» Time Is Dancing « | » Carl Grimes «

» 30 DAYS WITHOUT AN INCIDENT «

I'm About A Foot Too Small

"Okay, keep quiet." Daryl held a finger to his lips as we watched through the trees. It took a while, but eventually I heard the snap of a branch and the fling of a wire. I followed Daryl around the tree and I saw a rabbit caught in the snare, bouncing around as it suffocated. I winced as the small animal died, it's movements becoming sluggish as it eventually stopped altogether.

"You know, I think next time we catch a rabbit, we should keep it." I suggested to Daryl as he shoved it in his bag. He looked up at me with an incredulous expression.

"What, like a pet?"

"Yeah, sure. Why not?" I smiled.

"Waste of resources, waste of space, waste of time. Could be eating it ourselves instead of feeding it." He shot down my idea with a grumble.

"Fine. Just thought it would be nice for the kids to have something to take care of." I held my hands up in mock surrender.

"Kids, huh? Since when did you care about them kids." Daryl raised an eyebrow.

I crossed my arms. "I do care. They're nice kids."

"Is that why you're out here with me instead of going to school?" He pushed. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I'm not at school because it's bullshit sitting with a bunch of nine year olds who are smarter than me. Not that I care, it's useless anyway." That was a lie. I still did school work, just separately from the others. It kind of embarrassed me how little I knew. Besides, some of it could've been useful in a medical situation. "And I'm out here with you because I'm too old to be playing with dolls and Legos."

"You're fourteen years old, that's not old. You just don't like acting like a kid for a change. You're allowed to now. You can chill out a little." He encouraged me. I saw a walker stumbling over from behind him, raising my machete and swinging it at its head.

"I can't chill out. Come on, let's go back. I told Carol I'd help with lunch." I kicked through the leaves towards the prison. It had changed a lot in the past year, going from a cold stone building to a bustling, vibrant home. We had fields of crops, pens full of livestock and a fully running community by now, and it was only getting bigger.

"What about Carl?" Daryl asked from behind me.

Carl had changed a lot too. Part of it was Rick, who persuaded him to put down the gun and pick up a shovel. They helped out a lot in the gardens since Rick stepped down as leader. That job went to the council now.

"What about him?" I shrugged. The fence was coming closer now.

"Is he...good?" I knew what he really meant. Had he killed any more teenage boys in the woods lately? The answer was no.

"Yeah, he's good. He's grown up, but I guess we both have." The gate was pulled open and we walked inside, heading over to the shack. We shuffled through the maze of tables, seeing Carol stood over the grill. As we walked, I heard people from all around greeting Daryl.

"Man, I thought I was gonna help." Carol made a plate of food for each of us.

"Sorry, you took too long and people started getting hungry. I saved you some, though." Carol smiled. I took the plate and started eating, not realising how hungry I was.

"Just so you know, I liked you first." Carol told Daryl in response to all the attention he was getting. I chuckled, seeing his disapproving glare. He was something of a hero to these people.

"Mr. Dixon, I just wanted to thank you for bringing that deer back yesterday. It was a real treat, sir." Patrick was always so polite, even to people like Daryl. It amused me hearing someone call him 'Sir'.