» Time Is Dancing « | » Carl Grimes «

» OPEN YOUR EYES PT.2 «

No Time To Test The Water

"Are your hands okay?" Heather mumbled, her fingers picking absentmindedly at the bandages wrapping my knuckles.

I smiled down at her sweetly, flexing my hands. "They're okay. What about you? You feeling any better?" I drew my eyebrows with worry as I analysed her face, brushing my fingers gently across her cheek.

She shuffled up in the bed, her legs curled under her as she sat next to me. "My head doesn't hurt anymore. Rosita played dolls with me and she made me some lunch, but she forgot I don't like cheese so she ate it." She smiled weakly, her small fists rubbing sleepily at her eyes.

I breathed out a chuckle, leaning back on the headboard beside her. "What else did you do today? Besides play dolls, obviously." I grinned, prodding her cheek fondly as she fidgeted.

"Lydia was here. She was looking for you, said she was gonna help Carol with something, but I read her my story first. She liked it, I think." She excitedly relayed, her eyes wide as she spoke. "And then Dante let me draw the flowers on the bottles, for the medicine. He even found me a pink crayon."

"Did you say thank you?" I asked, her tiny frame cuddling up to my side as my arm wound around her.

She avoided my gaze, her eyes drifting from the ceiling to floor and over the walls- anywhere but at me. "...I forgot." She admitted, her expression apologetic.

"Make sure you say it when he comes back." I instructed sternly, making her promise. Heather was a kind and polite girl, she just often got so excited that her mind tended to wander before remembering her manners. "Did Siddiq come by?"

I hadn't seen him since he left the cells in a panic, his actions fast as he rushed out the door. I was more worried than ever now, in fact, I was scared for him.

Heather shook her head, her expression sad at the mention of him. "He dropped me off this morning and then left again. I saw him, but he didn't say anything. Is he okay?" She wondered, looking up at me with inquisitive eyes.

"I...I'll go ask him." I dodged the answer, knowing she would only be concerned if I told her the truth. I wasn't sure how he was feeling, to be honest, but it couldn't have been good. "Get some sleep, baby. I'll be back soon."

I waited for her eyes to close before stepping out the door, leaning on the wooden porch as I scanned the area. A few people bustled down the street but most chose to remain inside these days, figuring it would be safer in the event of an attack. It bothered me how paranoid people were about the Whisperers, not that they were wrong to be. It just saddened me that they had such control over us that they were stopping our normal lives.

I squinted against the sun when a familiar figure crossed my vision, Siddiq wandering into the lakeside shed. I frowned as I watched through the laced pattern of wood, his head shaking furiously and his face screwed up like he was in pain.

"Siddiq?" The name was barely off my tongue before he raced away, taking off in the direction of the lake and leaping into the water. I stood still, my movements frozen by surprise and my jaw hanging open until I realised he wasn't coming up for air.

Minuscule bubbles burst on the surface, showing me where he was as I jumped in after him. The grimy water stung my eyes but I ignored the sensation as I struggled to swim further down. I had never been particularly good at it, but there were more pressing matters at hand.

I spotted him sinking into the darkest part of the lake, his arms floating above his head and his whole body relaxed. He didn't even register when I gripped his hand tightly, tugging with all my strength to pull him to the surface.