A Long Way From Home//Carl Grimes

Chapter 18 - Gone

Liam's POV
2 months earlier

My parents are gone on a run. They left me alone. Alone. That's odd of them. The usually would never just leave me. It's been almost 12 hours since they left. It's getting dark and I'm definitely starting to worry. We're hiding out in a house. It's somewhere outside of Atlanta. I lose track of where we are half the time.

Suddenly, the front door creaks open, and my parents walk in...covered in blood.
"Are you guys okay? What took you so long? Why did you leave me alone?" I question.
"Liam. Calm down. We got in some walker trouble, but it was nothing that we couldn't handle." My dad says, obviously exhausted. My mom doesn't say anything, which isn't like her. She's usually the one that fixes everything, lightens the mood. She even avoids my gaze. Her face is pale and her lips have lost all color.
"Mom...are you okay?" I ask, quietly, shyly.
"Yes." That's all I get? She doesn't sound very sure of herself. My dad runs a hand through his long hair and begins to head upstairs. He usually gets stressed out during a run, but he'll eventually calm down. My mom kind of sways back and forth and looks like she's going to pass out.
"Mom!" I yell. Just as she begins to fall, I catch her in my long arms. She's out.
"Mom?" I whisper. I attempt to shake her awake, but she doesn't budge. I feel her forehead, it's scorching hot. Sweat covers her whole face.
"Dad!" I yell. He comes rushing down the stairs.
"What's wr-" He stops suddenly when he sees my mother. He picks her up and sets her on the beat-up couch. Suddenly, her eyes flutter open, and she takes a huge breath.
"Mom! Are you okay?"
"No."
I look at her, confused. She then pulls the collar of her shirt down a little to reveal a large bite on her shoulder.
"Maria." My father whispers. I can feel tears forming in my eyes. She slowly reaches toward her hip and pulls out her gun. She takes my hand and presses the large, cold, metal object into it.
"You guys need to do it. Don't wait. Please. I'm begging you."
"Mom, I can't do that."
"Maria. No." She closes her eyes and takes a shallow breath. She's struggling.
"Dad. We have to." I say, not taking my eyes off of her. Her face is now almost completely white. Her cheeks look sunken in.
"I love you both so much." She gasps out.
"I love you, mom." I say, with tears rushing down my face.
"I love you forever, Maria." My dad says. He looks at the ground, but he slowly brings his eyes up to look at my mom. She nods, and then her breathing slows. And just like that, she's gone. She's gone. I put my head in my hands and cry. I let out every emotion that I've kept in. I'm only 17, yet I've been through so much. So, so much. Too much to handle. Then, I'm snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of a gunshot.

Present Time

A few days after that, I lost my father. He couldn't handle the loss of my mom. He went insane. I had to do it before he killed me. I did it when he was sleeping. I lost it after that. I went off the deep-end. I couldn't do anything. I hid in that dang house for what seemed like forever. It was only a few days ago that I decided to start moving. I brought myself to get out, move on. That's when I saw it. A huge billboard, advertising some kind of sanctuary. At this point, I don't care if these people try and kill me. I'm going. I don't express my emotions anymore, I don't even feel anything. It doesn't matter what I see, I'm going.

-

I walk up to the gates and I hear people. A lot of people. Children even. Behind these walls, laughter is everywhere. I can hear it. I can't handle this. It's all too much, too soon. I begin to turn around and leave when I hear an alarm go off. I quickly put my hand on my gun, and the gates creak open. A beautiful girl, probably a bit younger then me, opens the gates. She has bright blue, stunning eyes.
"Name?" She asks.
"Liam." I reply back.
"Just Liam?"
"Just Liam."
"What about a last name?"
"I don't use it anymore."
"Why?" I think about my answer for a second before saying it.
"Because everything from the past is gone."

-

SO HERE'S A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON LIAM! HOPE YOU ALL LIKE IT!! -L