The Girl Next Door • Carl Grimes

Chapter 32: Zombies

Grace

I laid limp in the bed when I heard noises. Noises of many people walking at once. The first thought that popped into my mind was walkers, but I knew I was screwed when I remembered that Carol was passed out, and with the keys. I couldn't get up.

I frantically called Carl on the walkie. He told me he was getting everyone else and that they were coming soon, but I was scared.

"Okay, Grace we're almost here. are you safe?" he asked.

I was trying to hide under the covers when I saw a one-eyed man stand staring right at me from outside my cell.

"Carl, it's not walkers.. it's- mmphh!" I said to him shakily. Before I could finish, the man put a weird smelling rag over my face and the next thing I knew I passed out.

Carl

Grace's message really worried me. We decided to barge in, just to see a bunch of creepy dudes, and some normal looking women. Daryl ran in behind me and we saw this guy holding a limp Grace up, and I yelled at him.

"Hey! She's injured. Put her back. What'd you do to her?!" I screamed.

"Woah, calm down bud. We'll put the girl down when I say. And that's when I talk to Rick." the one eyed man said.

There was a group of his people behind him, and he was standing in the very front with Grace.

We all stood there in silence as I saw her eyes dart open, she winked then shut them once again. I exchanged a look with the rest of my group to make sure they all saw that. I'm pretty sure they did. I looked into Carol's cell and noticed they hadn't even seen her.

Then I checked and saw Judith's crate still under Grace's bed, I guess they failed to notice her. I hoped it would stay that way.

"Listen kid, someone in your little group needs to get Rick down here or she gets it!" the man demanded.

"Alright, fine." Glenn said.

I was really hoping they had a plan, especially Grace. We need the advantage, and with Grace really being awake we have it.

"Rick, there's a lot of zombies in here! We're gonna need backup!" Glenn yelled into the walkie.

I stood puzzled for a second, wondering why he said zombies. we called them walkers.

But then I remembered, the code word for us being in danger (not walker related danger) was to say ZOMBIE instead of walker!

"Zombies you say? I'm on my way." My dad answered.

Beth and Maggie looked confused for sure, I now realize this code was made before we met them. I looked at Glenn and he looked calm, he knew we would be okay and that my dad had gotten the message.

After a few minutes we heard footsteps, I knew it was my dad.

"Well well well. If it isn't Rick!" The one eyed man shouted.

Grace then opened her eyes again, grabbed his arm and smacked the gun that was against her head to the floor. She grabbed hers out of her back pocket and whacked him in the head with it, then walked over to his gun lying on the floor and kicked it over to me.

She held him at gunpoint along with his comrades for a moment, and my dad stepped in. She waddled over to me and pat me on the shoulder, then to Maggie to get her wounds checked.

She was alright, but they escorted us to a cell upstairs with Judith and locked us in there.

"Nice job out there." I told her.

"I really thought he'd shoot me." She said, "I kept hearing his finger tap on the trigger, like he was about to pull it but stopped himself. That's why I timed it when I smacked it away. God, just a second too soon and his reflexes would've made that little 'tap' a lot more forceful." she said, once again.

"I honestly have no idea what the hell just happened. Today has been.." I started, but couldn't finish. Today has been horrible.

"I need to get outta here." She said.

"What? Why?!" I asked.

"I dunno. It doesn't feel right anymore. I don't know if it's this place, or just this time. Maybe it's me." She got quieter with each word that came out of her mouth.

"You cant leave me." I said.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Cause, we're supposed to stick together. If you haven't seen that as a sign from this world yet, then I don't know what you're on." And it was true, the universe doesn't just place you with someone like that at birth, then at the end of the world if you're not supposed to be with each other. Maybe not even in a romantic way, though that's what I'd like. We just need to stick together.

For both of us, I wish we knew we wouldn't be together much longer.

Grace was just so traumatized she didn't seem to care.

She turned her back towards me and faced the wall while laying on her side.

"I need to heal faster so I can leave." she whispered.

"Grace, stop it." I said.

"No. I cant be here much longer." she said.

"Grace, stop it." I repeated.

"No, I won't be here much longer. I just won't." she said.

"Grace! stop it." I said a little more angry this time.

"I'm leaving next week. I cant be here anymore." she said.

"You're not fucking leaving!" I yelled at her as I grabbed her arm and pulled her up from the bed.

"See all those people out there, leave me. Not them!" I yelled again.

"Would you stop trying to control me? What's your problem?" She raised her voice.

"Because I'm sick of you not being here for any of us!" I answered.

"Since Sofia you've been different, everyday you are less like you used to be. Grace, I love you, but I don't know if I can love someone I don't know." I said.

"Oh yeah? How do you want me to change? Oh Carl, do you need me to change for you? What can I do? Oh I just wanna be perfect for you and only you Carl!" she mocked angrily.

"Just stop, Grace." I said, hearing the talking downstairs completely stop. Something was wrong.

"No, no Carl. Really, tell me!" She continued.

"No Grace, really, STOP." I said.

"Mhm Ca-" I put my hand over her mouth and cupped it tight before she could say another word.

something was happening.

freaky 😉 LMAOAOAOOA I'm kidding...