The Battles End (#wattys2016)

Epilogue

~~ 3 Years Later ~~

  
It isn't who we are, or where we've been that defines a person's character. It's their actions that speak the loudest. Those of a leader aren't always done to show dominance, only if they want to strike fear into those who follow them. But the best kinds of leaders don't even consider themselves as one. But their actions come from instinct and common sense. One of the best I had known called herself a monster when all she ever did was for the best for herself and the people around her. She brought hope back into those who lost it. Caused her own version of one hundred men to best the thousand against them. That was because she used the wit of her mind, and it was one hell of a dangerous weapon.

But not every story has a happy ending. Not everybody gets to live in the end. And it always seems that the people who try to help the most are the first targets.

Everyone had known the day would come. That some big bad worst than the last would show up and Hope would meet her end. He did far before her. No, Hope slowly broke. But she always found a way to get back onto her feet again. Hope didn't die because of Bob Negan. She lived up until a year after she killed him. All injuries she had gotten in her past proved to complicate how she lived. But what done her in, was taking one last bullet for me. She was hit at the lower end of her chest. She smiled up at me that day as she bled in my arms. It was that day she was able to reunite with her family. It was that day, her suffering ended. Hope didn't have to relive anything anymore. The weight was lifted from her.

Hope was an example to all. She had seen the worst of people, yet she still found the humanity within herself. People spat in her face, beat her; and she still was able to help others. She had been abandoned and left, but none of her men were left behind.  Hope had been to hell and back countless times and found she could always get back onto her feet. She, right down to the bone, was a survivor.

Carl sat in his rocking chair on the porch reading the last chapter of Misty Steel's Survivor. The rocking chair next to his was empty. He and his father built that blasted second chair together. CJ played in the street with River, his aunt Judith, and a few other kids. That kid never went a day without wearing his father and grandfather's hat. Without it even meaning to, it seemed to become one of those objects that will be passed down within the family. Maggie and Enid sat together on the porch of the house across the street. They both held their own kids as Glenn joined his wife and got to hold his baby girl. Preston had been right, Enid did have a girl. She had green eyes just like her father. Michonne and Rick had made it official, already making Michonne a grandmother. Abraham and Sasha seemed to be making their way towards that too. Mavrick, who had helped in regaining EastHaven like his friend Heath had, ended up moving here to Alexandria. It was help open trade with the community he was originally from and to the Hilltop and Easthaven. Eugene has never forgotten Keira, but has moved on. Carol and Tobin are still going strong. EastHaven still has a bit of construction to get through, but not as much anymore. And above all, the saviors had a new leader. Negan had boasted he had over fifty men and women. They couldn't have been left without someone in control. Ian had stepped up to the plate when it came to that. Although he does seem to have a few second and third in charge people.

Even though it was a little bit before the sun would set, the sky darkened. That was when it started downpouring. River tried to herd CJ onto the porch.
     "Carl Luca! You get inside before you get soaked." I called from the opened doorway. Reluctantly Junior made his way up the steps and into the house. At the same time Michonne was calling Judith inside.

Even though the plot of Survivor had proved to be very similar to my life, it has now been three years after I killed the 'big bad' that was most likely to kill me. I had a tender spot on the lower half of my chest not making certain tasks very easy, but I lived. Everyone knew about my leg by now, and about our daughter Angel.
     CJ came rushing back out of the house, but I caught hold of his shoulder before he could get very far. "Dad's comics. I left them out there."
     "Maybe this will teach you to quit taking them outside. You go get washed up, I will get them." I turned CJ around before I walked down the steps. Sure enough he had left them under a tree by the lake. The funny thing was, it was the same one I use to climb when his father and I were young. I picked up the small stack, tucking them under my arm before I started walking back to the house.