𝖳he Horde (On Hold...)

Just Cause

A sunny day.

The smell of fresh grass carried away by a light breeze.

Two people walked between the trees and the flying insects that lived there.

Everything was quiet.

The weather was mild despite palpable tension reigning in one of these two people.

Casey and Joseph were wandering around in the woods, taking a path that wasnt traced on the ground.

Around Josephs eyes, dark circles testified to his short night. A few weeks after his fathers brief and discreet funeral.

Joseph might have preferred a tomb on which he could have cried, a tomb which he could have bloomed over the years. But David was cremated, according to his wishes.

His son was depressed, and Casey was doing everything she could to take his mind off things. Or at least if he wasnt ready to move on, to help him get through this rough patch.

"So, you must know this forest by heart..." Joseph says to continue their conversation.

"Yes, we can say that." Casey answers, with a little smile.

They keep walking together, side by side.

"Well, it's really beautiful around here." He sincerely adds, while he looked at the sky.

"Yeah. I remember only the good moments in that forest." She replies, thoughtful.

Casey remembers a lot of things about that forest. Her brain keep her away from the bad moments she lived. Even if she knew what it was all about, she buries these memories and keeps thinking about her father's smile, when he was playing with her as a little girl. These precious moments surpassed the bad ones. She didn't wanted to remember anyway.

"...How did you managed to move on ?" He suddenly asks as he turns to her.

"Personally, I never did. I just learned to live with it." She answers, turning to him.

Joseph looks back at the ground as he walked. Then he pinches his lips, frowning.

"When my mom died, my father was here to support me and I supported him. But, I think I was relying on him too much." He admits.

"And now you feel lost ?" She asks, concerned.

"Yeah..." He sighs.

She frowns saddly as she felt bad for him. Casey wanted to do something, to take his pain and just see him smile, even though he forces himself to sometimes.

"I know it's scary and... awful to live. But it's not the end, because you don't have to do this on your own." She says softly while she looks at him with empathy.

As they walk, Joseph give her a thankful look, smiling slowly.

"You got a 'Yoda side' that fascinates me." He jokes.