𝑨𝒍𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑫𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒔

huff. that note should be burned.

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ “ ... control over his family , i believe . keeping us all on a tight leash . ” ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ “ my father's acting like a helicopter dad . he doesn't give me space . ” ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ “ life is hard sometimes . ” ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀

back at prosperity, the judge finds a quiet corner to settle down in for the night—feeling safest with her back pressed against a wall, just like those days in the bunker. sleep doesn't come easy and she's left observing him through big eye holes. head canted slightly.

she's used to only catching a couple of winks but——well, alright, if he insists. she'll try and sleep tonight.

perhaps she's just 𝘵𝘰𝘰 used to sleeping with one eye open, no matter the place or circumstance. it's why she spends most of her nights on guard duty. always alert.

what, didn't he enjoy the smell of rotting wood and chemical smoke? the collapsing roof that let the darkened sky peek through the gaps? she doesn't mind it so much. beats being in a bunker. but don't worry, she'll get sleeping beauty back to prosperity.

a solemn nod. it was the only thing she had left to cling onto, after everything that was lost——her mother's first gift to her. hope. she let out a quiet grunt of acknowledgment and jerked her head towards the beat up truck. they should get moving before nightfall.

the name causes her to flinch. no, not dep .. not judge, either. she jabbed a finger against his chest before slowly tracing out four letters. h-o-p-e. hope.

cut off one head and another grows in its absence. the cycle of violence perpetuates. another nudge, a little rougher this time. he shouldn't get sentimental on her——she is a lost cause. better things to focus on now.

they have good reason not to. history has not been kind to them and neither was eden's gate, but these are new times. things have changed. she's changed. but old nick rye? well, she's missed him too. maybe one day they'll be friends once more .. one day.

the father taught her all about forgiveness but, truth be told, she's not the forgiving type——curiosity, however, is not inherently a sin and she can hardly blame him for it. her friends .. how are they?

so .. he knows the truth? part of it, at least——her vulnerability. her weakness. she wasn't always such a loathsome creature wrought with guilt. she might've even been a person, once.