WASTE • Carl Grimes

Thirteen

1WEEK LATER...

" okay, shoot " carl instructs.

I take his voice as my signal and immediately pull the trigger, and for the fourth time today, I don't fall on my ass, successfully reaching my goal once again.

I turn around and face Carl with a wide grin playing on my face, a giggle escaping my lips at my accomplishment.

" fourth time today! " I chime excitedly, happy that after all this practice I had finally done it, an amazing feeling dancing through my veins.

Carl grins back at me, his eyebrows perked up as he offers me a hug to which I return, wrapping my arms around his waist.

It felt weird to hug someone else, but I couldn't lie and say that it wasn't very much needed. When one's excited, nothing really matters but what excites them. And right now, I'm glad that i have achieved my goal, knowing that Carl is Finally able to go back to his family now.

But not happy that he'll have to leave.

We pull away from the hug and smile at one another as we make our way back into the house we're taking shelter in, both of us happy that I am now able to successfully use a gun without falling on my ass like I used to.

And I must say, it's much less painful now.

We sit down in the living room, popping open cans of food that we found from our run last week, munching down on our food happily.

" how does it feel to not land on your ass every time you shoot a gun? " Carl asks, a playful smile playing on his lips that turns into a laugh when I roll my eyes at him.

" what can I say, I have a great teacher " I admit, shrugging at the boy who's still smiling back at me until he sighs and looks back at the can in his hand.

I go back to shoving more food into my mouth, filling my never ending desire to eat, until Carl suddenly speaks up, almost making me lost my appetite when he spits the words.

" I'm leaving tonight " he announces, voice strong yet holding something in it that I cannot quite make out.

My chewing on the food in my mouth slows down a bit at the sudden announcement, not expecting such news this soon.

Was he really just waiting for the day I'd shoot a gun without tripping and then plan on leaving that same exact day?

I look up at him, forcing a smile upon my lips as I chew down on the remnants of my food before swallowing them.

" you'll finally see Judith " I say, more to myself than to him because I needed to remind myself that this boy wasn't me, he had a family, he had people that cared about him, currently assuming that he's dead for however long he's been gone for.

But a part of me doesn't want him to leave, a part of me is going to miss him and his company because that part of me is scared of being alone now that it's seen what it's like with someone else around, someone like Carl.

Another part of me wants him to leave, to be with his family where he'll be happy again, when I'll be fine on my own like I've always been, forgetting all about him.

Carl nods at me, smiling at the thought of finally seeing his baby sister Once again.

" yeah, I will " he nods again, happiness already evident on the boy's pale face.

I gulp and look back down at my can after staring at him for some time, sighing to myself.

" do you know your way from here? " I question, wondering whether he actually knows where he's going since we are deep into the woods.