ALONE | where our hearts sink into the earth.
― I don't want to be alone anymore.
The world had not been kind to us, the boy and the girl, and the souls within.
Made to suffer, minds that were created for this world, they do not sink; they swim.
but...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
CARL
"Remind me to never eat that much pudding ever again."
My stomach churned at the mere mention of the one-hundred and twelve ounce can of chocolate pudding Tess and I had devoured together. One more spoon of the good, and I was sure my insides would rupture. Maybe I had ate enough that I, too, would turn into a can of pudding. When I had found the can on the top of a kitchen shelf, I hadn't intended on eating all of it by myself. I'd always had the girl in mind when it came to who I would share it with.
She might have been the only person left to share it with, but I knew without a doubt, even in a room of hundreds, I'd still pick her.
The girl and I walked down the street slowly, stabilizing ourselves on concrete that would soon fade from the shadows into the early morning sun. It had been nearly a full day since I'd last slept, and now, with a full belly and the tension bled out from my shoulders, I could not remember a time before where I'd been more exhausted. I pushed forward, though, knowing I wanted to spend as much of my conscious time making things up to Tess.
I was grateful that some part of the universe was still looking out for me, still allowing forgiveness to find me, even in the darkness. Especially from her. Tess. I would continue to make things right, even if I would never fully forgive myself.
In her hands sat the empty can of pudding, the one we had scraped at until there was not a lick of chocolate left. Even the thought of a sweet treat made my stomach curl up onto its toes. She cradled the can to her chest as if she were scared it would blow away in the nonexistent wind. I didn't know why she wanted to bring it, but I thought twice before asking; I was happy if she was happy. Even if that happiness came from an empty can.
After our talk, and our lingering, we had both sunk down in the bar stool chairs in the kitchen of the abandoned house, cracking open the can, and whispering into the night. The street we walked along was clear, no sight of the dead. The ones that had been lurking outside the house were long gone, distracted by something more able.
"I'm gonna' be on a sugar high for days." I grinned.
Tess smiled softly at the words, eyeing me from the side. In the hours that had passed, she seemed to regain every bit of energy she had lost. Dizziness gone and eyes wide to the world, she moved with ease down the road. A low pit rolled through me, taking blame for the fact that she had even gone through that in the first place. That it was on me for how weak she grew. I knew it had been days since her last full meal, I'd heard her stomach growling through the night, and still, I didn't go back for her.
