Somewhat Safe (The Walking Dead Fanfic)

Chapter 6 - Like Home Again

Rick left shortly after our interaction to go do something, leaving Carl and I alone in the cell block.

He looked over me, then his gaze drifted over to the corner of the room. My knifes lay on the floor in a heap. He jogged over and swept them up in one hand. At a steady pace, he walked back over and held my knifes out in front of him. I took them back and clipped the belt back round my waist.

"Come on," Carl suddenly barked and nodded towards the door. "let's go find Carol and get you cleaned up."

Almost too conveniently a woman walked in to the room. She had very short grey - kind of silvery - hair, and was carrying a large basket full of fruit. She smiled at Carl and carried on walking. Then she noticed me.

"Who's this?" She asked is a very sweet, motherly voice.

"This is Leigh." Carl spoke for me "She showed up at the gates looking for somewhere to stay. We were actually coming to find you, ask if you could get her cleaned up."

He does realise I'm 14 and I know how to use and shower and a sink. Wait..... Do they have a shower and sink?

Carol looked at me and very warm smile spread across her face. "Sure. Let me drop this off at my cell. Carl you go help your dad, I'll take care of her."

Carl nodded and jogged off somewhere.

I felt very awkward. I suddenly came to realise how many new people was going to have to meet.

Carol came back and kneeled down in front of me. She traced her finger over the side of my forehead. A piercing pain that stung like hell shot through scalp when she did. I crinkled up my face and she sat back on her feet.

"We'll have to get Hershel or Dr S to look at that." She said standing back up. "Come on darling, I'll show you to the showers."

OH MY GOD THEY DO HAVE SHOWERS!

Carol led me down corridor after corridor. We reached the shower room and it smelt of cheap soap. I'd never been so happy to smell cheap soap.

I noticed a mirror hung on the wall. I walked over to see what the heck was on my forehead. I stepped forward and starred deep into my face.

My nose had been bleeding evident by the two streaks of blood across my face. One going straight down past my lips onto my chin, the other going side ways across my check from when I was lying on my back. My eyes drifted up to my forehead. There was a very deep gash above my left eyebrow. It looked deep enough to fit a bottle cap in side ways and it would stay there. I don't know when I did it but it was there and looked rather gruelling.

I turned back around to Carol. She was still smiling.

"Go and get in a shower hun. Go to Cell block B when you're done, I think there's a spare cell in there. You know where that is right?" Carol asked.

I nodded and looked myself in the mirror again. I remembered passing it on our way to the showers.

"Good I'll get Hershel or Dr S to meet you up there in a few minutes." She said and left the room.

I made sure the room was clear and got into a shower. I hid my bag in a corner along with my knifes so no one would take them. I guess I just didn't trust these people enough yet.

Even though it was barely lukewarm, the shower was the best thing I had done in months. It was so nice to feel clean again.

I was in there, according to my watch, 20 minutes. I could of stayed there for hours, it felt like home again, but I didn't want to waste the water, so I got out when i was sufficiently clean. I dried myself off and got changed, grabbed my things and made my way towards Cell block B.

There were quite a few people wander the corridor. No one recognized me granting a few weird looks but a few welcoming smiles. I smiled back obviously, I'm not rude.

I walked past a library and saw children sitting in a circle. They were all gazing in admiration at the person who was reading them a story. I looked over the shelves to see Carol sitting on a gray box elaborately and enthusiastically reading a story.

I smiled and went back on my way.

I made it to Cell block B rather quickly. The minute I walked in I was greeted with a very friendly looking face.

He had a long gray beard that went well with his long gray hair that was pulled back into a loose pony tail. The more I looked at him the more he kind of looked like Santa Claus.

It was when he started to limp over to me I noticed his leg. It was very stiff and wood like, and I can to the assumption it was artificial.

"Hello, you must be Leigh." He said in a very friendly voice, as I expected. I nodded and he examined my face.

"Yes I can see why Carol wanted me to take a look at you." He said softly. He lightly touched the gash in my forehead, I winced and he stood back up straight. "Yes, you're going to need stitches,"

Great! I hate stitches!

"Come on, I'll show you to your cell."