Leah Grimes

Chapter 105

We started a fire on our land, with the group of us huddling around it. I had just sat down when I heard gun shots.

I followed behind Daryl as we ran over to Carol. "What happened?" She pointed into the woods, "whisperers, three of them. They went that way." Michonne nodded, "split up, capture them, don't kill."

After an hour I met up with Daryl, and we found Carol. "No sign of them anywhere. No tracks or nothing, are you sure you saw three of them?" Michonne asked. Carol nodded, "yes, I'm sure." I pointed at her pill bottle, "how long have you been taking those?" She scoffed, "they're like coffee, I'm fine. We can't stay out here. Daryl nodded, "fine, we'll find a place with walls, hole up get some sleep."

We walked until we found an abandoned school, I slept first, leaning against a cold wall. I felt someone kneel down beside me softly shaking me awake, "hey." I opened my eyes to see Daryl beside me, "it's your watch." I groaned standing up, and he followed me into the other room. "Look after Carol." I nodded looking across the room to see Carol pop another pill. "Sure," I whispered.

As soon as he had left I saw the other door swing shut, Carol was gone. "Fuck." I spat chasing after her. I followed her into some sort of gym and my eyes widened when I saw her swinging her knife around screaming. "CAROL." I yelled a few times trying to get her attention. I grabbed onto her shoulder and I let out a painful cry as her knife cut across my cheek. She stood over top of me as if she didn't know me. I kicked her back and watched as she fell cutting her arm on a sharp metal edge.

"What the hell happened?" Daryl asked with everyone following behind. I clutched my face feeling the blood cover my hand. "Help her," I whispered. Michonne knelt down to me, "it's deep." I cringed as she brushed her finger along my cut. "She was out here, yelling and fighting ghosts. I tried to stop her and she stared at me as if I was the enemy she looked as if she was going to kill me." Michonne helped me up, "I'm sorry, oh god. We need to get them both back."

I followed behind, as two people helped Carol walk, when we got to Alexandria I sat myself onto an infirmary bed. I watched as Saddiq and the new doctor attended to Carols arm first. "How's your face feeling?" Sadiq asked. I shrugged, "as if someone dragged a knife through it."

He smiled touching the cotton pad to my face. "Just a few stitches, you should be good to go." I sighed, "go for it."

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I woke up the next morning to see Carol was already awake, "I'm sorry," she whispered. "It's alright," I gave her a small smile pushing myself off the bed. I checked my face in the mirror and met Siddiq at the door. He was bent over grabbing a post trying to collect his breath. "Siddiq?" I asked trying to gain his attention. "What's going on? Talk to me?"

When he finally stood up he barely met my eyes, "I'm fine. I'm fine." I shook my head, "no you're not. What's going on?" He sighed, "can we keep this between us?" I nodded sitting down on the porch with him beside me. "Do you have PTSD?" He asked. I bit my lip, "I think so. I mean I think I've seen so much that nothing really triggers me. But when I sleep I keep my legs closed and curled up. I do that, because of what that boy did to me." Siddiq shook his head, "I know how much you've been through, and it's heavy. Especially for someone your age. I shouldn't be comparing this..." I scoffed, "you're right you shouldn't be comparing anything. What we've both been through are completely different and terrifying things. Which means that nothing I've seen can invalidate what you've seen. Believe me I have a good sense of what people think when they look at me. When I look at you, I see someone who lost their parents too. Who my brother fought for and that therefore means I will always fight for you. You now have a kid to worry about, you deal with the traumas of everyone else's life as your heal them here. You dealt with me, god I was so scared to come here that night, but I knew your only intentions were to help me. I know that you have to hold the burden of being the only survivor from Alpha, and that's a lot. I'm sorry."

Siddiq turned to me, "thank you. I wanted to tell someone how I felt, but I can't get the words out. You summed it up pretty good there." I gave him a small smile, "do you have PTSD? Are you thinking about it a lot?" He nodded, "ever since Lydia got here, I can't stop myself. I know it's not her fault." I sighed, "tell me about it, that night." Siddiq shook his head, "I can't, I know how much Enid and Henry meant to you." I met his eyes, "you tell me about that night, and I'll talk to you about something. We talk to each other." He gave me a small smile, "deal."