𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 [ 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬 ] ✘

Dead Hearts

Note: Forewarning y'all that ALL Justin Bieber hate comments shall be reported to the Wattpad Staff so they can deal with it. I won't tolerate any hate on Justin :)

I giggled as he placed kisses up and down my neck, shivering where he touched me.

"Carl, stop! We need to get ready for that supply run today!" I laughed, pushing him away gently.

His hands wrapped around my waist, bringing me into him again.

"I love you, you know that right?" he asked, his voice husky and I nodded against his chest.

Warm lips pressed to my forehead and I snuggled deeper into the material of his t-shirt.

"I love you, too, Carl." I smiled up at him before pressing my lips to his.

They were soft and plump, gliding over mine - fitting perfectly. His thumbs caressed my sides briefly before he brought up a hand to cup my cheek. He left trails of fire where he touched me, making my heart pound hard in my chest. Kissing him harder, I tangled my fingers in his dark hair.

"I thought you guys were coming with us today?" a voice asked all of a sudden, making us jump apart.

Maggie stood in the doorway, grinning at the two of us with a hand on her growing belly. A bright scarlet blush rose to my cheeks and I hid my face in Carl's chest. I felt him nod above me, his voice reverberating in my ears.

"We'll be there in a sec, Mags." he told her, smiling.

She grinned again before nodding. Then she was out the door and I let out a sigh.

"Why does that always happen to us?" I whined and Carl just laughed, his fingers trailing down my bare arms.

"Hey, it happens less than it used to now that we have our own place." he reminded me and I nodded in agreement.

"True." I smiled, shrugging.

We got ready to go then, grabbing our empty backpacks before slipping outside towards the gate. Eugene opened it for us and we gave him a slight nod as we left the protective walls of Alexandria. I sighed, breathing in the fresh air and out of the corner of my eye, I could see Carl watching me.

"Cooped up too long?" he teased and I chuckled, shaking my head 'yes'.

He brought me into his side then just as we reached the group. Maggie, Daryl, and Michonne had all volunteered for this supply run so Carl and I had opted to go as well. For extra protection for Maggie. She said she could handle it of course but Glenn wasn't so sure. Glenn was just like a brother to me though so I'd agreed to go. Besides, Carl couldn't be left on his own too long or all he'd bring back was pudding....and it wouldn't be the first time.

His fingers rested on my hip as we walked and I breathed in the scent of him - chocolate mixed with pine trees. My hand came to rest over his while we made our way towards town. After several minutes of walking, we came across a run-down Neighborhood Walmart and Daryl led the way towards the entrance. Slipping inside first, we took his lead and followed. The store was dark and dank - abandoned seemingly at the start of the outbreak. Dented cans and empty cereal boxes littered the floor.

Along with torn teen magazines, packs of Spearmint gum, and long-dead walker bodies. Smiling, I picked up one of the teen magazines as we all spread out. Keeping up my guard, I flipped through the pages - every once in a while glancing up to make sure there were no walkers. When I found something good, I stopped and grinned down at the glossy page. Smiling up at me was a picture of Justin Bieber, blond crew-cut, tattoos, and all.

Placing a hand on my chest, I mumbled, "Be still my heart."

"You're not going to start singing 'Baby' again, are you?" Carl whispered from across the aisle, making a face and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Don't mock a Belieber, Carl!" I admonished him, "It won't end well for you!"

He put his hands up in surrender, faking a frightened expression, "I'm so scared!"

I chuckled at him, rolling my eyes as I let the magazine fall from my hands back to the dirty tiled-floor. Strolling over to the snack-cake aisle, I perused the shelves. It was nearly see-through since tiny holes were made into the metal. I ran my hand along the coolness of it before finally, my fingers wrapped around a box. Grinning, I pulled it down from the shelf and brought it before my eyes. It was an un-opened box of Twinkies! I sniffed, feeling tears of joy well up in my eyes.

"I would like to thank all the little people I had to step on to get to these Twinkies-" I started my speech just as a gun shot rang out through the store.

Immediately, the box fell from my hands and running towards the sound, I dug my gun out of its holster. My sneakers thudded loudly on the floor and I could feel my heart racing from adrenaline. It was probably just a walker Maggie had found and she'd had to use her gun to protect herself and the baby. It's fine, everything is fine, I repeated to myself. But no amount of comforting words could prepare me for the sight that lay before me as I rounded the corner. Standing on top of one of the shelves was Carl.

A herd of walkers had surrounded him and the shelf was beginning to sway wildly as their hands reached out to him. One had grabbed onto his pants leg and he shook it off, making the shelf tip even more.

"CARL!" I yelled, pulling the trigger repeatedly on my gun.

Bullets flew out of the chamber, taking down walker after walker. But it wasn't enough. They just kept coming. Daryl, Michonne, and Maggie showed up then and began to fight them. Shots rang out all over the store and blood flew in all directions as Maggie shot some while Michonne stuck others through with her katana. And still others were taken out by Daryl's crossbow.

But we were outnumbered. I pushed down hard on the trigger and fired shot after shot. Daryl made his way over to me then after spearing a walker's head through with one if his arrows.

"COME ON! WE HAVE TO GO!" he shouted over the din of moans reverberating throughout the store, the sound filling my ears as he grabbed my arm to pull me away.

"NO! I'M NOT LEAVING WITHOUT HIM!" I yelled, tearing my arm out of his grip.

I lunged towards the walkers, ready to take out more but him and Michonne both pulled me back.

"NO! NO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" I screamed, my heart catching in my throat.

I couldn't leave him! I wouldn't! He was the love of my life - a part of me! It would be like leaving a part of myself behind. I couldn't do that! I needed him!

Carl's piercing blue eye connected to mine then. One look at his face and I knew he knew. He knew the choice before me.

"GO!" he yelled over the moans to me, "GO!"

"I'M NOT LEAVING YOU!" I shrieked at him, struggling to break free as they pulled me towards the entrance.

Walkers began to pull away from the crowd then and limp towards us. Hot tears formed in my eyes.

"We gotta go!" Michonne shouted over the noise.

"I LOVE YOU!" Carl cried out and then the floodgate opened, tears spilling down my cheeks.

The gun fell from Carl's hands then as the shelf began to dip dangerously towards the walkers.

"NO! CARL!" I sobbed as Daryl pulled me even more.

Everything seemed to happen in slow-motion then. The shelf squeaked loudly before breaking off and before I knew it, Carl had fallen into the fray of walkers. They swarmed instantly and I had one last glance of those blue eyes before I couldn't see him anymore. I let out a blood-curdling scream as the others pulled me out of the store. Tears streamed down my face and I felt my heart clench in my chest. My knees hit the sidewalk and sobs bubbled up from my throat.

I wrapped my arms around my body as the sobs wracked my body. It felt like my heart was dead inside me. He was gone...and he was never coming back. No more comforting hugs, late-night kisses, jokes...love. And most importantly, the thing that broke my heart the most... No more Carl.