Living With the Dead (A Walking Dead and Supernatural Story)

Chapter 8

   "You can't be weak. If you're weak, you die." He said as I read about werewolves.

   "What makes someone weak?" I asked.

   "You better figure that out," he answered.

   My eyes opened and I was disoriented at first. I had no clue where I was. I remembered the walkers. The noise of an alarm. I didn't know how long I was asleep for. I tried to swallow but my throat and mouth were too dry. I stood up and and pressed my ear against the door to listen for growling. I didn't hear any and turned the handle. The door wouldn't open. Some how it had gotten locked. I banged my fist against it and tried to yell, but no sound came out. I looked around the room for a key but couldn't find one. In one the drawers I opened I found a picture. It was of a man in his guard uniform standing with who I assumed was his wife and daughter. The room was fairly dark and it was hard to tell. They looked happy. I wondered if my dad was okay. If he had known all of this would eventually happen, would he have given us a normal childhood. Probably not. I wondered if he would think I was weak for running and hiding and not trying to take out the walkers. Probably.

   Time past. I didn't know how much, but it felt like days. Probably wasn't. I thought of everyone. Of how I could die in here and never see Sam, Dean, Cas, or Scarlett again. How I wouldn't get to tell them how much I loved them. How I wouldn't get to thank Beth for being and older sister to me. How I wouldn't get to beat Carl in a race. How I didn't even know if anyone else was alive. It made me upset. It wasn't fair. That was my weakness. I couldn't accept that the world wasn't fair.

   In my anger I knocked over a jar that was on the cabinet. It shattered at my feet. I looked down to see a key in the rubble. I laughed for a second. Maybe the world was more fair than I gave it credit for. I carefully picked up the key to avoid being cut by the shards of glass. I rushed to the door and put the key into the lock. I held my breath as I turned it. Click. It worked. It actually worked. I slipped the key into my pocket and pulled my knife out. I crept down the hall slowly.

   As I turned a few corners I came across a man with an axe. It was dripping with blood. I tried to turn away quietly, but my shoe squeaked due to being wet from blood. The man looked towards me and I realized it was Rick. He seemed confused.

   "You're not real," he said.

   Before I could reply, he walked off to kill more walkers. I wasn't sure what to do, so I tried to find another way back to our cell block. Eventually I found my way to the cafeteria. I saw almost everyone there except for T-Dog, Lori, and Carol. Daryl was holding a baby. I wondered if Lori had died giving birth. I heard someone say oh my God and then Sam, Dean, and Cas rushed toward me wrapping me in a hug. Scarlett ran after them and jumped into my arms. I picked her up and hugged her tightly.

   "Where were you?" Sam asked shocked.

   I tried to speak, but my voice cracked immediately. Castiel grabbed me a water bottle and I drank the whole thing immediately.

   I cleared my throat, "There was a room. I hide in it to get away from the walkers. Some how it ended up locked and it took me awhile to find a key to get out."

   Sam and Dean shared a look. "We tried that door when we were looking for you, but since it was locked we figured you couldn't have gotten in and there was no reply when we called for you," Sam said.

   "I fell asleep not long after I went in. I must have been out cold," I explained.

   "You are never allowed out of my sight again," Dean said.

   I giggled and hugged them all again, "I love you guys."

I wanted to ask about those who weren't here and Rick, but I figured now wasn't the best time. The baby started crying and Beth handed Daryl a bottle. He fed her and she stopped crying.

   "She got a name yet?" Daryl asked Carl.

   "Not yet," Carl replied, "But I was thinking maybe Sofia. Then there's Carol, too. And...Andrea, Amy, Jacqui, Patricia, or...Lori. I don't know." I guess that answers my question about Lori and Carol. The others must be people they lost before.

   "You like that? Little ass-kicker," Daryl says then looks up at the rest of us, "Right? That's a good name, right?" We all laughed and smiled.

   Beth walked over to me, "I'm glad your okay. I was sad thinking that I lost my little sister already."

   "You can't get rid of me that easy."

   She laughed lightly, "Maybe you should have my dad take a look at you. Make sure you're okay."

   "I'm fine, probably dehydrated, but fine. Also, thanks for being a big sister to me." She hugged me by surprise and then walked over to look at the baby.

   I went to go clean off my hands that were still covered in walker blood and Carl followed me.

   "I'm sorry about your mom," I say.

   He looks down at the ground, "Thanks. I had to.... I was the one that...."

   My heart broke as I realized what he meant, "God, Carl, you shouldn't have had to. If you want to talk I'm here."

   "I don't. Not now. Anyway, I came over here to say I'm happy you're alive. It makes things suck less. You make things suck less." I didn't get a chance to say anything else before he walked away. I couldn't imagine being in his position. I don't think I could kill anyone in my family. The world is weird. I spend my childhood knowing it was my job to save people and now I might have to kill my own loved ones. I also changed my mind. It is as unfair as I thought. In what world does a kid have to shoot his own mom.