𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊, carl grimes

ix. a new destination

Pain was a funny thing, really. The way it could be so subjective. It was such a negative thing, such a harmful factor that feeds greedily off of people in every atmosphere possible, like a never ending story. Like a parasite that will never leave, that could never be rid no matter what you did. It was unfair, truly, how such a damaging thing could be split into so many different categories. Mental pain, physical pain, psychological pain, there's such a variety in ways that one could suffer and drown in the antagonizing struggle, and the worst part of it all was that you could never be limited to just one. Never be contained to just one kind of affliction that you deteriorate in, because it was completely possible and somehow completely normal to bear every kind of pain there was at once.

Again, funny. Really.

Riley sat on the edge of a metal train track, her mind wandering the hallways of these meddlesome thoughts. As she was tormented by the sorrowful grief that had been choking her ruthlessly for the past few days, her hands trembled with the aftertaste of a fiery burn as a result from the skin there being sliced open. Carl and Michonne had found a medical kit on their run, and in it a bandage roll. A good amount of the things inside of it had been missing, but there had been a container of ointment as well, although things such as alcohol or anything useful for stitches had been gone. It was good enough though, and Riley was grateful for what they had at the least. They'd spared some water to clean the dried blood from her palms, laying the balm onto her sore wounds and wrapping them firmly. Although taken care of, the girl's hands still bore a searing ache, like the throbbing pain had a heart of its own, blood pulsing with a rhythm to its own brain and body. The sting had numbed to a low burn that traveled the surrounding areas, leaving everything from the start of her hands to the middle of her fingertips a dangerously sensitive zone, and it was quite annoying in the most blatant way.

Riley was fumbling with the end of the bandage on her right hand, the material becoming a little loose and getting in her way a little more than appreciated. She tried to get it to stick back again, but it only clung to itself for a few seconds before falling away just like it had the past few times. She scoffed in annoyance, becoming a little rougher with the act, irritating exasperation beginning to swell inside her.

"You need help?" Carl sat down next to her, the heavy duffel bag that was previously hanging on his shoulder dropped to the ground with a hard thud.

"Yeah, I just can't get this to stick." Riley muttered, gaze flickering up to the boy for only a moment before looking down at the bandage on her palm again.

"Can I...?" Carl gestured to her hand, and Riley held her arm out to him. His touch was gentle when he took hold of her wrist, fingertips touching softly to her skin as he was careful not to hurt her. He grabbed onto the end of the bandage that kept flying away from where it was supposed to be and fumbled with it a bit, tucking it tightly in between the layers of the wrap.

"Is that too tight?" He asked, letting his own hand fall from hers.

"No, it's fine." Riley shook her head, running a hand over the material gracing her skin. She smiled lightly in his direction. "Thanks."

"No problem." Carl shrugged. He kicked at a small rock for a little, neither of them saying anything for a bit.

The air carried a small wisp of frigidness to it, and every time a breeze swept by Riley's skin grew goosebumps from the light wash of coldness. Her hair grew a little dismantled by the wind, but she didn't mind, not really, anyway. She appreciated the gestures of nature, the way they gifted her a sense of reality that wasn't life threatening or contained any blood and loss. Things like stepping on crunchy leaves or watching rabbits chase each other around on the brinks of the forest line restored her faith in normality in a way.