Fight To Live

(OLD) Chapter 4: Barely Holding On (OLD)

Carl's POV

-Two Weeks After the Fall of Alexandria-

"Carl, we need to stop, we've been walking all day long." Carol said from the back of the group.

I sighed, we had not stopped walking all day, I'm determined to get them somewhere so I can just be done. I've already lost everyone... everything... I can't take any more.

I stopped walking and sat on a fallen tree and stared at the ground.

Two weeks... it's been two weeks since my entire family was taken away from me... two weeks since my home was destroyed... two weeks since I became leader... two weeks I've wanted to end it all, the pain, the suffering... the only thing keeping me from it is the fact that my Dad's last wish was that I lead the survivors to a new life.

"Hey, you should eat something." Carol said as she sat next to me and held a package of beef jerky out to me.

"I'm fine. The rest of you eat it." I said as I pushed the package away. "How's Shiva?" I asked.

"Well, she's able to walk now, so she's getting better. Now, eat, please, you need to keep your strength up." She answered and held the jerky up to me again.

"Carol. You aren't my mom. I don't need you to make me eat. I'm fine, the rest of you share it." I grumbled.

"Ok. Carl, look at me." She said as she set the jerky next to us.

I didn't look at her and she sighed.

"Carl, I know you're not in a great place right now. None of us are. But you especially. I know what it's like to loose people, you know I do. And I lost everyone there also. But we're still here, we have to keep fighting, for ourselves, but also for everyone we've lost." She said as she put her hand on my shoulder.

"I know... it's just so hard... I-I miss them all so much... I don't know what to do." I said as I finally looked up at her.

"I know Carl. I miss them to. We have to keep pushing, keep surviving. The loss, the sadness, it'll get better, it's gonna take a while, but it'll get better." She said as she wrapped her arm around my shoulders and gave me a sort of half hug.

"Yeah... yeah you're right. I hope it gets better... right now it hurts so much..." I said as I hugged her back.

"We're all that's left... now it's up to us to start again, to start a new life, to keep what your father started going, that's what he'd want from us." She said as she moved the jerky package in front of me again. "But we can't do that if we don't eat, can we?" She asked.

I sighed and gave her a slight smile before taking a piece of jerky out and eating it. She also pulled a piece out and we ate as we looked around.

"Carol, do you think we'll find somewhere else, another place like Alexandria, somewhere safe, well, safeish?" I asked.

"I don't know. I hope so." She answered.

Shiva was limping around the area where we had stopped and Ezekiel was walking next to her. Enid was eating some chips and laying in the grass. We all continued what we were doing until I decided we needed to leave.