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"I'm sorry we didn't find him." Carl said, as he and Ophelia walked back into the prison. They'd spent the day searching through the forrest, looking for any sign of Griffin, but they didn't find anything.
"It's not your fault." She told him, closing the gate behind them.
"I know, but I know what's it like to lose somebody." He said softly. "And I don't want that for you."
Ophelia paused, Carl had always put on a strong front and risen above the chaos, that sometimes she forgot that he was still a child. His mother had died — he watched Ophelia cut her open even — and his father had been going off the rails ever since, but here he was, helping Ophelia find her brother.
"Listen, starshine, you don't gotta worry about me." She assured him. "Whatever happens, happens."
Ophelia then stopped walking and knelt down in front of Carl so that she was equal to him. She paused for a moment, before asking him, "I know everything's been hectic lately, and you've been so brave, Carl. But, how are you really doing?"
Carl pursed his lips, thinking off an answer, before replying, "I'm doing okay."
"Really?"
"...I don't know." He sighed. "I mean, I think of mom a lot, especially when I go to sleep. I see her, all the time when I close my eyes, and I think back to what she said to me before she...died. I know, it sounds stupid and—"
"No, it doesn't sound stupid." She said. "I see him, I see my brother whenever I close my eyes too. You're not alone."
"I just...I wish she was still here." He added after a moment. "I know I'm supposed to act like everything's okay, especially with my dad going off and hiding, but I just feel angry, all the time."
"I wanna hug my mom again, I wanna see her again." He continued. "I took her for granted, and I hate that I didn't realise how lucky was, even when she was nagging at me to do my homework. I just...I don't know what I'm supposed to do now."
"You," She said, resting her hand on his shoulder. "Just have to take things day by day. I won't lie to you, Carl, the pain you feel, it won't ever go away. But, it will get easier over time. You just have to be patient with yourself."
"Really?" He asked. "But, I just, I feel so angry at everyone — at everything."
"Maybe you need to blow off some steam." Ophelia suggested. "Why don't we start target practice again? You were getting pretty good at knife throwing back at the farm."
