𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐚'𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐱. carl grimes

SEVENTEEN: 112 ounces of chocolate pudding

thud

I stop reading and set my book down. I quickly look around for any sign of people but I see no one. I assume it's a walker and get back to reading.

I'm at one of my favorite parts in the book, the part where Katniss has made it to the arena and they are waiting for the game to begin. The voice across the intercom counts with the timer above everyone's heads, "5...4...3...2...1"

Thud

I hear it again except this time from the room with the walker inside. I set down my book and try to look through the window from where I'm sitting. From what it looks like from here, it's all clear so I go back to the book.

Katniss runs to the cornucopia for the bow and arrow and sees people getting killed all around her and...

"Can I join?" I hear a familiar voice say from behind me.

I quickly turn my head and see Carl standing next to the window with a very large can of something. I set down my book. "Yeah but I don't know why would want to after I said those terrible things." I reply.

He smiles weakly and walks towards me. "Let's not forget you also almost killed me" he chuckles.

"Yeah about that..." I pause a moment to try to gather my words, "I'm so sorry. I was so filled with anger I didn't know what I was doing. It was like I wasn't in control. Like someone else was making me do and say that stuff. I just feel so bad."

He looked at me and nodded, "It's okay Finn, I understand what its like to be angry. Also, I'm sorry too for the terrible things I said. I didn't mean them, I promise."

I smile, "It's okay Carl. I think we're even now anyway" He laughs and looks down at his feet. "So what's in that can?" I ask.

He laughs and turns the can around so I can read the wrapping, "Only 112 ounces of pudding!"

I laugh, "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Nope! You want to split it?"

"Of course I do!" I say even though the voice in the back of my head is telling me I would never deserve the pudding. That I could never deserve to even talk to Carl again after what I did.

The boy hands me a spoon and offers for me to take the first bite. I dip my spoon into the delicious chocolate mixture and take a huge bite, "This is the best thing I have had in a long time."

Carl laughs and takes a bite of the pudding. "I had forgotten how good chocolate tastes" he said with a mouth full of pudding.

Carl and I sat on the roof like that for a while. The both of us eating pudding in silence and enjoying each other's presence. It was nice to have someone that I was able to be with but not have to talk a lot unlike Jenna. I wished that I could stay in this moment forever and not have to ever go back out into the world and that we could forget about the terrors we have endured.

"Do you want the last bite?" Carl asks offering the can to me.

I shook my head, "I'm too full. You have it"

The boy shoveled the last bite into his mouth and smiled, "You know what Finn?"

"What?"