❝ maybe i'm not loveless, maybe i'm just hopeless enough to feel alone.❝
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LAST YEAR, THIRTY TWO OF THE NINETY THREE DAYS OF SUMMER WERE SPENT UNDER CLOUDY, DRIPPING SKIES. essie sumner knew this, because she kept track of it all through pictures.
today was one of those days, and as soon as she heard the pitter patter of the rain drops in the morning, she sprung out of bed in her pajama bottoms and old t-shirt, reeking with motivation. it had just passed the fifth hour of the new day, breakfast was to be served in an hour.
essie snatched her ratty sneakers and thin gray coat, picking up her camera from the nightstand. she exited her room and tiptoed down the hall, most people were still sleeping soundly, before the disturbing morning alarm sounded throughout the sanctuary.
at the end of the hall she resided in, there was an a tiny balcony that showcased the front portion of her home. the sanctuary. below the deck was a towering wall, which simon guarded along with some other men on a daily basis.
in her past three years of living here, essie had mastered the art of taking a picture on a rainy day. before stepping out onto the balcony, she raised her hood and took in a fresh breath of the misty air. lifting the camera up to her right eye, she centered the frame like always and pressed down the circular button.
rain and cameras didn't mix very well. essie was always cautious with her prized possession, taking a picture in the rain was as close as she'd go to doing anything 'risky' with the device. this was one of the only things left in the world that let her create art, and she wasn't going to throw that opportunity away by acting careless.
pulling the camera away from her face, she watched in awe as the small piece of film spurted out of the slot at the top. despite observing this process millions of times before, essie always looked forward to watching the photos develop time after time.
a polaroid camera surely seemed redundant in the apocalypse. the solemn act of raising a camera to your eye and pressing click just wasn't ideal. not to mention the mandatory sharing of your new printed picture with friends and aquatints. essie didn't really have any of those.
in the sanctuary, talking and interacting with others wasn't significant for the seventeen-year-old. she found it to be more of a challenge than anything. it was difficult to be one of the youngest attendees, not to mention the help of her poor social skills. just thinking of talking to someone made her palms sweat.
essie relished in the dewy atmosphere, taking another step towards the edge of the balcony. she hid her camera in the inside pocket of her coat, protecting it from any water that fell from the sky.
this place was almost never silent, and whenever she made it out here this early, essie considered it to be a blessing. this place meant a lot to her, it was her home. and to see it just the slightest bit peaceful, that was really something. it was always bustling and busy here, as if there was no pause button. but if there was one, she would make sure to press it every once in a while.
a rain drop landed on the tip of her nose, causing her to jump. she glanced up, watching the slivers of water come down rapidly. at the sound of thunder in the distance, she spun on her heel and headed back inside.
her room was one of the last doors on the second floor, making it effortless to get around quickly without the obstacle of numerous flights of stairs in her way. upon her arrival years ago, she was one of the first residents on the second floor. if she would've gotten here any later, a roommate would've joined her.
essie's room was undoubtedly the most creative living space within the sanctuary. with the countless photographs and art covering the walls, it was hard to miss the imaginative vibe. she had shelves lined with books and journals, and a small desk littered with sketches on small pieces of paper. her small bed was in the center of it all.
closing the door behind her, essie unzipped her jacket and hung it behind the door. she reached inside the pocket and pulled out the small picture, walking over to her desk to grab a sliver of tape.
with delicacy, the young girl carefully stuck the recent photo to her bare, white wall. it was almost identical to her others, she always snapped in the same spot during these rainy days. it was pleasing for her to compare the colors of the sky on different days.
the photo wall was a collection of her life at the sanctuary. there was about fifty pictures, most of them from rainy days. but the others, were of rooms. people. nature. whatever essie found interesting, it was on her wall.
with a polaroid camera, you had to have film. no film, no pictures. this always worried essie, she was bound to run out of film any day now. when she got here, she had three packages, each holding twenty pictures. her picture-taking days were destined to be over as the time passed. but until then, she would keep getting up early to capture the rainy moments.
essie jumped at the sound of the morning alarm, signaling her to get dressed and go down to breakfast.
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an; do you guys like this? it's going to get better, i swear. i just wanted to get something out for this, whether it was short or not. negan is coming guys, just wait.
