IVORY | Carl Grimes

eleven - incipient ;

up ahead, saskia's eyes strained to decipher what the glimmer that had caught her eye belonged to. her brows furrowed when she took another step, and she was sure her heart had leapt to her throat when her mind turned and figured out exactly what it was. the light catching on water. water.

saskia's tongue was parched. every time she swallowed her throat felt scratchy and horrid. she was sure that the group was feeling the same uncomfortable things at this point in the day. the sun bore down harshly upon those walking (the cars had been drained of gas hours before) down the heated gravel path.

"dad?" carl questioned aloud. hope overtook his voice as he followed saskia's eyes right to the few jugs of water and various water bottles standing upright on the road in front of them.

rick turned and nodded at his son. the sun was shining down heavily on the group and the water ahead could be the answer to their prayers.

saskia desperately hoped that this wasn't a mirage, or part of some broken paradise that her mind had conjured up in hopes of settling her system. her hopes had been given up and thrown into the wind one too many times. it never got easier.

daryl emerged from the woods athwart from them not even seconds later. rick had picked up a piece of paper left to the side and handed it to the man. saskia peaked around carl to catch a better look at the words sprawled on it.

"FROM A FRIEND"

everyone seemed to look distrustful of the water now that the note was involved, but saskia certainly though risks had to be taken in desperate times such as these.

"what else are we gonna do," tara piped up after noticing the tension shift in the air.

"not this," rick replied gruffly, nodding towards the bottles resting comfortably atop the asphalt, "we don't know who left it."

saskia sighed. her mind agreed, but her heart dropped. rick was right in not allowing the water to be put to use as it could have been tampered with in some way, but it hurt to see the hope she had been harboring fall apart.

"if that's a risk we already happen to be in it," eugene countered, determination striking in his eyes, "but i for one would like to think that is indeed from a friend."

saskia huffed, rolling her eyes at the man's notion of trust. it was foolish. she knew that. it was not something she might have liked, but she learned to accept it much like a child would a spoonful of horrid tasting medicine. in the end, it was worth it.

"what if it isn't? they put something in it?" carol's questioning words garnered a nod from the girl.

eugene suddenly lunges for one of the bottles, ignoring the cries of protest from the others.