𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 [ 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬 ] ✘

Rescue Me

A shot rang out through the air as my bullet hit the walker in the head, spurting blood and rotted brains everywhere. I ran through the streets, my feet hitting the ground with loud thuds. The sound of walkers moaning behind me kept me running. I had been running for a while now and more of them just kept coming. My first supply run on my own had been a disaster to say the least. As the moans grew louder, I turned onto a side street and slowed my pace.

No! It was a dead end! Biting my lip, I took in the small alleyway. There were two large green trashcans at the very end, lining a wooden fence. Checking my gun, I noticed it was empty. Stifling a groan, I looked back down the way I'd come before turning back to the alley. Thinking fast, I ran over to it and slid underneath. I closed my mouth to keep from panting as the noises came closer.

Loud groans and moans erupted onto the street then and I knew they had found me. As the sounds inched closer yet, I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing, still hoping to survive this. I didn't want to die like this. But if I had to, I would die fighting. The moans surrounded me now and suddenly, I felt something pulling at my t-shirt and my jeans. Moving my hand down, I tried to push whatever it was away from me.

My skin brushed against cold fingers and with horror, I realized the walkers were trying to pull me out from underneath the garbage can. Tears pricked my eyes as thoughts flitted through my mind: things I had wanted to do in life and never did. But the thought that stuck out the most was something that I didn't say and had always wanted to... I'd never told Carl Grimes how I felt about him. I'd known him since I'd met him when he and his father, Rick, were separated from their group. I had been living in an abandoned house at the time.

My mother and brother had both been eaten by walkers, leaving me alone in this world. When Carl and Rick broke into the house that day, I was hesitant of them and a bit fearful of these strangers. They were kind enough to offer me to come with them, but I had refused at first. I didn't know these people. I didn't know if they could be trusted or not. But something about Carl's clear-blue eyes had convinced me to take a chance on them.

And after that, he'd become my best friend. Along the way, I'd developed feelings for him. I don't know how or when but I had. And even after three long years of friendship, I still hadn't told him how I felt. Stil hadn't told him how he'd become everything to me. Hot tears ran down my cheeks and suddenly, I felt the dead hands that surrounded me finally tug me free from my hiding place.

Their decaying faces watched me as they all reached to take a bite out of my flesh. This was it. I was going to die today. Squeezing my eyes shut, one thought flitted through my mind: I love you, Carl...

I thought the pain would come then. I thought my life would flash before my eyes and then I'd be gone from this world...but the sound of gunshots made my eyes snap open. The walkers turned away from me then and some of them started stumbling down the alleyway toward the noise. One by one, more shots rang out and the walkers fell to the ground, their heads splitting open. Hot breath on my arm made me look to my left. There beside me was a walker.

He had grabbed me by the arm and his mouth opened wide, ready to bite my skin. I let out a blood-curdling scream and suddenly, just as his rotting tongue brushed my skin, his head was blown off. A crowd of people clamored into the alley then and one of them knelt in front of me. I was so shocked by my near-death encounter, I didn't even look up to see my rescuer's face. When a calloused hand touched my shoulder gently, I flinched away and looked up. My green eyes met cerulean-blue ones and I recognized him instantly.

"Carl," I choked out before I burst into tears.

He took me into his arms and I sobbed against his chest. He held me tightly then and I felt him place a soft kiss into my hair. After several seconds, I looked back up at him and smiled through my tears.

"I thought I was going to die," I said as he cupped my face and brushed away my tears with his thumb, "I thought I'd never see you again..."

He shushed me then and I took in a ragged breath.

"I know you were scared of them," he said softly and I shook my head.

"No! No, that wasn't what I was sc-scared of," I hiccuped as he contined to brush away the rapidly-falling tears.

"I was scared I would die without you knowing how I felt about you.."

He gazed into my eyes then before I spoke once more.

"I-I love you, Carl...I always have," I said.

A smile lit up his face then.

"I love you, too. So much..." he said, before I reached out to hug him again.

Putting his arms underneath my legs, he hoisted me up. The rest of the group trailed behind us as we headed back to Alexandria...back home.