The Girl Next Door • Carl Grimes

Chapter 22: Surrender

Grace

We drove off into the night. For all we knew, we could be the only part left to our little group. Though, I'm fairly certain Maggie and Glenn got out together.

What scared me more? What if we all made it, but aren't able to find each other.

No, Grace, no! Don't think that way.

Then, I started to think about Jimmy. Oh, Jimmy. He was so sweet to me.

Right then, as I was thinking about him. Beth asked, "Grace, did Jimmy make it? He with Rick and Carl?"

I shook my head, no.

Tears began to form in her eyes.

"H-he told me, before he went. If he didn't make it out, to tell you that he really liked ya. And that you were one of the most pretty girls he'd ever seen" she whispered to me.

My heart began to pound.

I felt so many things, appreciated, noticed, loved, I felt sad, angry, guilt, responsible.

I felt responsible.

I mean, if it weren't for me running off to there he wouldn't have decided to be a hero and take the RV to save us.

Deep down, I knew if he hadn't came, Rick and Carl probably wouldn't have made it. And that this wasn't my fault. Or, maybe he still would've gone if I had stayed.

Maybe, just maybe lives needed to be sacrificed for one another, maybe we needed to give everything to someone, so they can just have the bare minimum.

I would think about this, and feel guilty over the years. Though I always came to the same conclusion after I beat myself up for it. All those years later, I would look down at my baby and thank Jimmy, and many others after him for their sacrifice. Their sacrifices that got me to where I was to that day.

I fell asleep, and when I woke up we had reached the highway.

Carl

We had reached the highway, and when I didn't see Mom, Grace, or anyone else I began to get angry.

"Dad, we have to go back for them." I shouted at him.

"Carl, stop yelling! We don't want any walkers coming our way. If they're coming, they'll meet us here." He said.

I knew he was right, but I didn't want to wait for them. I didn't want to wait forever knowing that they might not be here.

I walked past a few different cars for hours, pacing back, and forth.

God, I hope Grace and my mom are alright. Please, let them be alright.

Then, they showed up. They parked and my mom immediately ran to my dad and I.

I looked at the car, seeing Beth and T-Dog getting out. But no Grace?

Where was Grace...

I looked at Beth, and mouthed "Grace?" And she just shook her head.

No... no... no! She couldn't be, she had to be...

Then, Beth put a finger on her mouth and made a pillow with her hands to show me that Grace was asleep.

No. God. Damn. Way.

I just went through all 5-stages of grief man! I thought she was dead.

Thank god she wasn't.

I decided to quietly get in the backseat with her, as I wanted to protect her.

Well, not exactly. I wanted to have a reason to sleep on her shoulder, and to sleep.

So, I went to sleep in the back of the truck with her.

Grace

When I woke up from my incredibly long nap, I felt a foreign yet familiar feeling on my shoulder.

I rubbed my groggy eyes, and lightly turned my neck to see a sleeping Carl on my shoulder.

He quickly bolted awake.

"Hey." I said.

"Grace," he started "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you and Jimmy were like a thing or something. And even if you hadn't been, I still should've been a little more sensitive. I'm sorry." He said.

God, this boy is weird! We weren't a thing. Not even close. We were friends. Right?

"Jesus, Carl. We weren't a 'thing'. We were friends, like you and me." I knew after I said that, that I automatically broke his fragile heart.

"Oh." He said with a frown on his face.

I hugged him tight.

"I'm glad you're okay, and that I didn't screw everything up." I said.

"You could never." He told me, as he moved my hair out of my face.

I bit my cheek from the inside to contain my growing smile.

"I'm gonna go see everyone else." I said, as I walked off out of the car.