The Rift

Chapter Twelve: Quoth the Raven

Look I know that things have been really slow and there hasn't been walkers for like almost ten chapters straight but trust me things are gonna pick up soon.

ONE WEEK EARLIER

"Your eyes are closed?", I gleefully ask Grace as I stand in front of her in the backyard with her gift behind my back, a sky full of stars above our heads.
She has her eyes tightly shut with a smile across her face and giggles, "Yes! Now show me before I get bored."

"Any guesses?", I ask Grace.
"Is it pop tarts?"
"No", I answer.
"A new book?"
"Not quite."
"Then what is it?", she asks excitedly, her eyes still shut.
I bring out the gift in front me and say, "Okay, now you can open your eyes."

Grace opens her eyes and gasps at what I hold out to her: a silver necklace with a diamond hanging in the center.
Her mouth drops in awe as she slowly takes the jewelry from my grasp and placing it around her neck.
"My god, it's beautiful", she exclaims, "But why?"
I answer by pulling her close and placing a kiss on her lips. After our kissing, I smile and say, holding my silver hawk necklace, "Look! Now we kinda match!"
Grace gives off her beautiful laugh. She stares at me with glistening eyes, smiling.
"Get a room!", I hear Evan shout from the upstairs window.

"Fuck off, Evan!", I shout back, laughing.

                             --------

"Listen, if you need anyone to talk to just know that I'm here", I tell Evan as the two of us walk under a partly cloudy sky to the cafeteria for breakfast. Before we left his apartment, Evan switched out his pajamas for black jeans and a dark green coat, along with his signature gray beanie.

"Yeah, I know", he answers, "I just have a really hard time talking to people about deep shit."
"It doesn't hurt to try", I shrug as we stop walking when we reach the cafeteria.

"I guess", Evan mumbles, "Oh! That reminds me!"
He reaches behind his back and takes out a silver pistol, handing it to me.
"I grabbed two from the armory cause you know self defense, don't worry I have another back in the apartment."
"Thanks", I tell Evan, stuffing the pistol behind my back under my gray jacket.

"So, you gonna join us in the cafeteria for breakfast?", Evan asks.
I open my mouth to answer, but a voice calls out from behind me, "David!"

I turn around and see DJ standing there wearing blue jeans and a gray shirt. He cocks his head like he needs to talk to me.
"I'll join you in a bit", I tell Evan. Evan nods and heads inside the cafeteria. I walk over to DJ and ask, "What's up?"
He holds a finger up to his mouth, signaling me to keep my voice down. I tilt my head in confusion.

He reaches behind his back and retrieves a small black box. He opens it and reveals a diamond ring.
I drop my mouth in awe and ask, "Is that for Anna?"
"Yep", he answers, a ridiculous smile across his face, "I'm planning on waiting for the right moment, not right now when there's a murderer on the loose."
"Understandable", I reply, staring at the ring. DJ closes the small box and puts it back in his pocket.

"You're gonna make her so happy", I say to DJ, "I mean, she used to be a total bitch a long time ago but now you've really made her happy."
"Thanks, David", DJ gives a slight smile, "By the way, I talked to Lisbeth earlier."
"And how'd it go?", I ask him.
"She seems to be telling the truth, she didn't do it."
"So we're nowhere close to finding the killer then?", I ask, giving off a groan of disappointment.
"Didn't you talk to Cody?", DJ asks me.
I say, "Yes I did and-"