WASTE • Carl Grimes

Five

I lay down on dusty, years old sheets that are placed over a mattress on a king sized bed, my eyes glued to the ceiling above me as the sound of distant growls fills my ears.

After Carl's failed attempt at trying to get something out of me, I ignored his question and dragged my stuff up with me to the nearest bedroom, making sure to shut the door behind me.

Although sleeping on old sheets in a room that reeks of iron and blood is far from convenient, it's much better than sleeping in the same room with an angry teenage boy who's still mourning over the death of his girlfriend.

Torturing himself does not satisfy him enough, so he feels obliged to get on whoever is around him's last nerve.

And that just so happens to be me.

My mind suddenly starts to drift off to places that it's never been to before, another world. A world full of laughter and happiness with children running around and adults arguing about the most ridiculous of topics.

My eyes flutter shut almost immediately as a sense of calmness takes over my body, smiling to myself while I walk further into the dream, running as far away as I can from reality, even if it's just in my dreams.

I hear the door of the room creak open as the sound of footsteps comes to a sudden halt, but I keep my eyes shut and continue to walk away, further into the light.

•••

I see people.

Living people.

They're all watching me with grins plastered on their bright faces, happiness radiating off each and every single one of them.

They're all sitting somewhere over me as I stand alone in a dark hole, trapped with no way to climb my way up to join them.

A woman with a wide grin leans down and faces me, her expression soft and welcoming as she delicately extends her hand out to me.

" come on, we're waiting for you " she says ever so softly and I could not think of reasons as to why I shouldn't take her hand in my own and let her pull me out of this hole.

With that in mind, I start extending my hand towards her own soft ones, my mouth agape in confusion.

" Luna " the woman says, but her voice isn't soft anymore, it's strict, scared even. I pull my hand away and furrow my eyebrows at her.

" Luna, get up "

" what? " I whisper.

" wake up, Luna. Wake up " her tone is louder now as she pushes her body down the hole Im trapped in, her face no longer sweet and welcoming.

It starts to dissolve, cracking as a look of anger and pure evil takes over.

" wake up, Luna. Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up! "

I quickly force my eyes open and gasp for air, feeling as if someone had been balancing rocks on my lungs, emptying them out of their air.

But I'm met with darkness again, my body shaking violently as a gush of air pushes past me.

I pull my face back only to see Carl's face over mine, his breathing uneven as he carries me and continues to run deep into the woods, his chest heaving against my hand that's resting on it.

" Carl! " I yell as loud as I can for him to notice that I'm awake, well aware of my surroundings.

But not aware of what's going on.

I'm in Carl's arms, he's carrying me bridal style as he pants uncontrollably, running as far away as his feet can take him.

He doesn't respond and keeps on running instead, the sound of moans and growls starting to get closer by the second.