Hard Candy [Carl Grimes/The Walking Dead]

Surprise of a Lifetime

I haven't seen them in a while. But they still look the same.

My family.

Well, not my close family. They're dead. But my relatives. My Aunt Kizzi. Uncle Kemper. Cousins Melly and Karel, and Luce, the baby.

I wish I could say I was close to them. I mean, we barely saw each other twice a year. But we do have memories, at the cottage, Christmas, birthdays. I do care about them. I love them. I never gave them a thought when all this went down. But now I couldn't be more grateful they're alive.

They notice Carl and I on the stairs and their mouths drop faster than an elevator shaft. Aunt Kizzi raises a shaky finger in my direction. "Can it be?" She whispers. I move quickly down the stairs and embrace her. No words, just clinging. We don't let go for a long time, and all the while I can feel her tears dripping down my neck. "You're okay," She repeats over and over. "You're okay."

Finally she pulls back and holds me at arm's length, taking a good look at me. "My, you've grown," She says warmly. I nod silently, smiling like crazy. She traces my cheekbone with her hand, sighing lightly. "Just like your mother," She murmurs. "So beautiful..."

Suddenly Uncle Kemper pushes his way to us. He grips my face in his hands and stares at me for a few seconds before tossing his head back and crying, "The Lord has answered my prayers, Kizzi! Not all has been lost! God heard my prayers, and answered them by bringing us back to our family." Finally he releases me and surveys the room. "Well, where are the rest?"

I look away, suddenly not being able to face them. I raise my eyes back up at them and see my uncle looking expectant and impatient. My aunt however looks overwhelmingly sad. She can guess. I just shake my head.

At this, Aunt Kizzi buries her face in Uncle Kemp's shirt and sobs. Uncle Kemp looks vaguely stunned, as if he's unsure whether or not to believe me. Unfortunately, I'm telling the truth.

I don't want to watch my aunt mourn my family, so I turn my attention to my cousins, remembering they're there.

Luce has grown a lot, her wispy little curls having given way to shiny brown locks. She must be at least seven now, but still shy and quiet as ever. She hides behind her brother's leg.

Karel, nearly a carbon copy of his dad. Same long face, knobby joints and everlasting intelligence. Ask him any question and if he doesn't know the answer, there is none. He used to help me with my homework when our families got together, despite the fact that he's a year and a half younger. Valedictorian every year. Top of the class. Head boy. American Muggle version of Percy Weasely, if you will.

Which brings us to his sister, my only cousin my age. Melly Carr, as obnoxious as Luce is shy and Karel is smart. Despite our age (she's only a year younger), we never got along. I doubt we ever will. I'm sorry, but in all honesty, she's a manipulative bitch with more dicks down her throat than she knows what to do with. She has a history of cutting class, debauchery, drug use, sex, and god knows what else. Not that her parents are aware, oh no. To them she's just another fun-loving teenager. But she is so much more. I'm always the one who has to pick her up from parties, drop her off, check on her in the bathroom. She terrorized me. She claimed my favourite dolls as her own, she dropped my books in the toilet, she heaved cups to the floor and blamed it on me. Not that I could ever prove my innocence. She'd just start wailing and I'd be the one with the broom and dustpan in my hands. The last time I saw her I swore her out of my life.

Unfortunately, now that we'll be being housemates for the next who-knows-how-long, it looks like we may have to put aside our differences.

Yeah right! As long as she keeps to herself we'll have no problems. My vow.