Survivor // Carl Grimes (The Walking Dead)

[5]

Episode : Remember - the fourth episode from when Season 5, Mid-Season resumed.

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Maureen

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After driving, we finally arrive at the walls of Alexandria. I stand next to Carl the whole time as Aaron guides us to this woman named Deanna. All is fine, until she wants to interview all of us. I go after Carl and Judith and once they walk out, I start to feel uneasy.

"It's not bad." He puts his free hand on my shoulder and gives me a reassuring smile.

"O-okay." I stutter and make my way in.

"Hello, dear." The middle-aged--probably older--woman says to me. "Maureen, yes?"

I nod and gulp.

"I'm just going to ask you a few questions. Would you mind if I recorded it?" She asks.

"No, i-it's fine." I say, taking a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

"It's okay. It's safe here." She says as the camera makes a beeping sound, signaling that it's recording.

"When this all started, what grade were you in?" She asks.

I think back. It hasn't dawned to me the time pass. It feels like two years. I was in school in seventh grade, so...

"I was in seventh grade." I say. "I should be in heading into ninth, right now."

"So, you're thirteen? Fourteen?" She aks as I shrug.

"I don't know, honestly." I sigh.

"When's your birthday?" She asks.

"June 21st." I say. "2000."

She nods and checks her watch and a handwritten paper on the wall.

"It's March, now. You've got a good three months until you're fifteen." She says, sitting back down.

"You actually kept track of time?" I asked.

"We've been here since the start." She sighs. "Lost a lot of people."

"I'm sorry." I say. "That's like the greeting now. You meet people, you learn about them, you have to say sorry because everyone has lost someone."

"You're a nice girl, Maureen. How long have you been with the group?" She asks.

"It's only been a good month. I was separated with my friends and I tried to take my life, but... Carl found me just as I was about to." I say.

"You and Carl must be close then." She smiled politely.

"Somewhat." I say.

"Well, since you're simply a teenager, we won't cast out jobs for you." She begins. "But, you'll have to go to school. There are five other kids that are just near your age, not including Carl."

"There's a school?" I ask.

"In an unoccupied garage." She says and stands.

"Oh, alright. Are we done?" I ask as Deanna nods.

"Thank you for your time, honey." She says and assists me out as Noah walks in.

"Good luck." I mouth to him.

When I get out, I see Carl waiting on the porch.

"It wasn't that bad." I chuckle and he turns his head.

"I was about to go meet some of the kids here." He says. "I was wondering if you wanted to come."

"Sure, I'll go." I say, walking next to him. "Deanna said there were five of them."

He stopped in the middle of the street.

"Can we trust these people?" He asks.

"It doesn't seem like Terminus." I say.

"But, they seem civilized, like they've never been outside." He sighs. "If we stay here, it might make us weak."

"We won't be weak." I say.

"Alright." He sighs and shrugs, continuing to walk.

We reach the house where a taller boy is standing.

"Hi, I'm Ron." He sticks his hand out and smiles.

"Maureen." I return the smile and shake his hand.

Carl flinches a bit, but I ignore it.

"And, you're Carl?" Ron asks as Carl nods.

"My mom cut your dad's hair." He says.

Rick? A haircut?

"Well, come on in." He escorts us in and Carl follows with a close arm on my shoulder.

"Alright, guys. This is Carl and Maureen." Ron says, pointing to each of us.

I see a guy standing in the corner and a girl on the bed.

"This is Mikey and Enid, and the two others--Maya and Tripp will be joining us shortly." Ron says.

I freeze in my spot and Carl stares down at me.

"Maya and Tripp..?" I whisper to myself.

"Hey, Ron?" I hear the voice of my best friend.

"Maya?!" I say, shocked.

"Ma-maureen?!" She runs into the room.

"Maureen?!" I hear Tripp's voice.

"Oh my god." I gasp and immediately wrap my arms around my best friend.

She responds by hugging back and Tripp hugs us both.

"We'r--you're okay." He smiles widely.

"Yeah! You guys are here! That's awesome--I..." I took a step back and breathed. "Still processing this."

"You guys know each other, then." Ron chuckles a bit.

Carl stood there awkwardly as I stared from Maya to Tripp to Carl again.

"Oh, Carl," I say. "This is Maya and Tripp. They're the friends I was separated from."

He stares from Maya to Tripp--Tripp a little longer than Maya.

"We need to catch up." Maya smirks and pulls my arm.

Carl flinches and reaches for my hand as I give him a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine."

"Just be back here later." He says, squeezing my hand, then letting go.

"Come on, Tripp." I laugh as I drag my two friends out to talk about the events of what has happened this past month or two.

Everything's falling into place,

which may or may not be a good thing.