Grace
It had been a week since Dale died. Andrea blamed me. They all blamed me. They would yell at me sometimes. I just stood there and took it. They were mad, I understood. But I'm a kid, and he wasn't ready. That's just how it works.
After being shouted at by Andrea again I walked off towards the barn. I slid my hand across the smooth metal handle. I walked inside to see blood and dried up grass. I let out a breath I had been holding in a while.
I climbed up the ladder, exited the upper window and climbed onto the roof of the barn to see Beth sitting up there. I just started to quietly walk back down not wanting to disturb her.
"It's okay, you can stay." She said without even turning around. I nodded and sat next to her. "Sometimes it's good to think. I don't believe it's your fault. You're only a kid, he had his own responsibilities too." She said.
"Thanks." I said and sniffled. "How are you so happy all the time?" I asked.
She giggled a little. "That's the funny thing. I'm not." She replied.
"Me neither." I said back.
"I just don't care anymore. Someone could come up here wanting to kill me right now and I wouldn't resist or beg for my life." I said as Beth looked up at me with pain in her eyes. "Why do you look so sad?" I asked.
"I feel this way too. I just feel so awful that you, and at your age... have to feel like this." She said.
"It's okay. I've accepted it. I accept most things. Especially my own fate. You were right, it is the funny thing." I sighed.
"I think it's best to be ready, you know? To accept that you will die. That you could die anytime. Especially now. Loads of ways to go too. Pain only lasts in the moment. You can't feel it in the future or past. You just gotta get through it, most people do that for a better outcome. I just wanna see what comes next." I said.
She nodded. "You sure know how to make a speech." Beth giggled.
"Yeah. I'm good at a lot of stuff." I replied.
"Ever just feel useless?" Beth asked.
"Yeah. But I don't at the same time. I sure feel useless now. Everyone's mad at me. Like I said, I've learned to accept lots of things. This being one of them. I'm used to being told it's my fault, and that I was irresponsible."
She just leaned in and hugged me. "Not your fault." She whispered.
"I know." I whispered back. As we released the hug, we sat in silence for a moment until Beth said, "What happened to you? Like at the beginning or before all this?"
"Lori, Rick, and my parents were all best friends since they were really young. My parents got together and so did Lori and Rick. They all got married, Lori and my mom got pregnant at the same time. Carl and I are a day apart. He's a day older. We were in 8th grade. Rick was shot. On Halloween night they started coming at us. Shane saved us. My mom got bit. She turned and bit my dad. Lori and Shane packed us up in the car. Shane tried to save Rick but was unsuccessful. We had a camp, Rick found us. That failed. We lost Sofia. Carl and I were shot. Now we're here. How about you?" I said with a straight face the whole time.
"How did you tell that without any pain? Even the part about your... parents." Beth asked.
"I wanna feel okay, but I can't. I'm too- too numb!" I said as I felt a year slip out of my eye.
I smiled and whispered so only I could hear myself. "I'm not numb. I don't have to be okay anymore." I got up and started climbing down the ladder. "See ya later Beth." I said.
"Bye Grace." She said not looking back.
I climbed into the barn and screamed as I saw a much older kid with a badly injured leg grabbing me as I got down. "Stay where you are Beth!" I cried.
"SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE!" I shouted as I tried to kick down the kid. "LET GO OF ME! LET GO!" I screeched as he clawed at my leg with a firm grip on my boot.
"Grace!" I heard people yelling.
"GRACE!" I heard Carl scream. By this point the kid had already gotten me down on the ground and started to lift me up with him. He must've gotten out of his ropes.
Who was he though? And why was he in the barn? Why didn't I know? He had me in a chokehold with a small yet sharp knife to my neck. "Please don't!" I yelled. So much for not begging for my life...
The barn doors swung open and I saw Rick Daryl Shane and Carl. As he pinned me down I kicked him harshly so he flew upwards then back. I got up and ran out of the barn and to my tent.
I felt warm liquid trickling down my lips to my chin. I wiped my face to see blood. Crap, I'd gotten a bloody nose. Or worse, it hurt pretty bad.
"Grace what happened? I heard you screaming! Oh my gosh your face are you okay?" Glenn asked with a worried look upon his face.
"I'm fine. Who's that creep in the barn." I monotonously asked.
"Think his names Randall. He was shooting at the group but he got injured and for some reasons they saved him and brought him back. What did he do to you! Your nose looks... broken!" He responded.
"Feels like it. He just attacked me." I muttered. "Why did you go in the barn?" Glenn asked. "I was on the roof with Beth talking for a long time. Didn't hear any of it. Not like anyone would care where I was anyways." I said back.
"That's not true." Glenn said.
"Thanks for trying to be nice." I mumbled. "You got a towel or something? I just want to get the blood off my face." I said as I wanted to quickly change the subject.
"Yeah uh ill be right back." I nodded at him as he walked away.
I just couldn't do anything right. I tried to get away from them to help them, but it hurt them both times. Carl and I were more distant. So we're Lori Rick and I. We just shared a tent. We were like strangers and I didn't get why. I made a mistake. It's human. I didn't serve a purpose. But I'll keep living. But I won't try hard. I'll just be.
So how do you like the chapter? I think it was good, but I want to get Grace back to normal but with some of her current views. I've already created the end of the story in my head. Jeez I cried making it up... anyways I'm so surprised I've made it to 17 chapters. I started writing this really for me. Now I have like 60-70 reads. I have one person reading rn who seems really into it. I'm very excited someones enjoying my stories! Enjoy your day night or morning wherever you are! I'll post more soon, just busy with school! Xoxo
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The Girl Next Door • Carl Grimes
Fanfiction"She's had many names, but to me she'll always be Grace Evans, the girl next door." - Carl Grimes. Carl Grimes and Grace Evans are family friends, neighbors, and best friends. They were born one day apart, and of course their parents are the best o...
