Destination Life or Death

17.

Carol, Carl, and I went to the larger house. "These are like mansions." Carl said, smiling and looking around the white kitchen. "Mhm" Carol paused "And they're just giving them away." she said looking through the cracks in the blinds. "You comin?" Carol asked looking at us "Yeah, well catch up" I said, nodding and looking at Carl, who seemed like he wanted to stay. As we stood in the living room that seemed to be a creamy white color, we both looked at each other as we heard creaking upstairs. We looked up and slowly walked to the stairs. I looked at him and gestured to him to go first. "I don't wanna go first." I whispered while shaking my head. He rolled his eyes and started up the stairs. When we reached the top I paused when I heard a thump come from a room to the right, he looked at me and then pulled out a large machete. I looked at him and started following him to the room slowly. We reached a closed door, he looked at me before pulling the door open quickly. It opened to an unfinished room, the wood still nailed to the walls, and wooden beams uptop. I looked at him and put his arm down to walk past him. "It was probably nothing," I said, shrugging and walking into the room. There were pictures and a pillow with a blanket, it looked like someone was staying here. "Does someone live here?" I asked, looking at him before picking up a comic book that had been sitting on a small table. "It looks like it," he said shrugging, "I don't know," he looked at me and shook his head. "We should go," I watched as he left. I took a comic with me, I wanted to know what was up, maybe it had been stuff left behind. I followed behind him, closing the door quickly.

Carl and I were sitting on the porch with Judith when we were approved by Rick telling us to go meet this kid Ron. We looked at each other quickly before nodding. "Ron?" I asked with an eyebrow raised, "Like the Weasley?" I laughed a little and then stiffened up when we arrived at the house. A boy, maybe about 5'6" walked out and greeted us. We followed him up the stairs before he said anything. "We're almost always here after school, so you guys can come by anytime," the boy spoke to us while walking down the hall. I was nervous, I hadn't been around anyone other than Carl that was my age in years. I grabbed onto the back of Carl's shirt, trying to stay close to him. He was tense too, I could feel it. "You go to school?" Carl asked before peeking over his shoulder at me with an eyebrow raised. "It's in a Garage" the boy said, chuckling. "Little kids go in the morning and then it's us in the afternoon" he paused looking back at us, "You guys will end up there too probably." I looked at Carl and then at the boy "Right," I nodded, "Probably." I said, smiling slightly and then clearing my throat back to my silence. We walked into a room with two other kids, a girl with long black hair and a boy with short brown hair. 'Guys, this is Carl and Dezzy." Ron said, pointing to us. "This is Mikey and Enid" he pointed to them. I looked at Carl but didn't say anything. "Hey," Mikey said, standing up and walking over to us. "Hi" Enid spoke, not moving from the spot she had been sitting on the bed. I looked at the girl and then at Carl. "Enids from outside too," he paused looking at us. "She just came a few months ago." he said, keeping his hand on her shoulder. I pulled out the comic book I found earlier. "Do you know whose this is?" I asked. "Oh yeah, sorry. We didn't realize you got that house." he said smiling at me. "We mostly just hangout there and listen to music," Mikey said pausing, "That's Enid's." he said nodding to the comic before she quickly snatched it from my hands. I looked at her confused and then at Carl who put his hand on my back. "Ignore it." he whispered into my ear. He knew I had a temper, and could see that Enid's attitude bothered me. "Um...." Ron paused, "Do you want to play some video games? Or Mikey's house has a pool table, but his dad is kind of strict about it." Ron said, looking between me and Carl. I tried to hide my confused look. I was confused on how they lived a life like nothing happened. "It's okay, he's at work," Mikey said quickly. I looked at Carl who had now started shutting himself off like I had. "I'm sorry I guess we come on kind of strong." Ron paused, "We can just hangout." I looked at Carl and then over at Enid who had been staring at us. I shook my head and grabbed Carl's hand, we both, in a way, calmed down because of each other. "You don't even have to talk if you guys don't want to," Mickey said, still looking at us. "Yeah, it took Enid three weeks to say something," Ron spoke, almost not knowing what to do. Carl looked at me almost waiting for me to speak up. "Pull it together!" the girl spoke to us. I shook my head with a confused look still pasted on my face. "Lets, um..." Carl paused before unhooking his hand from mine. "Lets um...... Play some video games." Carl and I ended up back at the house pretty quick. We had all stayed in one house for the time, Rick felt it was safer. We sat in Carl's labeled room and talked about what the other kids were like before Rick came in. "Nice?" he asked looking at us, obviously talking about the kids. "Yeah," Carl spoke softly, "I like it here." he said nodding. "I do too. I like the people, but," I paused, looking at Carl then back at Rick, "but they are weak." I said shrugging. "I don't want us to get weak too." Carl added onto what I was saying. Rick really didn't say anything, he just shook his head.

Carl's POV-

Dezzy and I stayed with each other most of the time. No one thought anything of it because we had been alone together longer than we've been alone with anyone else. We spent all of our time together, usually inside. We both felt the same way about the people here and we knew it. I was with Dezzy, just talking to her about time, and what it's done to us and for us, but then I saw Enid. I knew Dezzy wasn't a fan of her but she intrigued me. She was walking to the wall, with a large backpack. "I'll be back." I said, stopping Dezzy in her sentence and leaving to follow her. "Oh, okay?" I could hear Dezzy but knew she wouldn't follow me. I grabbed my knife and started to the wall where I used what she had used to jump over and follow her. I looked around when I got over but couldn't see her. I sighed and started walking. I knew being out here was better than being in there. I ran into my dad who had been by an abandoned old house, a few walkers were making their way towards us. I pulled my blade out of the carrier I had put it in and nodded as he said to get ready. I tripped the fist walker stabbing in through the head and then stabbing the second one in the side of the head. My dad had killed off the last two but got grabbed by one who had been covered in trash. He pulled out a metal bar but before he could kill it. I walked up to his side. "Dad," I said, gesturing to him to give me the pole. When he did I stabbed it through the top of the walkers head. When my dad and I got back, we saw Dezzy standing with the group before Glenn punched a man named Aiden in the face. My dad ran in, grabbing onto Daryl who was not trying to fight. "Whoa woah, Hey!' Rick yelled sternly. "Lets not do this now." he said, talking to Daryl from over his shoulder. Aiden stood up and faced Michonne. "You wanna end up on your ass again?" She asked, looking at him. I made my way to stand with my group that my dad had now been with. "I want everyone to hear me, okay?" Diana spoke to us. "Rick and his people are part of this community now," she said, looking past us at the people who had now made their way over. "In all ways. As equals,'' she paused "understood?" she asked sternly, looking behind her at her son Adien. "All of you." She paused staring at our group. "Turn in your weapons.'' After everyone left, I looked at Dezzy, who looked mad. Mad at me. She walked away, fast, and before I could catch up, she was already inside, locking herself in my room. I didn't care, it was more our room then just mine. I guess we made each other equally comfortable, but we've never fought, even really been mad at one another. I knocked, "Come on, Dez,'' I paused, "I'm sorry!"