𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍. 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘭 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴

⤷ 1

POV - CHARLOTTE SMITH

"Okay...I got this." Charlotte whispered as she looked at the store in front of her. She had only seen a few walkers so she figured she would be okay. She had done this many of times, she was used to killing the dead. It was easier for her, though she still held a sense of sadness when it came to who they used to be. Gripping her knife, she slowly crept up to the front of the building, it was midday and she was tired. The day's had blurred together ever since she left Negan, she hadn't eaten in days. Having little supply of water, she decided she had to go on a run.

So she had left her makeshift camp and found the store. Due to the lack of nutrition, Charlotte was weak and she knew that but she kept herself strong. Doing countless workout sessions, things she saw Negan make some of his friends do to stay in top tier shape. It was something brutal, growing up around him and the Saviors. She was forced on run after run, mass murder after mass murder. She hated going, but it taught her to be strong. Her eyes scanned the perimeter, after she was satisfied with the amount of silence and emptiness she moved up slowly.

"Okay...let's see what ya got for me." She whispered as she approached the broken glass door, looking inside she noticed the walkers were at the back of the store. "Makin' it easy." She smirked as she slowly went through, careful not to step on any leftover broken glass. The checkout counter was to the left of the doors when she walked in. A small store to say the least. She snuck around the side of the counter and looked down to watch her step. There was money on the floor along with scattered trash she avoided. After getting a good spot she looked over at the walkers in the corner. It would be light work since she wouldn't actually have to fight them, just wait. When she had first set out she was exhausted, never really having a strategy just running up to the walkers and stabbing them. Now, she was smarter, thought of easier ways to do it so she could continue keeping herself safe.

After looking at the backs of them for a moment longer, she held her knife up and pursed her lips. "Let's do this." She said cocking her head like she had an attitude before whistling to the walkers. Their heads snapped to her, a mess of moans and groans instantly came barreling towards her. Well, not exactly barreling but they headed her way. She scowled as she saw the first one, it was a women. Her face was half ripped off, her clothes were tattered and she was absolutely mortifying. The woman couldn't have lasted long after it happened, she died early. Charlotte groaned in disgust as she waited for the walker to lean over the counter and try to grab her. The walker began to reach for Charlotte and she backed up a bit in disgust before slamming the knife in its head. It dropped instantly and she yanked the knife back.

Blood splattered everywhere coating her already dirty clothes as she waited for the other walker. It was a man, he had a shirt that wasn't completely tattered. It was an auto repair shirt, the name on the chest of the shirt read Joey. "So long Joey." Charlotte muttered as she stabbed it. She pulled her knife back and wiped her forehead before looking on for the rest. There was one more she couldn't reach since the other two were piled up, blood dripped from the counter as she moved to the left to attract the other walker.

This one caused her to pause a moment. Dropping the knife to her side she stared at it. It was a man, his appearance wasn't horrible like the other two. He looked like he was in his mid-forty's, salt and pepper hair covered his head. More dark than grey though, he reminded her of Negan. Even though she hated him, she missed him. He was all she knew after her mother died. Charlotte caught herself thinking about Lucille and Negan before Lucille's death. She loved her, even though she wasn't her mother. It was something she missed dearly, the feeling of being safe and not afraid all of the time.

Charlotte sighed and shook her thoughts away before stabbing the walker, waiting a minute before yanking the knife. More blood splattered but she didn't care as she put the knife back into its sheath and left from behind the counter. She needed batteries, food, water. Looking around the shelves, she made quick work of picking up every item she saw in case she needed it. Charlotte smiled as she found a few cans of food, making sure not to take them all in case someone else needed them. Even though she had it rough, she knew there were still people like her. Alone and afraid, she never took more than she needed. She didn't find any water but the food was good for the moment. Going to the opposite side of the store she saw clothes on hangers. There was a stand where she found a pair of sunshades and picked them up, a smile appearing on her face.