Bitten

No Tears

"Don't let Charlie see this," she heard as she sat on the mattress she peaked her head out of the cell.
Carl saw Charlie peaking and quickly blocked her view.
"Charlie, whatever you're about to see right now promise me you won't.." Carl soothed.
"Won't what? Move out of my way Carl." Charlie warned. And there she saw it, Hershel on a table with one leg. She gasped, her hands flew to her mouth.
"Charlie. Don't." Carl said as he held her back. She held her hands out as if she would reach him somehow.
"Get her out of here, Carl" Lori warned as she grabbed towels. Charlie shook her head, she wanted to be free. She wanted to cry and let them flow but nothing came out except for a croak.

She was guided out by Carl with his hands still around her.
"Charlie.." Carl started.
"Don't, not right now. Please?" She cried. He nodded and understood what she meant. He let her lay on his shoulders as long as she needed to.

"Will he be okay..?" Charlie asked Lori at his bedside. Lori looked up and Charlie could see it in her eyes. Charlie spotted the handcuffs that tied him to the bed.
"We think it'd be best if you slept in another room for tonight" Carol spoke up. Everyone nodded in agreement, Charlie understood what they meant.
"Uhh.. You can share my room if you want.. The bottom bunk is empty." Carl implied. Charlie swore she could see something flash in his eyes but it went as fast as it came. She nodded and got her blanket but decided to leave her clothes, it was only for one night.

"Carl? Are you awake?" Charlie asked from the bottom bunk. It was the dead of night and everything was silent.
"Yeah" Carl said.
"I can't sleep.." Charlie sighed. She heard shuffling above her and soon Carl was sitting next to her.

While leaning close to her he said, "Do you think we will survive?". He couldn't see Charlie's expression in the dark but he could tell by her gasp.
"W-What?" Charlie stuttered.
"I don't know if I could do this everyday. Wake up and fight, starve." He whispered. She gave him a hug and let her hands rest on him.
"Don't you wish life was normal again?" She finally spoke.
"If it was, I would've never met you.." Carl responded. Charlie lifted her hands from his shoulders and he stopped her by holding her hands in his.
"You became friends with me.. so quickly." Charlie asked.
She could hear him chuckle lightly and it made her smile.
"Come, I want to show you something" Carl urged. Guided by his hand she followed him in the dark.
"Look," Carl said. Charlie couldn't see anything but darkness, overpowering her eyesight.
She heard a door open and she could see the lot up sky.
"Where are we??" Charlie asked.
Carl shrugged, there were tables and buttons. Charlie implied that maybe this was a viewing room for the prison guards to watch the prisoners outside. But for now it was like a glass dome that protected her. It reminded Charlie of a field trip she took, her school was small and field trips were rare but they had went to a museum. That's what she thinks it was called.
"Here, Sit." Carl urged her as he pulled up a chair. She sat, mesmerised by the stars. How shameful of the sky, to be so pretty; Don't they know what's happening below?
"That one right there; that's Astoria, it's my favourite constellation. One day if I have a daughter, I'm naming her that" Carl pointed. Charlie smiled, awestruck by this side of him. He pulled her chair closer to his and they dozed off while looking at the stars.