way over, moving as quietly as they could. the door was slightly ajar, and carl pushed it open, his gun ready just in case. they stepped inside, the musty smell of decay hitting them immediately. it was clear no one had lived here for a long time.

carl motioned for salem to follow as they began searching the house, hoping to find something—anything—that could help them survive another day. their footsteps echoed in the empty rooms as they moved through the house, the silence around them almost as suffocating as the tension in the air. carl and salem moved cautiously into the kitchen, their footsteps barely making a sound on the worn floorboards. the cabinets were mostly empty, the few remaining cans and boxes long expired or useless. carl let out a frustrated sigh, opening yet another empty cupboard.

just as they were about to give up, salem nudged carl, pointing to a corner cabinet. he opened it and there it was—a huge can of pudding, dust-covered but sealed tight. carl's eyes widened in surprise, a rare smile creeping onto his face. "finally, something good." he muttered, grabbing the can. salem gave a small nod, a faint glimmer of relief in her usually stoic expression. 

they made their way upstairs, the can of pudding cradled in carl's arms like a treasure. as they reached the top of the stairs, they noticed one of the doors was slightly ajar. a low growl emanated from behind it. carl stopped, his heart skipping a beat as he realized what it meant—a walker was trapped inside.

salem took a step back, but carl, determined to get rid of the threat, motioned for her to help him keep the door closed while he thought of a plan. they pressed their weight against it, trying to keep the walker contained. the creature pushed against the door with relentless force, its growls growing louder, more desperate.

"hold on!" carl hissed through gritted teeth, but the walker's strength was more than they anticipated. salem's hands slipped, and before they could regain control, the door burst open, knocking both of them to the ground. the walker stumbled forward, its rotting hands reaching out for carl. he scrambled to grab his gun, his fingers trembling as he tried to aim. his first shot missed, the bullet embedding itself in the wall behind the walker.

"shit!" carl cursed, fumbling with his gun as the walker closed in on him. panic surged through him as he realized he was down to his last bullet. he aimed again, his heart pounding in his chest, and pulled the trigger. the shot rang out, echoing through the house, and the walker's head snapped back as the bullet hit its mark. it crumpled to the floor, lifeless, inches away from carl. he let out a shaky breath, lowering his gun.

salem quickly got to her feet, helping carl up. he looked at her, his face pale, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. "that was close." he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. salem nodded, her expression serious as she glanced down at the now-dead walker. carl glanced at the can of pudding that had rolled to the side during the struggle. despite everything, he picked it up, a small, determined smile returning to his face. "we earned this." he said, more to himself than to salem.

a sudden movement caught salem's eye. before she could react, another walker emerged from the shadows of the hallway, its decayed hand latching onto carl's foot. the force of the pull knocked him backward, his shoe slipping off as the walker tried to drag him closer. salem, quick on her feet, grabbed the nearest object—an old broom. she swung it with all her strength, connecting with the walker's arm. the impact caused it to release carl's foot, but the walker was undeterred, still clutching his shoe.

carl scrambled to his feet and backed away as the walker lunged forward. "damn it, it's not stopping!" he shouted, his voice edged with panic. salem's eyes darted around the hallway. spotting an open door to one of the bedrooms, she grabbed the walker by its tattered clothes, yanking it away from carl. the walker, still holding carl's shoe, snapped its jaws at salem, but she managed to shove it into the room.

with a swift kick, salem slammed the door shut, trapping the walker inside. it banged against the door, its growls muffled by the thick wood. salem leaned her weight against the door, breathing heavily, ensuring it was secure. carl stood there, catching his breath, staring at the door where the walker was now trapped. "it's still got my shoe." he muttered, almost in disbelief. carl leaned against the wall, catching his breath, and glanced at salem with a small, tired smile. 

salem looked at him, her expression unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes—maybe amusement or concern. either way, she didn't need to say anything. carl, still holding his knife, walked over to the door where the walker was trapped. with careful strokes, he carved into the wood, his concentration blocking out the muffled growls from inside. when he finished, he stepped back to admire his work. 'walker inside got my shoe but not me,' the words read.

"there," he said, turning back to salem. "a little message for whoever comes next." salem nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. without a word, they both moved to the next room, where the window was slightly ajar. carl pushed it open wider, and the two of them carefully crawled out onto the roof. the late afternoon sun cast long shadows over the deserted streets below, and for a moment, the world seemed almost peaceful. 

carl pulled the can of pudding from his bag, the sound of the metal lid popping off echoing in the quiet. the walker inside the room they'd just left began to growl louder, sensing them nearby but unable to reach them. the noise barely registered as carl handed the can to salem, who took the first bite. they sat there in silence, sharing the pudding, the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind mixing with the frustrated growls of the trapped walker. it was a strange, bittersweet moment—two kids on a rooftop, eating pudding, while the world below them remained unforgiving and cruel. carl took another bite and glanced at salem, who was lost in thought.