Sage ➸ Carl Grimes

something important

Hi, loves. This obviously isn't a new chapter and I'm sorry for the potential hope I gave you, but if you're like me and watched the mid-season finale, you'll know why I'm here.

If you haven't watched the most recent The Walking Dead episode, please don't scroll down.

I'm honestly heartbroken and I don't even know how to deal with it right now. Carl Grimes is just a fictional character on a show that's spiraling downward, and I get that. But he carries so much with him.

I started watching TWD when I was eleven or twelve. I'm turning seventeen soon, to give you an idea. It's been quite a while. And let me tell you, once I started watching, I was dedicated.

I started with a fanpage. Me and my friend from school created it when I was just in the seventh grade. It was for Chandler, actually. Chandler Riggs. And his beautiful character, Carl Grimes.

I was obsessed. Honest to god, I was. I have a few friends that met me during that time, when my fanpage was slightly growing and my obsession for him was rapidly doing the same.

When I got into eight grade, things got dark for me. I switched schools and faced a new and sad chapter of my life. A time so bad that months after starting the eighth grade, I started writing Sage.

And with that, everything blossomed. I wrote my heart out onto every page of this book. I was dealing with a lot emotionally, and every ounce of that came into this book. I loved Carl. I loved him in the show, and how I could write him as however I wanted him to be, and give him a strong storyline I thought he deserved. Because I started Sage during season 4-5 ish of TWD, when Carl didn't have a lot of screentime or development. I knew his character had potential, and I wanted to give you all the same kind of satisfaction with this book.

Through this account and fan accounts of Carl, I was in countless group chats with amazing people that shared the same interests; The Walking Dead. And more specifically, Carl himself.

I came into high school with this fandom and with the friends I met through it. My school and home life were absolutely horrible. And without those friends, and this account, and this book, and Carl, I don't think I would have made it.

It may sound dramatic to you, but at the time, that was my life. All I did was get through the day so I could come home and write Carl Grimes and interact with the ones who admired him.

It gave me purpose.

I'm a junior in high school now, going on seventeen. Things have changed for me. I watched the show less and less, I got too busy for it. I've been working on school and my job and my social and romantic life. I've recently shifted from the internet world I used to live in, and now to my reality.

But, this fandom was my reality.

And tonight's episode hit me hard. Because I thought back to every friend I made, and the moment I published the prologue to this book, just hoping you all loved this version of Carl as much as I did. Everything came flooding in on me and now I'm still sitting here in absolute silence, thinking about Carl.

I love Carl. I've had my ups and downs throughout this long journey of mine, but it all ends the same. With so much love and appreciation.

I hate this show for killing him. I honest to fucking God do. But I thank the show for giving us such a beautiful character, and for the platform I can still call a second home today.

Now, will Sage continue?

Yes. And now more than ever.

Carl is gone in the show, but he isn't really gone. He's here in this book. In many of the books on this page. In our hearts and memories. And I really can't thank a fictional character enough for meaning so much. To some people it's ridiculous, to me it's not. We all have our escapes, and this was mine.

I feel so much passion right now that I'm writing my heart away. You've heard me say this before, but mark my words, this book will be back. Carl isn't gone.

I don't know how many of you are still here, but we were united together once, and I wish for that to be back. Years ago, we all were close. I knew so many of you and now it's shortened. Carl brought us together and I hope soon enough he'll be able to do the same again.

I love you guys. I love this book.

Message me on kik @/sofiariggs or on instagram @/kittenacon.

I'm always here. <3

I started a kik group. Type in #carlsfamily to kik public groups if you want.

- Sofia