Chapter Text
As far back as Charles could remember, there had been only two constants in his life. Max and the sea. And now, he feared, he had only the sea.
Charles would not let himself grieve yet. Despite the burning of his eyes, the swelling of his throat, the twisting in his chest.
Tears would be precious water lost. He would cry when he made it back to the settlement, made it back home. Instead, when the anguish swelled like the waves all around him, Charles would force his mind elsewhere.
He would not cry.
He would paddle on.
Generations ago, humanity lost the land. Those who survived the cataclysmic shift became people of the sea, cursed to make a way of life on ships and floating barges like the settlement Charles and Max lived on.
Yet there were always rumors of a map which could lead them back to land, the fabled ground where man could walk and run and not fear drowning, not fear the depths.
Max had long been set on finding it. He had a gift with maps. He knew he could solve it if only he could lay his hands upon it. But now Max was in the hands of the enemy, the dreaded smokers who pillaged and ransacked and held no honor for human life.
The worst part for Charles was that Max had given himself up to allow Charles an escape.
Leaving Max behind wasn’t something he ever thought he could do, but in the panic of the moment a part of him had hoped Max would be right behind him.
By the time Charles had felt safe enough to look back, he had found himself alone. Just the sea and sky as far as his eyes could see. Max was gone.
That had been three days ago. Three days Charles had paddled toward home, muscles and heart weary. Three days he had bottled up his lament.
When the settlement appeared on the horizon, Charles began to paddle harder, anything to just get home.
His arms screamed. His blistered back -so abused by the sun- wailed. His eyes burned. But he pressed on. Pressed on. Pressed on. Until he was gazing blearily up at Lando who was peering down at him from the watch tower.
“Holy shit, it’s Charles!” Lando cried, waving his arms and blinking wide-eyed at Charles who stood, paddle in hand, body teetering.
“Open the gates! Charles is back!”
As the tall scrap metal gates creaked and groaned, slowly parting open, Charles paddled once more, pushing his small raft into the settlement’s waters.
The moment he made it through, the tears Charles had held at bay finally breached and fell, cascading down his sunburnt cheeks. His chest felt as if it was caving in, sobs wracking his sun-stricken frame. He’d made it home. He’d made it home, but he was alone.
As quickly as the tears arrived, the world grew dark. Charles wobbled precariously and Lando only had the chance to yelp before Charles toppled headfirst into the water.