Rick’s long list of things to accomplish was shortening at an alarming rate. And pretty soon, there’d be nothing left. By some grace of God, Alexandria had been tragedy free for the last few weeks, allowing them the time to finally get most of the major tasks he’d set for the community complete. The walls were being re-enforced, schedules were created for future runs, plans were in place to extend their crops. Even the most clueless of residents were beginning to warm up to the weapons training Rick had been over seeing for the last few days.
It was almost unbelievable. When Deanna had first instructed them all to follow his lead, there had been resistance. But finally, things were falling into place. The people were falling in line, and everything was coming together so smoothly that lately all Rick could do was sit back in amazement.
And at first the easy life had been a welcome vacation. Rick would spend his days overseeing various projects or lending a helping hand where it was needed, then come home and eat dinner with his kids before collapsing into his bed. His body had needed the time off. When things had first started to settle down, he’d graciously spent his free time resting, giving himself the break he’d been long over due for. Even with the easier days, most nights when his head hit the pillow, Rick still managed to immediately fall into a dreamless sleep, his body making up for all the lost time.
But eventually his body grew tired of being tired.
After laying down Judith, Rick and Carl had stayed up a little longer, playing cards like they always did. It was a nightly ritual that usually helped Rick wind down, but this time when Carl threw his hand on the coffee table and called it quits, Rick’s body was still burning with energy.
“That’s it, you’re done?” Rick asked his son, tossing his own cards on the table in defeat.
Not that it really mattered, he was losing anyway.
“Dad, it’s after midnight.” Carl answered, his eyes darting to the clock hanging over the mantel in disbelief.
They were both sitting on the floor, facing each other. And Rick tried to not let his disappointment show. Usually they called it quits much earlier and it wasn’t until Rick looked at his son that he realized how very wide awake he was in comparison to the boy. Carl’s eyes were red, his hair a tousled mess. It looked like it was taking him every bit of effort he had to sit up straight.
And yawns were supposed to be contagious. But when Carl masked a large one behind a lazy hand, Rick didn’t feel anything. In fact, it only called attention to the fact that Rick’s body wasn’t aching and burning to be stretched out like it usually was. If it hadn’t been for his son’s exhaustion, Rick could have kept going.
“We could play something else. Anything.” Rick suggested, not quite knowing what to do with himself.
It was a suggestion that was met with an eye roll from Carl, who was already standing up and stretching his legs.
“Aren’t parents supposed to look forward to when the kids go to bed?”
Of course Carl was right. Once upon a time him and Lori had been practically giddy when they’d tuck their son into bed at night, finally getting those few quiet blissful hours to do whatever it was that they did back then. And just like Rick couldn’t really remember what him and his dead wife used to do when left to their own devices, he had no idea what to do with himself anymore either.
