i don't pay attention to the others as they talk behind me but i can still hear the faintness of their voices as i walk on the train tracks ahead of me. i glance at the train as i walk by. as a kid i always wanted to run and jump on to one. i guess it'll be a while before there's trains moving again. "jade?" i hear rick call and turn around. he waves me over and i walk back, seeing them crowded around something on the train.
it's a terminus sign and i take a small step in as i suck in my breath. the map looks the same but the names different. i see the others look around at each other. "what do you think?" michonne asks.
"let's go," rick says, looking at me. "let's go."
~
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i look to the side as carl catches up beside me. "hey," i hear but continue to look at the ground in front of me. "my dad told me what happened."
"go away carl," i groan but he doesn't move.
"i know you don't like it when people die but not everyone can be brought back to who they once were," he says and although i don't like it, i know it's true. i just wish it wasn't. carl takes my hand in his. "jade, i am sorry. okay?"
"okay," i reply.
"wait really?" he asks.
"the apologies are getting annoying so i'll just accept it so you can stop," i say, kicking rocks. "plus it's not like you were wrong—"
"but i was," he replies quickly. "you've been through so much and i was just upset. i shouldn't have done that."
"well, you could've just talked to me," i say and shake my head. "but it's in the past, right?"
carl nods and then extends his arm out, handing me a half of a big cat bar. "i thought i'd need it to help you forgive me but you're still my best friend so here," he says.
"i'm your only friend," i chuckle and grab the half candy bar. "but thank you."
i break off a piece and hand it to him. "no, that's for you," he smiles, putting his hand out.
"well, i wanna share it. come on," i say and hold it out further. "best friend."
he finally takes it and we eat together. "i was thinking we can go into the woods to find something to eat," rick says and we nod.
"glad to see you two made up," michonne smiles. "any longer and carl would've cried."
i snap my fingers and shake my head. "darn it," i joke and chuckle.
~
"on a scale of one to ten, how hungry are you?" rick asks as he tends to the fire.
"fifteen," carl and i let out at the same time, looking up at each other.
we look over to michonne. "twenty-eight," she says and we all chuckle.
