The Girl Next Door • Carl Grimes

Chapter 20: Something Bad's About to Happen

Grace

I woke up from my post sleepover nap, and looked over at Beth and smiled, thinking about our fun night last night. My smile quickly vanished when I felt and overwhelming feeling of terror take me over.

Something bad was going to happen.

I had to go see him. I got up, quietly to be sure I wouldn't wake up Beth.

I snuck outside to their little camp on the farm. I saw the whole Grimes' family sitting around the little fire having dinner. I walked up, and stood there as they all went silent and just looked at me.

I decided to sit down in the open seat around the fire.

"Go ahead, say something." I said to Lori and Rick who were sitting there with their jaws practically unhinged.

"Grace, we're so sorry. Andrea created this story, about how you were the one who made the walker kill him. And we stupidly believed her. We never should have. Grace, I'm so sorry. And we miss you so much."

"No mom, not we. I never believed her, and I tried to tell you." Carl said.

I looked at him, you know when there's just one person, where their eyes are full of expression? That person is usually the one you love the most.

His eyes showed love, and that he was sorry.

"I just don't get it. You say I'm your daughter now. You've known me since the minute I was born. You have saved me countless times. And you throw that all away for her? Someone you don't even know, or like all that much? I just feel... I feel... so... disposable! Like you never cared about me. I don't want to believe it's true, but do I really have any choice?" I cried with tears streaming down my face.

"And if it weren't my mother, you were supposed to be the one there for me last night! Not Beth! I love Beth so much. But it was supposed to be you!" I cried.

"What was supposed to be me, honey?" She asked with tears in her eyes.

"Never mind. You don't need to know. It's all in the past now." I said.

"I'm pregnant." She blurted out.

Carl's eyes grew wide, and I saw Shane from the other fire pit get a weird, weird look on his face.

I looked at Lori, speechless, then at Shane.

I gasped.

I figured it out.

I was so full of anger, I ran up to Shane and started screaming at him. Right after I kicked him really hard, in the nuts. 

"SCREW YOU ASSHOLE! HOW DARE YOU." I screamed at him.

He got up, and grabbed my throat and threw me into the tree trunk. He picked me back up, I was nearly unconscious, and he held his gun to my head.

"Yeah, Rick. I banged your wife. I want her back. She loves me, not you. Not you. She's mine now." He shouted.

Carl started to run up to help me, but Shane pulled out his other gun and fired it over his head.

"CARL NO!" I screamed.

Lori rushed Carl into the Greene home. Rick had his gun aimed at Shane now.

"Rick, don't!" I said gasping for air, as I was being held in a chokehold by Shane. It was very confusing, as it was dark out.

I knew what I had to do. I reached for my knife that was strapped onto my belt.

"Shane. Please, put the gun down!" Rick cried.