afraid | the walking dead

Chapter 11

A Few Hours Later

Earlier, the group sitting around the table eventually noticed I was there and the bearded man introduced himself. His name was Paul Rovia, but most people called him Jesus.

'What the f-' I had started upon the introduction of his solemn nickname. But I saw it. My family had been religious, so I had a clear memory of what He looked like. Yeah, there was definitely a resemblance. Beard. Long hair.

But now, members of the group were leaving with Jesus to his community. I didn't get a chance to hear the name of it. Jesus explained it was mostly for the reason of trade, but I didn't know any other reasons, if there were any.

I watched the group members and Jesus enter the RV through the house window. I took a deep breath and stepped outside of the house, moving down the steps quickly and towards the RV. Maggie was going. I approached her as she spoke to Glenn, a short conversation it seemed like. Glenn gave me a small smile and took his cue, entering the RV. Maggie saw the slight concern on my face. Jesus seemed like a nice guy, but we didn't know exactly who he was or his people. Hell, I barely even knew the people in the group I was with. She put a hand on my right shoulder. "It'll be fine." She smiled and nodded slightly. I looked into her eyes, a trustful glimmer among them. I believed her. I replied with a half smile and waved as she left into the RV.

I looked to my left to see Rick and Carl near the gas tank. Carl was holding Judith. I was close enough to understand Carl's words.
"A kid with a messed up face probably wouldn't make the best first impression anyway," He told Rick as he rocked Judith.

He doesn't talk about the eye much. I mean, who can blame him, but I still wonder how it happened.

They said their goodbyes and I remained in the spot I stood. To get to the entrance of the RV, Rick had to walk past me. I stood tall, ready for whatever bullshit he was going to throw at me this time. He approached closer, and did a one head-nod in my direction. I squinted and tilted my head. Was that a sign of approval? Acceptance? He was long gone in the RV before I wrapped my brain around it.

Anxiety built up in me when the group started leaving.
"Um," I heard a voice start from behind. "Are you okay?" I recognized the smoothness of the voice to be Carl's. I examined myself. I see why he made assumptions. I was biting my fingernails, darting my eyes back and forth at the slightest movement. I tapped my right foot.
"Yeah. Yeah, never better," I replied, my eyes not connecting with his. I watched as the RV left Alexandria through the large metal gates.
"Ya know, they could have a doctor. At his community." Carl's voice beckoned me to turn around. That thought had brewed in my mind, but I hadn't put it into perspective. If they had a doctor, Maggie could have her baby safely. And they could have medicine.
"They could." I peered in Carl's direction with disbelief in my eyes.
"Or this guy could be feeding us total bullshit." I shrugged, averting my eyes to the now-closed front gates. We met this 'Jesus' guy just today and we're going to his community in the same day? This group can protect themselves, based on what I've seen, but it just didn't seem logical. I raise my brows as I hear Carl sigh from behind me and I turn to him. Clearly this was a touchy subject.
"You know Mikey's still not up?"

And yet another touchy subject. Good work, Carl.

"I haven't really cared enough to know," I said flatly and stared at the vacant house Daryl had practically dragged the unconscious Mikey into. Carl shuffled forward to stand beside me, also staring. I grinned at the peaceful Judith in his arms. "Are-are you related in any way?" He swapped his focus to the barely sleeping Judith. "Yeah. She's my sister," He said quietly, not looking up from the resting child in his arms.

That means this kid doesn't have a mom either, and she's barely a toddler. Damn.

I did the math. Judith didn't look more than a few years old. And the outbreak happened not too far off of that. And necessary medical supplies for childbirth were probably impossible to find. So, judged off of that information, it was likely Carl's mom died giving birth during the outbreak. Damn.

"I should probably go put her down. You wanna come with?"
I nodded and naturally followed him into Rick's house. I entered a state of lethargy and let him go into Judith's room on his own.
"How old are you anyway?" I yanked my fingernails away from my mouth at his sudden question and turned to see he had put Judith down already. Either that was incredibly quick or my perception of time sucks ass.

"Uh, I'm sixteen." I managed to keep track of time the past years by leaving tally marks on my skin. But I stopped doing that some months ago, so I didn't know if my birthday had passed yet. "What about you?" I eyed him cautiously.
"The same."
I nodded slowly and my eyes found themselves set on the window. Oddly enough, you could see the house Mikey was pulled into through it.

I bet that asshole escaped and he's not there. No. Daryl messed him up, there's no coming back from that the day after. But he had to be up. Carl said he wasn't, but he must've heard that from someone a while ago. Who knows what Mikey could be planning, or thinking, if he was awake?

Carl waved his hand in front of my face. My breath jumped and I looked back at him.
"You wanna go check it out, don't you?"

"Hell, yeah."

A/N:
Heyooo. Updating at 2 AM but it's fine (I have school the day after tomorrow aka it's not fine). But I was wondering, do you guys want something to happen between Quinn and Carl? I don't know where I want the story to go right now in terms of their relationship. Leave comments or whatever telling me what you want to happen with that.
Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter :)