The Girl Next Door • Carl Grimes

Chapter 56: Someone New

Grace

We stayed at the church after the rest of the group had left for DC. My heart felt shattered. More people gone again, and this time it was one of my sisters.

Carol and Daryl were gone. We were staying at the church, waiting for them to come back. I wasn't so sure that they would come back though. Hope is a difficult thing to cling onto.

And Beth. Beth was still gone and all alone. All I could hope for was that when Carol and Daryl return, that Beth will be with them. But for now, my dreams are just dreams.

I stayed sitting on the steps to the church outside. Carl, Michonne, and Rick were inside with Judith. Sasha wasn't here mentally right now, as Bob had just died. Tyreese was the one to put him out of his misery. I had no idea where the priest was, but he was probably doing something priestly.

I heard the door open behind me, but I didn't move my head. I felt a large body sit down next to me. It was Tyreese.

"Hey kiddo. How you holding up?" He asked me gently.

"Oh I'm just thinking. I'm sick of losing people." I stared out into the woods.

"You never got the opportunity to get over losing Hershel, then you had to see what happened with Lizzie and Mica. Then- I- I heard what happened after you got separated from us and you found Rick. Grace, this has been a horrible time for you. I wish I could do something to make it better." Tyreese said, he felt helpless as he tried to build me up.

"You're right about all of that. But there is one thing you can do for me." I said as I looked up at him.

"What can I do?" Tyreese asked.

"You can stay alive, and not leave me. I hope that's not too much to ask." I said, still staring blankly out into the woods.

"I can't guarantee that I won't die, but I promise you that I won't leave you. Were a team now, you and I." Tyreese smiled as he held his pinky out to me, I smiled and linked my pinky with his.

"A team. That sounds good." I said, standing up as I went back inside.

***

A day or so passed. It was quiet at the church. Sasha was growing more upset by the day. I grew quieter, not talking to Carl much at all. The only person I found solace in was Tyreese. I think he just understood.

I sat out on the steps every morning, waiting for the return of anyone. Maggie and Glenn. Daryl and Carol. Beth. I was surprised when I heard a car in the distance. I ran inside and told Tyreese.

Everyone was busy boarding up the windows to make the church safer. Tyreese and I stood at the door, our guns ready to fire when a small black car pulled up to the side of the building. I immediately lowered my gun when I saw Daryl step out of the drivers seat.

"Carol?" I asked him.

He shook his head, but he went over to open the passenger door. Had he found Beth? I was saddened to see that it wasn't when he pulled out a younger looking boy from the passenger seat.

"This is Noah. He knows where Beth is. The same people that took Beth took Carol. We're gonna get them back." Daryl said as he helped the boy into the building.

Noah had a limp, I'm guessing he must have been injured. I ran inside after Daryl and gave him a hug.

"Thank you for coming back." I whispered to him.

"Yeah well, thank you for waiting for me." He said as he released himself from the hug and walked over to talk to Rick.

Carl was inside helping Sasha break up some of the pews to use as wood to board the church up. I walked over to Noah who sat down in one of the remaining pews to rest his leg.