Forever Alone // Carl Grimes (The Walking Dead)

Chapter 50

Third Person P.O.V

Fight or flight? Lauren asked herself that question a lot when she was on her own, pushing through the wasteland that was the death infested world. She would occassionally come across a person in need, but she only helped a select few. This world is broken and everything is a trap. They say don't judge a book by it's cover, but judging people is how you survive. If you come across a weak woman fighting off a Walker, her body intact, bravery and valor will push you to help her, but a smart brain would tell you otherwise. After all? How could she have survived without a group supporting her? Flight.

But when Lauren pushed herself away from Carl, also pushing away any emotions and feelings that she had in that moment into the depths of her mind. She only had one option, one way to ensure that everyone she loved would survive.

Fight.

Lauren shrugged her backpack of her shoulder, digging around inside for black handgun. She sighed in relief when her fingers brushed the farmiliar solid and cool metal. Lauren pulled out the gun and checked the amount of bullets, a full slip of ammunition. She held it close, firing towards the oncoming guards.

Carl stayed close to her, ready to attack and defend when needed. He braced himself for a fight, a fight he only took part in for Lauren, because she needed to save people's lives and he needed to save hers. He was nothing without her and she was nothing without him. They were eachothers lifelines.

Lauren always knew that it would destroy them in the end.

Daryl stood protectively infront of Kirsty who was firing her pistol like there was no tomorrow, if they didn't win this fight, there probably wouldn't be. He held his crossbow high and arrows whizzed out faster and faster. James' men were somewhat melee and somewhat guns. Daryl sent an arrow flying at the first man, who wielded a long silver sword. The arrow embedded itself in his throat, reacting in a spray of blood and the sound of the man choking on his own blood before he fell to the ground slack.

Rick and the others pushed back into the forest that lay behind them to provide some sort of cover. The trees were perfect.

Lauren pressed her back to the dark brown wood and held her weapon to her chest, waiting for someone to come. She had ran far enough into the woods that it would be hard to find her. She looked around trying to find another of her group, besides Carl who stood about five meters from her, his side pressed tightly to the bark of a tree. Lauren couldn't see anyone else, although she could hear the shouting and gunshots only a half a minutes run from where she was currently hiding.

Lauren knew that one of James' men was close by. It could have been because he was overly loud with his footsteps.

"Come out and fight me! Are you too afraid?" Lauren recognised that voice as the second of the men that sat in the kitchen when she was dragged there by James. Lauren nodded to Carl and he fired from where he was standing, distracting the guard as Lauren crept around the trees.

Lauren could almost smell the fear eminating from the man as he shot blindly at the tree, she wasn't afraid that Carl was injured because he wasn't even firing at the right tree. Lauren used his distraction to her advantage, with machete in hand she brought it high, bringing it back down hard onto the man's skull. Her blade imbedded itself deep and blood sprayed all onto Lauren's clothes as the guard fell to the ground without another movement.

Lauren caught some movement in her peripheral vision and she twisted her body so fast and efficiently so she was pressed against a tree just as the deadly bullet shot directly at her, hitting the bark of the oak tree. She breathed out and calmed her senses, sending a look of panic to Carl who was already trying to find the source of the bullet.