Anything - Carl Grimes

ix. Killing

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'Breaking news; A family of seven, near the end of the town has been brutally murdered in their sleep. Police is still investig-' Carmen furrowed her brows as Josh turned off the TV, cutting the news off.

"I'm not scared, you know?" Carmen said with her mouth full of cereal.

"How many times do I have to tell ya to keep ya mouth closed when eatin', girl? Jeez." Josh chuckled as he kept on writing the grocery list. Carmen kept on eating but felt the need to ask more questions.

"Why do people kill others?" Carmen asked, tilting her head.

"Adrenaline?" Josh scoffed sarcastically. Carmen kept on staring and waiting for a real answer. Josh looked up at her, taking off his glasses. "I'll answer ya when I kill someone one day, yeah?"

"What would ya do if I killed someone one day?" Carmen asked sarcastically.

"Help ya hide the evidence." Josh high-fived her. "Now eat otherwise you're Mother will be the one who'll start killin' if you're late to school again."

...

Why do people choose not to live? I think I'm scared of that. Why wouldn't Beth want to live? Why did she cut herself? Better question; why did I ever leave her side? Andrea wouldn't leave Beth alone if I didn't go with Carl.

Carmen leaned against the doorframe, staring at Beth's bloody wrist that Hershel was stitching up. They were fresh clean cuts from the glass and it made Carmen nauseous. I should have stayed, Carmen repeated in her head.

Carmen felt someone pull her backward and out of the room. Carmen resisted the urge to roll her eyes when she saw Maggie. "She'll be okay, hon. You don't have to watch."

"I should have stayed." Carmen sighed making Maggie put her hands on Carmen's shoulders.

"It's not your fault. I shouldn't have left her with Andrea." Carmen didn't argue any further but she blamed herself. "Come on, let's eat something." Carmen nodded and helped Maggie make something to eat. Everyone already did except two of them. They took their plates and walked to the dining room. They ate in silence before Maggie spoke up. "You started hangin' around Carl a little too much?"

"What?" Carmen furrowed her brows.

"You like Carl?" Maggie smirked but Carmen just rolled her eyes.

"He's annoying but I only hang out with him 'cause he's the only kid who wanted to hang out with me. Ever." Carmen explained, showing food in her mouth. Maggie found those words sad. Especially if it came from a ten-year-old.

"Sure." Maggie scoffed out a laugh making Carmen roll her eyes at her again. "Stop rollin' your eyes or they'll get stuck back there."

...

When Rick and Shane got back, they still had Randall. They told the group that Randall knew where the farm was so they couldn't let him go. Randall was locked in a small shed outside the house, and Carmen became curious. Curious how he survived out there. Where did he live? Was he alone? So she decided to talk to him.

She snuck to the shed where Randall was locked in. She got in through the window and started walking down the ladders, getting Randall's attention. "Hey, hey." He smiled, thinking the little girl in front of him was going to help him. "I-I'm Randall." He said when she jumped off the last stair, right in front of him.

"I know." Carmen stared at him blankly, rocking side to side. Randall waited for her to say something but she just stared and stared.

"What's your name?" Carmen noticed how friendly he smiled at her, making her a bit happy. No one- other than her family and now Carl -was ever happy to see her as Randall now was.