morph // C.Grimes

Chapter 14: Escape

His brown eyes met hers, dimming as his body recoiled backward. His lips moving, words muffled by the piercing ringing invading her eardrums. The currents of the river welcoming his falling body, tugging his crumbling form mercilessly down under.

She gasped softly, eyes opening to meet the inky blackness the cart. A hand on her arm, lightly gripping her bicep, body jumping in surprise.

"Its just me" Carl's voice whispered in the silence, face close to hers, feeling his breath fanning her cheek. "You had a nightmare" worry dripping from his voice.

The girl said nothing, inhaling the musty air slowly as she calmed her heartbeat. In silence, she lifted her body up, propping herself against the wall.

"Did I wake you?" She asked softly, feeling guilty, glancing around consciously. Daryl and Abraham the only ones seeming awake, perched by the sealed door as they eyes through the single crack.

"No, I couldn't sleep" Carl assured sheepishly, easing her guilt with the response. "To on edge" he muttered lowly. His gaze intense, she felt the familiar feeling of heat rising on her cheeks.

Caden scooted closer to the boy, their sides pressed together, body heat radiating off. She rested her head on his shoulder, his arm unsurely wrapping around her waist. His hand ghosting over the fabric of her shirt.

"It's okay" she whispered assuringly, at her words he placed his hand on her. The touch warm, she felt safe in his embrace, comforted by the hold.

Eventually sleep catching up to the teenager, lulling into a light slumber. Abahram catching sight of the cuddled up pair, glancing back at Daryl.

"Aren't they cute? Like two plushy little teddy bears" Abe mused, the ginger leaning back as he laxed for a brief moment.

"Yeah, wait till ye' put a weapon in their hands. Ain't so cute then" Daryl gruffily responded, looking back at the teenagers just as Abe did. The bulky ginger man only lightly laughed, turning his attention back outside.

------'

White clouded her vision, blinding her sight. Thick smoke involuntarily polluting her lungs, harsh coughs sputtering from her lips. A sharp ringing muffling all sounds, panic seeping in her chest as her senses failed her.

Her feet stumbled blindly, hands held out in alarm. The weaponized belt gripped tightly in her fist, squeezing the item to assure its presence. The uncontrollable coughs faltered her frame, caught off gaurd as a masked man invaded her sight. She swiped at the man, a poor attempt at his throat, only grazing the fabric of his shirt.

The man hissed under the gas mask, the butt of a gun ramming down on her head. Her thin frame tumbling onto the hard metal floor, palms outstretched in front of her, breaking her fall. The world spinning, her eyes squinted shut as the smoke began to irritated them.

The door slammed shut, sealing the remainder of the group inside once more. The smoke slowly disapparating, spiraling up in chaotic swirls as it seeped out of the cracks. Forcing her body to roll over, using what energy remained, a groan of pain releasing from her lips as her head began to throb. Green orbs staring up in a daze, the urge to simply lay there tempting her. Exhaustion tolling on her body, every pain, old and new, lulling her to close her eyes.

The only sound being the coughs of the others, the group temporarily stunned. The long seconds ticking by, watching as the smoke finally disappeared and clean air could fill her lungs. Then the rattle of bullets echoed in the air, drumming in ears rhythmically.

"Dad?!" Carl's call of worry snapped her back to reality, blinking to straighten her distorted thoughts.

"Glenn?!" "Bob?!" "Where's Daryl?" Voices mingled, calling out for those missing. The pounding of her heart in her ears, pressing her palms into the floor as she pushed herself up.