As you can see, I've completely given up on pictures^^
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We've been walking for days... I haven't slept. Michonne hasn't slept. And we'd take turns giving Hunter a piggy back ride when he's asleep. My feet hurt, my head spins and losing everyone we love is just hitting me now.
I may never see my father ever again.
I may never see the boy I love ever again.
I may never see my best friend ever again.
I may never see my unbiological brother ever again.
I may never see my unbiological sister ever again.
I may never see the man who was the first to believe in me ever again...
"Ally?" I look down at Hunter, who has a habit of grabbing my hand when we walk down the road. "Are you okay?"
I nod, furrowing my eyebrows. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because you're crying."
And I hadn't noticed until he had said something. I wipe my eyes with my free hand, the one not holding onto Hunters. "I'm okay." I assure him.
"What were you thinking about?" He asked. He is, in fact, a boy of many questions.
"My family." I tell him, looking forward.
"Do you remember them?" He asks.
"Yes." I nod, looking down at him. "Why?"
He shrugs. "I don't remember mine. Only my mommy."
"Sometimes... I think it's better if we don't remember them." I blurt out.
"Why?"
I hesitate. I shouldn't have said that to him in the first place, I just wonder if I just tell him the truth... But I want him to be strong. To survive. So, I do. I tell him the truth. "So it doesn't hurt as much when they're gone."
Hunter hesitates, soaking in what I just said. "What hurts you?"
"I didn't mean physically. Mentally."
"Huh?"
"I'll tell you when you're older."
Hunter huffs loudly, in announce. "That's what my mommy said all the time!"
I laugh before looking at Michonne who is a few paces behind us. She's staring at me, hardcore. I know I shouldn't have said that, but I just don't know what to do anymore. About anything.
We continued walking... and walking... and walking... until... "ALLY! LOOK!" Hunter jumps up and down, pointing ahead with his free hand.
I squint down the road and see... buildings?
"What is that?" I ask aloud.
We walk a little more, a little faster. "I think it's a neighborhood." Michonne speaks, squinting to see as well.
"Let's go!" Hunter cheers.
I shrug looking back at Michonne as I softly tug Hunter back so he doesn't go sprinting off. "Should we check it out?"
Michonne shrugs too. "Wouldn't hurt."
We make our way to the neighborhood. The first house we see, I acknowledge it. "Here." I whisper, just in case.
Michonne nods, leading the way. As we walk up the steps of the house, Michonne slowly reaches for her katana. She looks back at me, stopping on the last step. "I'll look through the window, get your gun ready." She whispers.
I nod, pulling my gun out. I push Hunter behind me as I point the gun at the door, waiting for Michonne's okay.
She peeks in through the window and all of the sudden, drops her katana back in its case before she could fully take it out. She stares at the window, tears slowly running down her face. I stare at her, shocked and confused.
"... Michonne?" I whisper, full of concern.
She looks back at me and smiles so big, I think she might actually explode. I put my gun down as she steps in front of the door and knocks. Yeah, she knocked.
"Michonne!" I hiss. Hunter grabs the back of my leg and hugs it.
But before I could ask any more questions, the door slowly opens. I raise my gun, gazing into the dark house.
But then I stop. My heartbeat stops. I drop my gun. And my mind can't even wrap around what's happening in reality. Standing in the doorway, the bright familiar blue eyes, the long dark slightly curly hair, the flannel, the black handgun, the full light pink lips, the skinny figure, the light freckles.
It's Carl.
My Carl.
Carl the Cowboy.
His face brightens up and a wide smile spreads across his face. He's staring at me, and I can't comprehend what's happening.
"Hi." Michonne giggles, waving.
"Michonne?... Ally?!"
And my heartbeat picks back up again.
A smile spreads across my lips.
Tears fall from my eyes.
And I can't hold back anymore.
"CARL!" I run to him, jumping in his arms. He catches me, stumbling back into the dark corridor of the house.
We're laughing. We're crying. We're holding each other in each other's arms and we don't want to let go. I can hear Michonne and Rick laughing at us. But not a funny laugh, a happy laugh. Like they're so happy, that they laugh. There's nothing funny about any of this, only so much joy.
"Oh, Ally." Carl only pulls away a tiny bit, just to look at my face and place his hand on my cheek. Tears stream down both of our faces, but he doesn't wipe them away because they're happy tears.
"Oh, Carl the C-." And he cuts me off, kissing me. And I kiss him back.
And this is the happiest I've been in a long time. We have lost everything, but we still have each other. After everything that has happened, we still found each other. Traveling our separate ways, and finding each other again.
There's a theme here, and it's each other.
This is family.
This is home.
I only pull away when I feel a tugging on the hem of my shirt. I look down to see Hunter, staring desperately up at me. "Ally?"
"Oh! Um... Carl, this is Hunter. Hunter this Carl."
Hunter shyly looks up at Carl and waves. Carl waves back, a confused smile on his face. "Hello, Hunter."
"We found Hunter alone, in a cabin where he lived."
"Is he your boyfriend?" Hunter asks, his eyes on Carl.
I stare at Carl, whose smiling like a dork, and I smile back, a blush creeping onto my cheeks. "Yes. Yes, he is."
Hunter looks back up at me, still clutching the end of my shirt. "Is that the cowboy?" He whispers, as if no one can hear him but me.
"Yeah." I whisper back.
"Wow, already teaching him the Ally Ways." Carl jokes.
I nod, smiling, because I can't seem to wash it off my face. "Ohh, yes. Most definitely."