TWD: Last (Clementine X Male Reader Book 3)

Marinus-4

Marina

Dad wakes up in the morning first, most of the time. I don't think he gets more than five hours a night. And Mom sleeps longer than anyone. She's the last one awake most of the time. Today is going to be extreme. Dad has woken up too early, and Mom is going to stay in bed later than usual. Something happened last night.

They never came to eat with Brooklyn and me. Their raised voices died down, and then they were gone. I went to find them to make sure they were ok, but their door was locked. I don't know what happened, and I don't think it's good.

The Sun is still hiding. It's snowing a little outside. It has been for hours, the thin layer of snow resting on the ground tells me that. I should be asleep right now, but the front door opening and closing woke me. Dads awake.

I pull myself out of bed. It's hard; my body still needs a few hours. My head is spinning, my eyelids feel heavy, my arms and legs feel like they don't belong, it's just hard to move. My whole body just wants to curl back up and drift back to sleep. But I force myself.

When I leave the warmth of my bed, I'm hit with the cold. I'm on the other side of the house from the fireplace. It wakes me up a little. It gives me a reason to hurry up and get my clothes on. I leave my hair down because I don't feel like putting it up, and it can help me stay warm.

I'm still cold. It's like the inside of me is frozen. But the clothes are doing their trick, slowly warming me up.

I walk through the house, heavy-footed. Usually, someone would be careful not to wake anyone, but I'm too tired to care. I yawn as I step out of my room and stretch my arms high above my head.

Brooklyn's door is still closed, so she's not the one who left, I assumed as much. She'll generally leave it cracked if she's awake. Mom and Dad's door is still closed, but I know that it has to be Dad that left. There hasn't been a doubt in my mind that it was him. Why so early, though? Is he leaving us? Or is something happening I don't know about?

I walk to the front door and start grabbing my winter gear: two more jackets on top of the one I wear in the house, some gloves, a scarf, a beanie, and some boots. Dad's stuff is gone, so now I one hundred percent know it was him.

I open the door, and the breeze nearly knocks me off my feet. Not that it's strong, but it's so cold. A few pieces of snow sting my cheeks as they land. But I quickly push through and shut the door behind me. It's dark, and Dad's footprints are already starting to disappear. I have to hurry.

I follow them through the streets of the small town we reside in, past the wall surrounding it with no trouble from the person on watch, and away from Marinus. Where are you going? I think to myself.

I follow the prints for probably ten minutes until I see the Rest Stop come into view. The footprints lead me around the wall and to the broken gate. The fallen watchtower/platform is still there. This happened when Violet died so many years ago. I don't remember much of her.

I have to jump through it to follow him, and I see where he is now. He's in the old bar. There's a faint light emanating from inside.

I hurry over to get out of the cold and step in. He has a small gas lamp with him. I quietly step so that I don't startle him and get myself killed.

Dad: Why'd you follow me?

Guess he knows already. His voice is raspy like he's been crying. He sniffs like his nose is runny. I can't see his face; he's looking down at the bar below him; sitting on a stool with his arm propping his slouched head up. He could just have a cold.

Me: Is everything ok?

He sniffs again as he turns to look at me. His eyes are red and puffy. So, he's been crying for a while. Now I doubt that he slept at all last night.