"Falling in love. And say, it's crazy. Falling. You see? We don't say 'rising into love.' There is in it the idea of the fall." -Alan Watts
This isn't just some story where the boy and girl fall for each other, and everything is okay. It's a story w...
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"Good morning, bug" I smiled at the infant as she reached up at my necklace. I felt like I owed it to Gracie to take care of her. I was a part of killing her father, and now she didn't have anyone, so I vowed to protect her, just like Judith.
Rick came in behind me and fixed her blanket. I couldn't even begin to imagine the feeling of losing a child in all of this. He was such a strong leader and continued to guide us even after everything that's happened.
We stood in silence, looking in the mirror to meet with two different people, brought together by one person. Carl. I wouldn't have met Rick if it wasn't for the late Carl Grimes.
"Saw she was up, so..." Siddiq trailed off as he entered the room with a bottle in hand. Rick wasn't ecstatic about Siddiq being a part of us now, and I could understand why.
The now quiet Siddiq walked over and handed me the bottle so I could feed Gracie
"How'd it happen?" Rick asked, and I knew exactly what it meant. I would've told him by now, but I'm sure it was too soon, and he wanted to hear Siddiq's perspective anyway.
Siddiq looked into the mirror to see Rick standing by the door and kept silent. "Please tell me."
"My mother's dead. She was bit. I had to watch her die. Not long ago. And she believed people, their—their souls were trapped in the bodies of the monsters that killing the dead lets the living move on into an afterlife," Siddiq spoke slowly with tears in his eyes. I knew he blamed himself.
"Carl was taking me back to your community, and I told him what my mother believed. And we saw a few of the dead. He wanted to honour her. I think he was trying to show me that I could trust him, "Siddiq laughed in disbelief.
Rick nodded, knowing that's how his son was. The person he was. "That's how it happened. He died paying respects to a woman he never knew. But it was dangerous. It was dangerous, and I didn't think about that. I should've. But all that's left of the people we lose, what was theirs are their ideas," Siddiq looked to the leader with pleading eyes.
"Thank you," Rick whispered and left the room, Siddiq leaving not long after that.
I looked up to the ceiling as Gracie played with my hand. It still pained me to talk or even listen about Carl. Even saying his name was like a stab in the heart.
Then, like someone opened a window, I felt a warm breeze wash over my body, and slightly calloused hands held onto my hips from behind me, and my breathing suddenly stopped.
"Are you okay?" A familiar, concerned voice asked me softly. My eyes widened, and I spun around to be met with Carl's handsome face.
"Why is this happening?" I asked in a whisper, looking into his eye. He smiled and shook his head. "You need to let go," he said while looking down.
