The Mini Badass

Chapter 43

Surprisingly with Carl's arm wrapped around me I did manage to sleep. It was short lived as the feeling of hands on me jolts me up.

"What happened?" Carl asks, shooting up as well. No one else is here. No one was touching me. 

"Nothing." I tell the boy, laying back down my gaze planted on the top of the car. "Ains-"

"I don't want to talk about it." I cut the boy off before the doors to the car opens putting me on high alert as my head snaps that way. "Just me." Daryl says, his hands raised.

"We're gonna head off."

The group of us all start walking to Terminus again, my chest hurting and the side of my face sore and bruised.

Carl and I trail behind the group slightly, leaving the adults to glance back at us every couple seconds.

My gaze stays planted on the ground, my hands in my pockets. My trance is broken when the boy next to my grabs my hand, making me jump. "Sorry."

"It's okay." I whisper to him, tightening my grip on him. "How's your face?" Carl asks me and I look back to the ground. "Hurts."

Rick stopping in front of us halts our conversation. The man kicks dirt off a piece of ply wood, revealing the word Terminus. 

"We're getting close." Daryl says as Carl and I catch up. "Be there before sundown." He tells us earning a nod from Rick. "Now we head through the woods."

"We don't know who they are."

"Alright." Daryl says and our group side tracks into the surrounding forest.

Daryl was right as we reached a fence within the hour. We all take our weapons out as we approach the fence.

I peak through the chain link fence, a large building with the word Terminus written across it. "We all spread out." Rick tells us and I turn to him. "Watch for a while, see what we see, and get ready."

"Stay close." He continues as Daryl places his crossbow on his back. "You two want to stick with me?" Rick asks me and his son but I shake my head, walking past him. 

Carl joins my side after telling Rick it's alright. I look over at the boy before glancing to his dad. "Why didn't you go with your dad?"

"We always stick together." The boy tells me as I start walking again. "That the only reason?" I ask, clicking the safety on my gun on. "I see how you've been looking at him."

Carl looks down before stopping, making me stop too. "He told me the other day he was proud of me." He tells me and I furrow my brows. "That I was a good man."

"I'm not." He says and I step closer to him. "Carl-"

"I know more now." He cuts me off, looking back up at me. "I'm not what he thinks I am."

"I'm just another monster, too." Carl says, glancing back to the dirt. I step forward, wrapping my arms around him. "I'm so sorry, Ainsley." He says, his voice breaking slightly. "I should've done something more-"

"No." I cut him off, my face in his shoulder. "No, you shouldn't have." I tell him, shaking my head. "I-"

"No." I cut him off again, pulling back. "If you tried anything, Carl, they would've shot you." I say, now my voice cracking as I keep my hands on his shoulders. "I'd rather that than what they were gonna do to you." He tells me and I shake my head. "I wouldn't."

"I don't want to have to go through this world without you." I tell him, tears filling my eyes at the thought and the topic. "You're my best friend." I say while bringing my sleeve up to wipe my eye.