not a big deal~carl grimes

<three>

i was shaken awake early the next morning. my eyes fluttered open to see carol sat above me, 'taylor sweetie, they're going further in a while. you best get up and prepared.'

i stretch, sitting up, still tired despite sleeping better than i had in what felt like forever. 'what?' i questioned. as i had just woken up, i wasn't exactly obtaining information or listening to her properly.

'they're going further into the prison, maggie glenn, rick, daryl and t-dog.' she repeated. 'you better get up and ready, they need you guarding the fence.'

i scrambled to my feet, making sure my blanket and book were back in my bag as that was all i had taken out the night before.

i tied my hair up into a messy bun so that it would be out my face before following carol to the gate where everyone was gathered, ready to push the walkers further.

rick took the chains off the fence before sliding the gate open. t-dog immediately used his crowbar to stab a walker through the eye and daryl stabbed another through the chin as they moved in a huddle.

the rest of us stayed by the fence. we would use our wepons to bag on it and make as much noise as possible to attract the walkers to us so we could kill them through the fence and get them away from the few of us who had gone inside.

i watched as they would individually step away from their huddle to kill whatever stumbled and limped towards them. t-dog picked up a guards shield, knocking one to the floor, leaving it for maggie to stab.

they disappeared round the corner, leaving me to see nothing going on from this point.

a couple came towards the fence where i was stood with hershel and carl. i grabbed one through the fence, pulling it down to a level where i could drive my knife through its temple. carl had his gun up, ready to shoot the one just behind it but i pushed him back, shoving my blade right between its eyes when it tried to bite me.

'what the hell taylor?' carl pulled me back.

'don't shoot them. get them over here and the rest of us will just stab them.'

'but it nearly had your arm.' he argued. 'you could've been bitten.'

'but i wasn't. and your dad said there isn't much ammo left so don't waste a bullet on one walker.'

'i was trying to save you. you could have died.'

'it's not a big deal.'

'what the hell are you talking about?!'

before i could answer him, lori chimed in 'language carl.'

he rolled his eyes at his mom as i answered him 'i'm not one of you, i'm an outsider. if i get bit who cares, just kill me.'

'i care.' he blurted out.

did he really care about me? or was it a heat of the moment, argument kind of response? i would ask him later but for now i just wanted to focus on getting the group through and clearing more of the prison.

i didn't answer him as i went back to the fence, drawing in more walkers and stabbing them through their heads as that was the only part that would actually kill them.

i moved round to the other side of hershel to see what was going on. they were now fighting walkers that were dressed to once be prison guards. they had locked more behind another fence and were fighting the few that were left out.

they went further. they walked up the steps in a caged off section that lead to the door to a cell block. they disappeared inside so i couldn't see anything that happened after that.

a few minutes passed before glenn came out, opening up the gate to lead us inside the cell block that the others had gone into. it ws dark and gloomy but looked somewhat safe. as safe as we could get now anyway.

'it's secure?' lori asked.

'this cellblock is.' rick answered.

'what about the rest of the prison?' hershel asked.

'in the morning, we'll find a cafeteria and infirmary.'

'we sleep in the cells?' beth asked.

'i found keys on some guards. daryl has a set too.'

' ain't sleeping in no cage.' daryl argued the arrangement. 'i'll take the perch.'

we all disappeared into different cells. i took one at the end. carl followed me in. 'mind if i stay in a cell with you?' he asked.

i didn't realise he was behind me so i jumped when he started talking. 'oh my god, carl. you're terrifying.'

'sorry. didn't mean to scare you.' he laughed at himself making me jump.

'it's fine just warn me when you're right behind me from now on. you'll come to learn that while nothing really scares me, i tend to be a bit jumpy.'

'really.' he teased 'i hadn't noticed. so can i stay in here with you?'

'why?'

'well i'm not sleeping in with my parents, i'm not 5.'

'no, that's not what i mean.' i flopped down on the bottom bunk 'why with me. i'm sure other people would be happy to sleep in the same room as you.'

'well, beth's with hershel, maggie and glenn are obviously together, and my mom and carol are together for some reason, daryls not even in a cell, and i don't think my dad's even going in a cell.'

'wow, so i'm the last resort.' i pretended to be offended.

'i want to stay in with you anyway. you're cool. you're not afraid of anything.' he sat beside me before joking 'other than me of course.'

i gently punched his arm to tell him that i didn't find him funny, even though i secretly did. he probably knew that from the way my lips were pressed tightly together to hide a smile that was trying to push its way through.