Afraid of the Living - Carl Grimes

☆ four

~time skip~

2054 words

Leah's POV:

"Why exactly are we doing this again?" I start asking Carl while wrapping Lola into a carrier on my chest.

"The herd got in, and we have to get through it."

I slip one of the ponchos on over the carrier. I throw up in my mouth a little at the sight of my friends rubbing walker guts on themselves.

"How do you know it'll work? What if they smell us?"

"Glenn and I did it once to get through a herd in Atlanta. They won't smell us." Rick assured me.

I nod. He starts rubbing the guts on my back and front. Gross. Disgusting. I look up, trying not to think about it.

"It smells like shit." I mumble.

Carl laughs at me.

"What? It does." I laugh back

~~~

This is terrifying. We're walking through and holding hands like it's a damn conga line. Rick is at the front, holding Carl's hand, who's holding onto mine. Enid is behind me. She squeezes my hand for reassurance. She's holding onto LJ's hand. I wish he didn't have to see this.

Rick pulls everyone aside.

"All right, new plan. Flares from a few guns aren't enough. Too many walkers, too spread out. We're not going to the armory."

He looks around for a second, thinking.

"We need our vehicles back at the quarry. All of us drive. We'll need to round 'em up. We leave, we come back."

"Okay. But Judith and Lola... to the quarry and back, I..." Jessie starts saying.

Everyone's silent.

"I'll take them. Keep them safe in my church until you all lead the walkers away." Gabriel steps up.

"Both of the babies? I don't think you can carry both." I interrupt.

"I'll go with him. Make sure Lola stays safe. I know you trust me with her." Enid offers.

"Thank you, Enid." I hug her before handing her the baby.

She creates a makeshift carrier out of her jacket under the poncho.

"Can you do this?" Michonne looks between Enid and Gabriel.

"I'm supposed to. She's supposed to. We have to. And we will." Gabriel replies.

Carl shifts Judith from under his poncho to Gabriel's.

"Take Sam and LJ." Jessie begs, LJ is looking at me as if to say he doesn't want to leave me.

"No." Sam interjects.

"Yes, Sam, it'll be safer."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Sam-"

"Mom, I'm not. I can keep going."

"Sam."

"I can keep going. Please. Please. Let's just go." Sam pleads his mother.

"Okay." Jessie finally gives in.

"I'm going to keep them safe." Gabriel reassures both me and Rick. Carl, too.

"Thank you." I reply.

Gabriel and Enid hold hands, making their way to the church together. The walkers disguise them.