𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 [ 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬 ] ✘

Close to Death

"Come on, we have to get her to the doctor." Rick whisper-yelled to us as we carried a sickly Maggie on the cot.

Her skin was pale and there were bags under her eyes. Her hands were resting on her swollen stomach. I sighed as we moved quietly through the woods, Carl killing the walkers that were roaming ahead of us. He was so strong and brave now. Carl's ax sliced through the air, cleaving the walker's head in two, blood spraying everywhere. Smirking to myself, I thought of how he was when I first met him.

We were only ten years old when this thing broke out. My parents had been best friends with Rick and Lori back in high school. So when people started getting infected, Lori contacted them. Since Rick was still in a coma, it was just her, Carl, and Shane. I admit, at first I didn't like him. Our parents forced us to hang out with each other and he annoyed me to death.

But after we arrived at the camp? Things changed. Carl became my best friend, my confidant, and...my crush. I don't know how or why it happened. But when it did, I welcomed it. He was everything I had ever wanted and more. He made me laugh, he protected me, and he made me become the best version of myself. No one had ever affected me the way he did.

"Here, you rest a minute. I'll take over, Morganna." Sasha whispered from beside me, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I smiled at her gratefully as she took my place holding the cot. Moving through the darkness then, I brushed up against Carl. My hand slid into his free one effortlessly. He turned to look at me, his blue eyes boring into mine. He smiled tiredly at me and pecked a light kiss on my cheek. I blushed ,moving a strand of dark brown hair behind my ear. He still had that affect on me. As we walked along, hand-in-hand, memories came back to me once more.

~ Flashback ~

The air was chilly in Alexandria and I could feel winter coming. As the cold seeped into my skin, I pulled my sweater tighter around me. Anxiety and dread plagued me as I sat on the front porch swing of one of the "designated" houses that the Mayor had given us. I had decided to tell Carl how I felt but I didn't know how to. How do you tell someone you've known for six years that you're in love with them?

I sighed as the thoughts swirled in my mind. Suddenly, the sound of boots on the front steps made me look up. Then my gold-flecked ice blue eyes met Carl's piercing blue ones. A lump formed in my throat as he smiled and sat down beside me on the swing. We swung in comfortable silence, the only sounds to be heard were the blowing of dry leaves on the sidewalk and the squeaking of the swing itself. Well, it was time. Now or never.

Clearing my throat, I looked over at Carl.

"So, um...I had wanted to talk to you about something," I started, feeling his eyes on me.

He gave me a pointed look.

"I'm not eating pudding again. I should have never let you talk me into that," he said, shaking his head.

I scoffed.

"Excuse me? You were the one who talked me into eating the pudding." I arched my eyebrows at him.

We broke into laughter then.

"Then why did you listen to me?" he asked, still chuckling slightly.

My cheeks turned scarlet and I looked away from him.

"You were really convincing..." I trailed off.

He squinted, turning in his seat to face me.

"No, that's not it..." he paused suddenly, "What aren't you telling me? Was there something wrong with that pudding?"