A Spark (A Carl Grimes Fanfiction)

The Quiet

Carl's P.O.V
As I rush in the door, eight worried faces look to me. I can tell exactly what they're thinking. They heard the gunshots. Both rounds of them. There's no doubting that. They know he's on his way. They know he's slowly getting closer and closer. And all we can do is sit and wait.

"There weren't anymore," I pant, "Carol passed them all out."

"We're all going to die!" Ron continues, "Because of that bitch!"

Eying him viciously I say, "No we're not. We're going to make do with what we have."

"The roads are vacant," Morgan says looking out of the gaped front door," Well, almost. Rick, Michonne, and Daryl are out there."

"They're just standing there in plain sight?" Jessie asks dumbfounded.

"They know what they're doing," Maggie responds.

"They could get themselves killed out there in the open," Jessie adds.

"They know what they are doing," Maggie slowly insists, stressing each word.

"The suns starting to set," Enid points out, "Shouldn't he be here by now?"

"Any minute probably. That or never," I say walking to the front door and shutting it.

We had to have the door open to see outside since the windows are boarded up.

"Shouldn't we be doing something? It feels wrong to just sit and wait," Landon states.

"There's nothing to do but wait," I respond.

Time passes and we all start to get on edge. Our nerves eating away at us second by second. It shows in all of our faces. We're all scared of what might happen once Negan arrives. The only thing we know for sure is that it won't be good. Casualties will follow. My stomach starts to twist and turn. I can feel it; we're getting closer and closer to the inevitable.

__________

The sun has set now. Everyone is numb. Fear has taken over our bodies and we can't seem to move. No one looks as if they remember how to blink, how to breathe. The night sky and the shimmering stars along with the moon above seem to be in perfect harmony. All are calm and gentle. While down here, all is numb and frigid. My face burns red but my body feels ice cold. Something is off. This doesn't feel right.

"Where is he?" Maggie manages to croak out, breaking the deathly silence, "He should have been here by now."

"Maybe he isn't coming. Maybe we were worried for nothing?" Jessie asks unsure of herself.

"No, Jesus made it clear. Negan is coming," Morgan responds.

"Maybe not," Enid suggests hopefully, "He couldn't have known if Negan was coming. Not for sure."

The conversation seems to die again with Enid's words. We all want to believe it. We all want too. But we all know that this isn't the case. He's coming. We'll never get away with something that Negan doesn't like. We wait for a few more hours in icy cold torture that seems to be the silence. Or maybe it's the fact that we don't know what will happen. All I know for sure is that it is torturous. Everyone seems to be even more on edge after Jessie and Enid's hopeful words. No one wants to get their hopes up just to be dropped and shattered. Beaten to death.

"He's not coming. He would have been here by now," I say, "It's pitch black outside; he wouldn't risk his own safety fighting in the dark."

__________

Rick's P.O.V
It's too quiet. The air is too stiff and still. Where is the son of a bitch? Why hasn't he attacked yet? He's got to be near. Maybe he's positioning his people for attack? We've been like this for too long.

"Rick," Michonne says gently, "It's late.. Maybe he isn't coming after all."

"This was probably a scare tactic. That asshole made us paranoid for nothing," Daryl says angrily.

I'm not sure whether he meant Jesus or Negan.

Maybe they're right. He's not coming, not tonight at least. I should have known he wouldn't come after the sun started to set. I had everyone worried over nothing. This worry should have been spent on another day. A day where we are actually in trouble.

"Yeah.." I sigh, "Yeah. He's not out there. Call it off."

Michonne and Daryl set off into the quite community. Yelling every now and then that we were safe. Calling to the residents that we were never in trouble. It's time for them to get some rest. I need to see Carl. Tell him he's okay; I turn and head to Jessie's house. I'm so stupid. I can't help but beat myself up over this. All of this worry, all of this fuss, it was for nothing. All of it was — I hear a noise. A truck coming to a stop right outside. Headlights illuminate the outside of our gates.

"You can open the fuck up nicely, or I can tear the goddamn place down," he yells nastily, "Either way, I'm coming in!"

I stand frozen. My back still toward the gates. I stare emptily at Jessie's house. People were starting to emerge from their homes. They think they're safe. Greeting each other with smile and hugs, they laugh at how stupid we were acting.

"Of course he wouldn't attack us this late. We should have known."

But there so damn far from being safe. I've given them hope, only to be broken in a few short minutes. Jesus was smart to flee back to The Hilltop after our meeting. We should have fled with him. He was right to wanna be as far away from here as possible. If we had left we'd be safe, at least for another day or so. But here we are. Death is waiting at our doorstep. The people of Alexandria have been given the curse of death. I've given them a false sense of security.

No. This can't be happening... I can't let this happen to them.

"Run!" I scream as loud as I can, "Get back in your houses! He's —"

I'm interrupted by an eighteen wheeler busting through the gates. Blood curdling screams fill the air and panic sweeps through Alexandria within seconds. I jump out the the way, landing on my side roughly. We — I! I did this! I should have known better! I should have fucking known!