luna mortimer-smith had long learned not to trust anyone, staying in the middle of the woods as to avoid any contact with the dead or any other humans.
one evening, she'd gone out to check her hunting traps like usual. little did she realize, thoug...
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Luna had just barely shaken off the water on the porch in DC when Carl had woken her up one morning. They were nearly there. Finally, after all this time, all these years, Luna was going home. She was a whole mix of emotions as they entered city lines-marked by a sign along the highway. She was terrified, of nearly everything she could possibly find at the house. She was sad, to think of Lucille, and the possibility of finding her father in the same way. But mostly, she was excited. Maybe her father was there, maybe he wasn't, but she was still going home. Carl had told her how his childhood home was burned down, and though her couldn't go back to California-this was the next best thing.
"Doesn't look like too many people have come through here lately." Carl remarked as they rolled into town, driving down a street with businesses on either side. All of the windows were either boarded up or busted open, and a layer of old, slushed up snow as well as some old leaves littered the ground. Despite the cold temperature outside, the sun shone brightly and unobstructed by a single cloud. The town felt very dead, almost unfamiliar. Luna directed the way to the house, also pointing out her favorite little spots around town as they passed them.
"This street, right at the end." She said, motioning lightly at the street sign. As they turned the corner, her mouth became dry and her stomach twisted with anxiety, though it was all for nothing. "No..." Escaped her mouth, seeing a black ash pile where the house once stood. As soon as the car was stopped, she hurried out and into the grass. Carl followed her, watching as she fell to her knees on what once was a walkway to the porch. "No..." Her hands buried in the ash, clutching into fists. It started with just a few tears, but it wasn't long before Luna was sobbing. Carl moved towards her, but something glinting in the sun made him stopped. He walked over, picking up the shining object a few feet away from Luna in the edges of ashes. It was a broken picture frame, half of a torn picture still inside.
Carl fished it out carefully, dropping the frame back in the grass before moving over to Luna and sinking down on his knees next to her. She wasted no time in turning to him, wrapping her arms around him and beginning to cry into his chest. Carl held her tightly, kissing the side of her head. He couldn't tell how long they'd sat there when Luna had finally pulled away, pulling off her now ashen flannel and wiping her face with a clean part of the sleeve. "I can't believe it's all gone..." She breathed out. "I...I thought..."
"I know, Lu, I'm sorry." He said lightly, putting a hand on her leg. "I...I found this over there, in a broken frame." He held up the half-picture, and she took it, turning it around in her hands. A light gasp came from her mouth as she stared down at the face in the photo. "Dad."
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They'd decided to camp out for the night a few streets over, so Luna wouldn't feel like she was sleeping in a neighbors house. After clearing out the local grocery store-and thankfully getting a new supply of water-they we're resting at their house of choice on the couch. Carl was deep in a book he'd found, while Luna couldn't stop staring at the picture. It was folded and then ripped, which Luna's dad always did, and the other side of the picture had her and Lucille in it. She knew it had to have been him, and that he must've still be been out there somewhere.
"Lu?" Carl's voice made her look up, her hand dropping to her lap. Carl was yawning, his book now abandoned somewhere on the coffee table. "I think I'm gonna head to bed, you comin'?"
"Sure." She nodded. "I'll meet you there." He nodded sleepily, starting to shuffle down the hallway towards the bed she'd already made up for them. She moved over to their clothing bag, tucking the picture below her stack of clothes before going down the hall. Carl was already in bed, obviously only fighting sleep for Luna. She didn't waste time in joining him, enjoying the feeling of his hands-however rough they were-grabbing at her waist to pull her closer.
"Hey." He said sleepily, his eyes barely open. "I love you."
"Yeah, I love you too." She smiled lightly, pressing a kiss to his lips. Carl was asleep only a few minutes later, though Luna was wide awake. She stroked Carl's cheek lightly, brushing his long hair from his face and sighing lightly. Now, she had no idea what they were gonna do, but she knew that-someday-she'd find her dad again.
