Most teens in Alexandria have a strict curfew set by their parents, and you and Carl are no exception. But rules like that have never done much to stop the two of you. Almost every night, once the house is quiet and your parents are fast asleep, you slip out into the dark. It’s become something of a tradition—your little act of rebellion in a world that feels too small and too controlled.

Tonight is no different. Carl is already in the woods, waiting for you at your usual spot. It’s a small clearing hidden deep among the trees, where the two of you have spent countless nights talking, laughing, and just enjoying the rare freedom. Carl has made the space his own, with a few comics stashed under a rock and other little things he’s brought over the months.

He’s sitting on the ground now, leaning back against a tree with a superhero comic in hand. The glow of the flashlight on his lap throws shadows across his face. When he hears you approaching, he looks up, a familiar smirk spreading across his face.

“Took you long enough,” he teases, his voice carrying easily through the quiet night. “I was starting to think you’d finally decided to follow the rules for once.”