Night Changes || Carl Grimes

chapter 36: teens in charge

Eloise woke up to the feeling of a cold breeze hitting her face. She slowly shook her head before opening her eyes. When her eyes adjusted to the light in the room, she instantly noticed she was lying in one of the nursing beds in the infirmary. She looked down towards her shoulder that was wrapped and all the memories started to flood back into her brain. She had been shot.

She lifted her head and saw Jace and Carl, sitting on chairs beside her bed, asleep. Eloise rolled her eyes before clearing her throat loudly, making Jace and Carl shoot awake.

She gave the two boys a sarcastic smile. "Hello, boys." Jace awkwardly cleared his throat, readjusting in his chair as Carl smiled at her, grabbing her hand. "Hey, Louie. How you feeling?"

Eloise shrugged, starting to sit herself up, making Carl and Jace quickly get on either side of her to help. "It's fine. How long have I been out?"

Carl pursed his lips, shrugging. "Just a little over a day. Since your all wrapped up though, you're free to leave the infirmary." Eloise nodded, looking around the empty room. "Where's Jasper?"

"He and a lot of people left to go and make a plan to fight the Saviors." Jace said and Eloise slowly nodded before her brows furrowed, remembering the fight in Alexandria. "I'm not crazy, right? Carol was there..." Carl chuckled nodding his head. "Yeah she was here. She left to work on the plan too. She was hoping you'd wake up before she left though. She wanted to talk to you."

Eloise let out a low hum before Jace loudly clapped his hands together to get her attention. She jumped at the sudden loud noise before slowly turning to him. "Since you're allowed to leave... Get up!" Jace said, throwing a pillow from one of the other beds at Eloise.

The girl did a double take at his words, making him sigh. "Carl and I were supposed to meet up with Rick. So... you're coming too."

Eloise slowly turned to Carl who had an identical smirk as Jace. He innocently shrugged, grabbing her hand and pulling her up to stand. "Let's go shall we?"

...

As the three drove to where they were supposed to meet Rick, Carl stopped the car when they passed an abandoned gas station, over 20 cars parked around it. Carl turned to Jace and Eloise to find them already looking at him, knowing looks on their faces and at the same time, they all hopped out of the car.

The three quietly walk through the gas station, looking into cars to try and find anything useful.

"Hi."

The three teens jumped at the unrecognizable voice. They looked around, trying to spot the man but couldn't find him. "Yeah. I-I'm okay. I mean... I'm not, but... I've been shot at. Someone threw a microwave at me. So I-I'm just gonna say something my mom used to say and hope for the best here... 'Whatever you have of good, spend on the traveler.' My mom said that... That helping the traveler, the person without a home... That's everything. I'm sure you've seen things, been through things, that you don't trust people. I get it. I get it. I don't, either. I've been through things, too. My mom... She also said that, 'May my mercy prevail over my wrath.' It's not all my mom... That... That one... That's from the Quran. Probably shouldn't have said that."

Carl looked under one of the cars before looking up at Jace and Eloise, nodding his head to a few cars diagonal from them. They slowly walked towards the man as he continued. "I don't even know you, but I ha... I haven't eaten in a few days. You might not even be real."

When they got to the man, they all grew their guns out, pointing at him. "Hands up." Jace announced, making the man jump, throwing his hands in the air. "Listen. I'm gone. It's cool. I just... I just wanted some... E-even just some food."

A single gunshot rang in the air and the man ran away. Rick came running after him, standing in the place the man once stood. Eloise caught her breath as Carl angrily walked over to his dad. "We were supposed to meet at the intersection." Rick grumbled to Carl and Jace before turning to Eloise. "And you should be resting."

The three ignored his words, making him sigh. "I shot over his head. I just wanted him gone." Jace shook his head slightly, looking to where the man ran off to. "He said that he was-" "I heard what he said. Most of it. But he could've been one of them." Rick interrupted.

Carl scoffed as Eloise furrowed her brows. "Like a spy?" She asked in an almost sarcastic tone, making Rick groan. "I shot above his head. If he isn't one of them, I hope he makes it."

Carl sighed, walking back towards Alexandria, grabbing Lou's hand to pull her along as Jace followed. "It's not gonna be enough, Dad." "Enough what?"

"Hope."

...

After spending hours helping the adults pack up and get ready to head to the Sanctuary, Carl, Eloise and Jace watched as they all said their goodbyes, leaving for the fight. Jasper pulled Eloise into his side, roughly rubbing her shoulder.

"Be good, Louie." Jasper mumbled before kissing the side of Lou's head as Jace stood beside her with a goofy smile, his arms out open for Jasper to hug him.

Jasper looked at the boy before sighing, nodding his head to hug him. Jace did a small victory dance as he hugged Jasper. Eloise and Carl chuckled at Jaspers annoyed face.

"Not a word." Jasper grumbled, pointing a finger at the two. He pulled away from Jace and turned to Carl with furrowed brows. "What? You want one too?" Jasper snarked. Carl chuckled, making Jasper chuckle, the two going in for a 'bro-hug' before pulling away.

Rick walked over to the four, hugging Carl. When he pulled away he rubbed Lou's and Jace's shoulder before looking back and forth between the three. "This is the end of it."

The three nodded and Rick sent them onelast final smile before hopping into his car with Jasper. As they drove out of the community, Eloise let out a low sigh as Carl turned to Michonne. "I know you wanted to go with them. We did, too."

Jace and Eloise nodded in agreement with Carl as Michonne shook her head. "Everything hurts. But I'll help you three defend this place." Eloise quickly turned to Michonne, her brows furrowed. "Help us?"

Michonne turned to the three confused teens, nodding. "Oh, yeah. This is your show. The futures of this place." Carl let out a sarcastic chuckle as Jace and Eloise snorted. "Okay..." Carl mumbled and Michonne smirked at the three. "You'll see."