» Time Is Dancing « | » Carl Grimes «

» THE CALM BEFORE PT.2 «

Past Feelings, New People, But The Same Old Situation

Daryl's bike stopped in front of a strange scene, several men in hats wielding an array of weapons as they took out a few walkers. These must've been the Highway Men Ezekiel told me about, the group he assigned to protect the roads while people travelled to the fair.

"We were clearing the roads. Spotted tracks leading here." The leader, Ozzy, directed us to a wreck in the woods. A wagon had been tipped on its side, spilling food and supplies over the dirt.

I bent down suspiciously, sifting through the belongings strewn across the ground until my fingers landed on something familiar. A collection of small, circular objects, the letter 'H' engraved in each one by hand. The same one that Henry had given to me at the fair.

"It's from Hilltop." I affirmed, my eyebrows still furrowing. I could picture the woman who made them, blonde hair and a kind smile, but I couldn't recall seeing her at the Kingdom today.

"The dead didn't do this- people did." Ozzy growled, surveying the scene. There were clear signs of an attack, and judging by their obvious motives it didn't take a genius to figure out it was the Skins. "If anyone else was out here, my patrols would've seen them. Something else...they put up a fight."

Daryl nodded in agreement, following a clear set of tracks deeper into the bushes. "Drug them out this way." I could already see the sweeping movements made in the dirt, the way the leaves and twigs had been pushed aside.

I sighed with frustration. These were my people now, I had a duty to protect them even if there was a possibility they were dead. I got up from my crouching position, my fingers already wrapped around my sword. "We split up, we find them. The rest of you go to Hilltop, tell them we're on our way." I ordered, watching the group disperse towards the horses. Daryl stood by my side, Carol and Michonne insistent on staying, too.

"We'll keep up our patrols around the Kingdom." Ozzy decided, twirling a blade of grass between his fingers thoughtfully. "Just in case."

Yumiko nudged me with a look of determination in her features, her fingers gripping a bunch of arrows. "Let me come. There could be wounded out here, you'll need the help."

I bit my lip as I contemplated her request. I figured if we did come across our people, the Skins wouldn't be too far away. Besides, I wanted to get a feel for how this new group handled themselves out here.

"You got a torch?" I asked, waiting for her affirmative nod. "Good, you'll need it."

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It didn't take long for night to fall, but I never gave up on the search. Even when it seemed the tracks had ended I insisted on alternative routes, desperate to find the missing people. The thought that it would be their bodies we discovered was ever present in my mind.

"The trail goes off in three different ways, it doesn't make sense." Daryl observed, pointing through the trees. I frowned at the sound of twigs snapping, the shake of leaves following quickly as something got nearer. "Come on, let's go. Head back."

"We can't, they're still out there-" I started, determined to complete the mission until a threatening growl echoed through the clearing. A few rotting faces snapped at us with wide jaws, arms stretching out to take a bite. "No..." I recognised them, the reanimated corpses of my own people. We had no choice but to put them down.

My sword whipped around me as I drew it, slicing through a skull with ease as the body dropped to the ground. I hated the idea of having to return to Hilltop and deliver the news of our losses.