Dark Serenity - Carl Grimes

•Chapter Five•

A/N if you wanna read this chapter with any song, I suggest Castle Of Glass by Linkin Park. That's what I used to write this with. Thats actually what I've listened to while writing this whole book :) Alright bye now lovelies.

*Greyson's P.O.V.*

After the long, antagonizing walk back to the watch tower, I finally made it back up only to see Carl still laying his head on the post.

"Took you twelve years." Carl exaggerating, laughing as picking his head up.

"Well sorry, didn't know I was being timed." I smirk, joining Carl near the edge. He doesn't respond, just looks out at the trees, basically watching the wind taunt him. Its free, it can move in ways Carl can't, it doesn't have flesh hungry monsters chasing after it. It is the life I, Carl, Sasha, Rick, Beth, Lizzie, Mika, Glenn, Carol, Trevor, Hank, Sally, and all the others envy.

"It's beautiful, ain't it." Carl says just above a whisper.

"What exactly," I ask, watching Carl carefully.

"Everything, the clear areas where the walkers ain't, the trees that don't have to worry about their life being taken away, the sun, how it can escape from this dreadful world we call home. Everything, everything is beautiful." For the first time, I actually felt bad for the boy who once was aiming a gun at my skull. Its not like any of us chose this world. If anything, we might've chosen to have sun flares burn us all. But to have to live in a world where you aren't safe, no matter where you are, I wouldn't have forced that upon anyone.

"You know the world is messed up in its own way. It takes lives that don't deserve to be taken. I can garentee you, there's millions of people that used to live that deserved to live instead of me. My mom including." Carl breathed. I don't know whats gotten into him, one minute he's joking, next he's saying things more personal than I'd ever thought I'd get out of anyone. Maybe its just the peaceful scenery, making you believe you're safe to say whatever, but you're not.

"I never had much of a childhood because my parents always fought. Then I had to come into this life." He sighs, turning to look at me, finally. "I'm sorry, didn't expect to bombard you with that much information. I just-"

"Carl, It's okay." I stopped him. "We all need to talk about things sometimes. It's what makes us human." I smile in a comforting way.

I'm getting way to comfortable with him. I need to stop. I don't plan on staying here, and I think he knows that deep down. He's telling me all this as a way to convince me to stay without actually saying 'stay'. He knew if I left I'd have this on my conscious. I'd think all about the boy who has an awful life.

Try staying in the wilderness with no family and barely any food.

Maybe I'm just being paranoid. Maybe he doesn't even know this is just temporary. Maybe he really just wants someone to communicate with about things that would sound completely insane to anyone else. Maybe he just wants a friend.

Four days. Four long, hard days. Then I'll leave. Leave them all and never come back. Like I said before, living alone is better, and safer, then living with others. You get too attached and won't be able to give them up.

I push everything to the back of my brain and focus on Carl and only Carl.

"I try to be positive about things, It numbs me. Makes me believe this world ain't half bad. But I know it is." He says, proceeding to look out at the world below us. I decide to try and help, try and help numb him.

"Come on, let's stop talking about things that make the world unbearable, and think about the things that make the world livable." Carl seems to catch on, instantly brightening up. The boy starts blubbering, talking about all the things that have made him happy, before and after the apocalypse. Memories are just making Carl's wheels turn. He talks and talks all about past things that have happened through-out his short life.

"And then, I met you."

~*~

Soon, Carl and I left the tower, and the cafeteria after eating. Carl insisted he had to show me something else. Something 'fun'. Doubtful, but somewhat exciting to think of.

"Hershel." Carl said, talking to an elderly man. He smiled at Carl with a little nod of his head. "This is Grey." He says, calling me by my nickname. "son." He finishes, probably remembering when I told him only he could call me that. My lips curved upwards into a tiny smile, something I hadn't done much before I got here.

"I need to get something out of the shed." Carl says to Hershel before walking around him and into the shed. I slowly follow in his lead, giving a head nod at Hershel first.

"I found this, all by myself." Carl claimed, wiping some dust off of a cardboard box. "No one ever wanted to play, not even the kids. Beth claimed it was for little kids, Lizzie followed Beth's lead, and Mika, Hank, Sally, and Trevor all didn't want to learn how to play."

I admire a box I hadn't seen in ages, Monopoly.

Carl's smile seemed genuine, bright. Like I said, Carl just wants a friend. A friend to face the world with.

And that friend isn't going to be me.

"I'll be the dog." I announced starring at the game.

~*~

sorry for such a short chapter I wasn't intending for it to be this short

But! How are you guys enjoying this so far?

This chapter was very important, so remember it

whale bye now :)

BYE NARWHALSSS!!!