Forever Changed (A Carl Grimes Story)

Chapter 6, Encounter

Erin's P.O.V.

I slept in the same spot I sat in yesterday. I woke up, but didn't move from my spot. I felt so hopeless and empty, like there was no point in getting up anymore. I'm just so emotionally drained.

*Crash*

I heard the door of the cell block open and close, many footsteps filling the atmosphere. Light conversations rang through the silence. It was the boy's group. They tracked me. I'm dead now. I sat in my spot with no emotion on my face. I didn't care what they did to me. I was used to just about anything by now, my father was to thank for that.

"Find your own cells, everyone," a gruff voice called out. I stayed huddled in my corner as people walked past me, completely oblivious to my presence.

"Dad?" a voice called out. It sounded prepubescent, meaning it was another kid. I looked up and was met with two icy blue eyes. Of course it was him. He wore a sheriff hat on the top of his head. It was unique and weird all at the same time. His brown hair swept over his forehead just right. He was young, but he sure was attractive. He looked back at me with recognition in his eyes. I looked down, my isolated instincts coming back to me.

"Is that her?" the gruff voice asked, revealing a tall man with curly brown hair and a small beard. The boy nodded, still not tearing his eyes away from me. Then, a large hand grabbed my arm and I was dragged out of the cell and thrown against a wall. I slid down the wall and returned to my original position and put my face in my knees. I would never admit it, but I was terrified of this man.

"Jeez, Dad. Take it easy," the boy tried to calm his father down. I had no idea why this man was so furious with me. I hadn't even spoken a word.

"Who are you?" the man asked with an intimidating tone of voice. I huddled my knees closer to my chest as I shook in fear. I refused to look into the man's eyes, for I knew I would break down if I did. "Answer me!" he yelled once again. I whimpered in fear, still not saying a word.

"Rick, that's enough," a soothing southern accent rang out.

"But Maggie-" he was interrupted by the southern girl again.

"No buts. She's just a kid." I felt a hand grab my arm again and was dragged back into the cell. 'Rick' tossed me onto the ground and locked the door.

"You'll stay in here until you learn how to speak when you're spoken to," he growled. Rick walked away and I was left on the cold ground. The sheriff-hatted boy looked at me with sympathetic eyes. I avoided his gaze and flopped on the bottom bunk of the cell, not a word escaping my lips. I buried my face into the pillow and laid lifeless in the cold, empty cell.

---

I must've fallen asleep because I was woken up to the boy's voice. "You hungry?" his soft voice asked me. I didn't move from my spot on the bed, but I did look at him this time. His blue eyes were laced in concern. He was holding a plate of miscellaneous foods. I didn't answer as I put my head back on my pillow. "Didn't think you'd talk," he sighed as he placed the plate down, sliding it under the crack in the cell door.

Once he left, I grabbed the plate and set it on the stool next to the bed, then settling back on the bed. "Can you at least tell me what your name is?" he asked, appearing in front of my doorway again. I cringed as I was about to tell him my name I hated so much. But I didn't need to tell him that name. I could start over, get rid of Erin. I needed to change. The first step to that was my name.

"Casey," I mumbled my middle name through my pillow. It wasn't my first name, but he didn't know that.

"Casey," he repeated, just above a whisper. "I'm Carl," I could hear the smile in his voice, if that was even possible. He took a seat in front of the cell door and just sat there.

"What are you doing?" I asked, sitting up from the bed.

"What? It talks?" he gasped playfully. That made me smile just a little bit. "And smiles too?" By now I was actually smiling. It felt nice, I hadn't smiled genuinely in a long time.

"But seriously, why are you sitting at my door?" I questioned again.

"Just figured I could give you some company," he shrugged with an innocent smile. To be honest, his smile was beautiful. Something about this boy just seemed so radiant.

"By the way, your dad scares the shit out of me," I blurted, trying to start a conversation.

"I could tell. You looked like a chihuahua when he was yelling at you," he giggled. I didn't laugh with him. There were reasons I was so afraid. Once again, thank my father. "I should get back to my cell. It was nice actually hearing you talk," he joked, rising to his feet.

"Thanks," I mumbled, returning to my spot on the bed. I heard a sigh, before his light footsteps echoed through the walls of the prison. I picked off the granola bar from the plate he brought me and it was gone in seconds. I never realized how hungry I was.

For the rest of the night, I picked at the food on the plate as I replayed my meeting with Carl in my head.