The Girl Next Door • Carl Grimes

Chapter 39: I Have a Bad Feeling

Grace

"I love you, Carl." I blurted out.

My eyes widened in shock. Did I really just say that?

He smiled at me, but the grin on his face quickly vanished. "Don't say things you don't mean, Grace."

"But I do mean it. I really really mean it. I've just been too scared to admit it. But now, now- I don't know what tomorrow holds and I don't want anything to happen without you knowing that." I looked up at him, my eyes glistening with tears.

He bit his lip and nodded. "I've told you this before, but I love you too."

"Now I'd better get you inside, and you need something to eat and drink." He pulled me up from the ground. I felt so weak and tired, but he guided me.

"There she is!" Maggie cried out as she saw me emerge through the doors once again, this time to stay.

My little family Glenn, Maggie, Beth, and
Hershel sped over to me and walked me to the kitchen area.

I turned around to see Carl smiling at me before he walked away and went to pick up Judith.

I finally ate some food, drank some water, and my sisters helped me to bed. Hershel came in and laid a kiss on my forehead as he told me, "everything will be okay. I know that what you had to do today was hard, and it's not fair. But you did a good thing. You helped those people, and by doing what you did you saved others."

"Thank you Hershel. I love you, goodnight." I said as he left the room.

Glenn and Maggie stood over me, holding each other. "I'm glad you're okay hun." Maggie said.

"I'm always here for you grace, I love you." Glenn smiled.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that. I love you!" Maggie giggled.

I smiled and shut my eyes.

***

I got up from the bed running to the bathroom. I was throwing up. I felt sweat dripping down my forehead.

I shakily walked out of the bathrooms when I heard coughs echoing around our cell block. They quickly turned into cries and moans. Then the screaming began.

I ran out to see what all the ruckus was, to see everyone huddled over judith's crib. But they weren't themselves anymore. They were walkers, growling and picking at Judith.

I ran over to her crib but they'd all disappeared and all i saw was blood. I turned around and i was surrounded by them all, dead.

They began reaching out for me and growling. "No Carl, no please!" I cried as his reanimated corpse tried to tear my flesh apart.

"Come on Daryl, don't do this!" I cried once again.

"Oh Beth, Beth no!" I screamed as she bit into my shoulder.

I was being violently shaken, and my name was being called out.

It was Daryl and Beth. I shot up and screamed.

"Ahh! I- what? You- you were just.." my heart beat fast and my breathing hitched.

"Grace you're havin a nightmare. You were screamin and yellin out our names." Daryl told me.

I gripped onto his arm making sure that he was real.

"I- but it was so real. I mean, you guys were all- you know.. dead." I said, wide eyed.

"No Grace, honey, we're all right here. we're all safe." Beth consoled me.

Footsteps approached rapidly.