"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 your typical love story.
It's not about a boy and a girl falling for each other and everything ma...
"You are such a soft and messy thing. Nobody knows how to take care of you."
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"Why didn't you tell me you had an uncle?" Carl asked suddenly, his voice laced with surprise, maybe even a little awkwardness. He looked flustered, as if the thought of a family connection I'd kept hidden was a secret he wasn't expecting.
I turned fully to face him, the weight of old wounds making my voice sharp. "He was never in my life."
Carl blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"
I swallowed the lump rising in my throat, the memory bitter on my tongue. "He and my dad didn't get along. I guess I said Daryl was 'dangerous' once. Truth is, I hadn't met him until today." My words came out blunt, guarded.
Carl nodded slowly, a small smile breaking through his concern. "Well, I'm glad you found each other."
His acceptance felt like a thread of hope. I wanted to believe it, even if my heart whispered caution.
Morning light spilled unevenly through the cracked window panes. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, muscles aching from the night's unrest. Sliding into fresh clothes, I tucked a worn book under my arm and stepped out into the main room. The prison was waking slowly—voices drifted from the kitchen, Judith and a few others busied with packing.
"What're you guys packing for?" I asked, curiosity softening my tone.
Daryl's voice was rough but steady. "A few of us are going on a run today. We're short on supplies."
I glanced at the door, hope bubbling up. "Can I come?"
Rick looked up from his gear, nodding. "Sure. We're leaving in a bit. Carl's coming too."
I smiled, heart fluttering with the chance to be useful, to belong.
Outside, the sun was warm but not kind. Rick's voice was firm, urging us along. "We're going now, Carl. We have room for one more."
The old Walmart loomed ahead, a shadow of the world we once knew. Inside, aisles stretched like tombs of forgotten civilization. I moved quickly, filling a duffel bag with anything that looked edible and another with essentials—feminine products, shower supplies, water bottles.
Suddenly, the tense silence was shattered by the roar of a car pulling up. We ducked low, hearts pounding. Gunshots cracked like thunder nearby.
"What do we do?" I whispered, panic creeping in as I glanced behind me—Daryl was gone.
A searing pain exploded in my thigh, sharp and unforgiving. Darkness crept over the edges of my vision until it swallowed me whole.
I woke in a cold, dark room. My leg throbbed unbearably; dizziness clouded my mind. The air was stale, and the faint scent of damp concrete filled my nostrils. The door creaked open, revealing a shadowed figure who stepped closer with a cruel grin.
