FATHERS RIFLE • C.Grimes

ೀ⋆｡˚ CHAPTER 23 ೀ⋆｡˚

"HELP! HELP! PLEASE COME QUICK!" lizzy squealed, running out the prison building towards the courtyard. fayes head whipped around towards the younger girl then back to carl and rick. "stay close." rick told the two, a hint of protectiveness in his tone.

"cell blocks?!" maggie yelled from the guard tower "i don't know!!!" rick yelled back in urgency. "get in the guard tower with maggie. don't argue, go!" he instructed the two teens, gesturing over to the guard tower maggie was in.

carl and faye ran over to the front gates where michonne had turned around to come help. they both used all their strength to pull the gate open quickly, their muscles straining.

as michonne entered through the gate, two walkers followed behind. she hopped off her horse attempting to push the two into the walker traps, although the walkers were much stronger and pushed back. they knocked the woman over, michonne kicked one away, leading carl to shoot it with a nearby shotgun, michonne then managed to  flip the other walker onto the walker trap behind her before letting out a loud groan in agony. carl brought the horse in the gates while maggie and faye helped michonne up the path to the courtyard.

once they reached the courtyard, they met eyes with rick. carl ran up to his father, wrapping his arms around the man. "dad i'm sorry." his voice slightly croaked rick pushed his son back "you might wanna stay back."

"what happened in there?" concern flooded maggies tone as she spoke. "patrick got sick last night. it's some kind of flu, it moves fast. we think he died and attacked the cell block." rick revealed making carls face drop. "look, i know.. i know he was your friend and im sorry." rick placed his hands on his sons shoulder, glancing back to faye who seemed to be in shock, standing a couple of feet behind carl.

"glenn and your dads are fine but they were in there." he stood up, informing maggie and faye. faye was glad her dad was fine, she didn't know what she'd do if she'd lost him.

"you shouldn't get too close to anyone that might have been exposed." he alerted them all. carl ran back to the three, holding the door open so they could help michonne inside.

〰️

the girl sat down at the small metal table, watching carl who was sat on the ground working with two pieces of wood making a cross for patrick's grave. she didn't know patrick as well as carl, since she normally kept to herself and didn't like the thought of new people but it still stung to know he was gone. he was just another kid.

carol strolled into the prison a few moments later gaining carls attention. "do you know if patrick was catholic?" carl asked the woman, holding up the makeshift wooden cross. "he said he was a practicing atheist." carol replied, leaning against the table. "sounds like him" faye snickered.

"did you tell your dads what you saw in the library yesterday?" carol raised her eyebrows. "is that really relevant right now?" faye furrowed her brows, they'd just lost multiple group members and that was carols main concern?

"i have to keep teaching those kids how to survive. you both know that." the woman softly spoke. "did you tell their parents?" carl huffed. "no." she hesitantly shook her head. "are you going to?" carl said, annoyance fulfilling his tone. "if i do.. maybe after this they'll understand. but maybe they won't. i don't want to take that risk." she responded. "well that's between you and them." his patience wore thin.

"no. it's between me and you two." carol sat down on the seat opposite to faye. "if either of you tell your dads, they'll tell them. and like i said maybe they'll understand maybe they won't." she explained, her tone annoying faye. she spoke to them as if they were oblivious. "i don't wanna lie to my dad." faye muttered, resting her head on her hand. "i'm not asking you to lie. i'm asking you not to say anything." she let out a small smile in which she received a side eye from the girl.

everything seemed to be going wrong. more and more people were getting sick each day to the point where the council decided it's separate the 'most vulnerable' meaning the children would be separated from everyone else to prevent them catching the sickness. faye hated the plan, she wanted to be able to help the others not be stuck in a room with a bunch of kids.

she brought her purple backpack onto her bed, packing up some clothes, her toothbrush, her clothes and other necessities. "it's for the best ya know that right?" daryl leant against the doorway to her cell. "hm." she murmured, placing her knife and gun in her waistband. "acting as if it's the end of the world." he breathily chuckled. "you'll be fine." he added, ruffling her hair.

carl and faye sat together, awkwardly watching how the other kids just acted like it was any other day, playing with their toys or making up their own games to pass the time. she was grateful beth took it upon herself to be separated from them with baby judith, keeping her extra safe.

"i'm bored, gonna walk around. you coming?" carl stood up, reaching hand out to pull her up to her feet. "yeah, sure." she muttered, taking his hand and pulling herself up.

the two walked around the halls aimlessly, engaging in quiet chatter when scuffling from the other side of the hallway gained their attention. they turned the corner, spotting hershel on his way out of the prison "what are you doing?" carl questioned him. "i'm down here away from yall. cause you kids are supposed to stay away from me." hershel glared at the two in disapproval.

"we've been walking the halls. my dad told me to look out for everyone." carl said in a defensive tone. "well yall should keep your distance." he instructed. "you're heading towards the exit." faye stated, placing her hands on her hips.

"i need to go out there." hershel replied.

"to the cell blocks?" she raised her eyebrows.

"to the woods." he corrected.

"so you're sneaking out." carl stated, crossing his arms. "don't need anyone worrying about me and i damn sure don't want two kids telling me i can't go." the older man said in a frustrated tone.

"well we can't just let you go out into the woods by yourself." carls words were firm and determined. "let me?" hershel's tone carried a hint of mockery. "i can't stop you. but i have to tell my dad." carl told him. "go ahead then, i'll be out there by the time you find him." he began to walk off making the two teens follow him "hershel." faye called out, the man turned around, face full of annoyance. "if you have to go. then we have to come with you."

RIRIS NOTES
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20/9/24