Still breathing | Carl Grimes TWD

04

"Broadcast on emergency radio will be approaching on highway 85. Anybody reads, please respond. Hello, hello, can anybody hear me? Hello? Anybody out there?" Rick said into the radio. He got no response.
We drove for another ten minutes before the car stopped. We ran out of gas. Rick took a picture out of the visor, I assumed it was his wife and kid. Then we both got out, let Ford out, and grabbed our shit.

It was twenty minutes before we finally found a house. Rick put his things down and looked at me, "Stay here while I ask for some gas."
"Sir, yes sir," I said while doing a little salute. I didn't stay there after he went inside the house, instead, Ford and I went over to some horses. One white, the other brown, both though were huge.
I put down a bag and climbed the fence, sitting down on the top. Reaching my hand out to the white horse as it approached me.

Rick came out all of a sudden and grabbed his things, he walked over to Ford and me quickly. "Will be going horseback."
I nodded and slowly hopped on the horse's back when it got close enough. It didn't seem to startle when I was on it. Rick handed me my other bag and opened the gate. Then he went to try and get on the brown horse.
Rick took off first, then I followed him a bit slower. Ford was easily able to keep up with the horses.

The ride was pretty quiet, only the horses galloping could be heard. Rick and I didn't speak, whatever he'd seen in that house shook him. I didn't push him to talk.

☢︎︎☢︎︎☢︎︎

"The city doesn't seem like a good idea, Mr. Rick. It's gotta be swarmed by walkers, it had a lot of people and not everyone could be evacuated," I tried to change Rick's mind. It was a bad idea, but he wouldn't budge.
"I know, but it's my best bet to find my son and wife, maybe we can even find your family past the city?" Rick said, trying to justify his logic.
"Can we at least just stop for a minute! My ass is numb and Ford needs a water break."
"Yeah, yeah," Rick said while slowing down his horse. I slowed mine as well and handed Rick the reins before I hopped off.

Ford instantly sat down and let me take the bowl out of his little backpack. I placed it on the ground and poured some water into the bowl, filling it back up when he drank it all. Ford and I sat next to each other for about ten minutes as he laid his head on my lap.
When we got up, I poured some water on Ford before going and getting back on the horse. Ford was charged back up now, and we got back on the road.

Finally, we got to the city. It reminded me of a comic book I read once. The city looked horrible, dead. We began walking past a bus that broke down, the walkers inside it coming back to life as they heard us.
I couldn't help but have this pit in my stomach, something was going to happen. Things have been going too smoothly for something to not.
We began going past a tank, it looked like there would be a couple of good ways to get Ford inside it. Nice hiding spot if the hatches could get closed.

I started hearing this loud noise... Like something big was coming. I looked up at the sky as the noise began to get louder. A helicopter. Then loud groans could be heard from every direction.
I looked around and saw walkers from every direction. "Tank Ford, get in that," I yelled and pointed at the tank. Ford ran over to it and looked at me. "In it Bud!"
Ford was able to get up it and jumped in the hole. I grabbed my shit and got off the horse, hitting its ass, and ran to the tank.
Rick ran over and helped me up, I jumped in and waited a minute before closing the hatch. Rick went under the tank.

I leaned against the wall as I watched Rick climb in and close the hatch. I slid to the ground and Ford sat next to me.
The "dead" body came to life when Rick sat down next to it. The man pulled out his gun.
I covered Ford's ears, "Don't!"

Rick fired the gun. My head felt like it was spinning. Everything was spinning as I looked around, I couldn't hear anything when Rick tried to talk to me. I leaned back and closed my eyes.

I flinched when Rick grabbed my arm, I opened my eyes and looked at him confused. He pointed at the hatch and pulled me over to it, then helped me up. Ford was already up.
Finally, I was able to hear again. "Come on, someone's helping up out," Rick said before jumping off the tank. Ford followed him and I slid off the tank.
Rick began killing walkers to win his gun like a mad man, all he was doing was drawing more unwanted attention to us. I chopped a few heads off when they got too close for comfort, keeping Ford close to me, though.

We were about to walk past an ally before some Korean guy came out with his hands up, Rick almost shot up.
"Same side! The same side," the guy was yelling. "Come on," the guy said after Rick lowered his gun. He had us follow him to some ladder. I looked at it with dread clear on my face.

The guy started climbing up it. Then Rick looked at me, "You go first, I'll go after you."
"No..."

"What do you mean no," Rick asked, "we have to go, Clare!"
"No! You go. I'm not leaving Ford."
"Clare! This is your life we're talking about! Don't throw it away for a dog!"
"Screw you!" I yelled. Then I began to run, Ford following after me.

That was the last time I'll see Rick Grimes.

☢︎︎☢︎︎☢︎︎

Walkers were everywhere, it was almost impossible to get out of that alleyway, but somehow we did. Ford got a nasty scratch, but he'll be fine after we get it cleaned. Walker bites or scratches didn't affect animals as they did with humans.

"Guess we're on our own again," I looked at Ford. He just looked up at me.

We went inside some store as it started to rain. The store was dark and not much stuff had been taken off the shelves. So far it was clear. Ford and I sat on the ground as I rummaged through the bag for some hydrogen peroxide. When I grabbed the bottle I made Ford lay down.
I sprayed the stuff all over the scratch until he was soaked, I watched as it bubbled up. Then I used my spare shirt to wipe it off. Then I quickly bandaged the wound.

"We're fine on our own."

I heard groaning, lots of it. Slowly I got up and picked up my sword, I made Ford stay as I started walking. I slowly walked to the back of the store, then I heard a car alarm.

Shit.

Then something lunged at me, knocking my weapon out of my hand and on top of me. I held back a scream as I shoved the walker away, trying to grab the small blade out of my boot, but failed to do so.
I heard a bell ring and footsteps. Suddenly the walker was kicked off me and its head bashed in. I looked up and saw the guy from before.
Ford ran over to me, dragging my two bags with him. I sat up and pet him. The guy killed the walker and held his hand out to me, I took it.

"Thank you," I said, a little out of breath. I reached down and picked up my blade, putting it back on its saber.
"Your welcome, kid," he said with a smile. He took the bags from Ford and started to pull me out of the store with him.
We all got in the car and the guy quickly drove away. We were heading out of the city.

"The names Glenn, Glenn Rhee."

"Clarissa Dixon."

Glenn looked at me with a shocked expression. I looked at him confused, "What."

"As in Daryl and Merle Dixon?"

"How do you know those names," I quickly turned to him. He looked at me for a second before looking at the road.
"They're at our camp, how do you know them?"

"I'm Daryl's daughter."