𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ➳ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

Chapter 17 ~ I Will Always Find You

I chewed the inside of my lip in worry, still bouncing Winnie on my lap gently even after she had fallen asleep.

"It's been too long, Michonne! Where is he?!" I whispered to her in panic, no longer able to keep my thoughts to myself.

"I'm sure he's fine, Angel," she assured me, holding Judith in her arms.

The blonde toddler moved her head around, observing her surroundings. This was unfamiliar territory to all of us. I sighed, feeling so helpless down here. I shouldn't have listened to me - he needed me up there.

"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling about all of this-" I started to tell her when suddenly, a loud explosion sounded from behind us.

My eyes went as round as saucers and I glanced over at Michonne to see her expression mirroring my own. Negan had made good on his promise - he was bombing us!

"Michonne," I said in a warning tone, feeling myself start to hyperventilate.

She was about to respond when more explosions went off above us, rattling the metal ladder that led down here as well as shaking the tunnel walls around us. Winnie woke then and began to cry and I shushed her, cradling her to my chest comfortingly. I squeezed my eyes shut, reckless thoughts running rampant through my head. Just then, another explosion slammed the ground right overhead and everyone cried out in terror. My eyes flew open then, the decision made.

"That's it! I'm going to find Carl! He needs me!" I said, getting up quickly from my position on the floor before pushing Winnie into Michonne's arms.

"Angel! Angel, don't do this! Come back here!" Michonne called after me fearfully.

But I could no longer hear her. All I could think about was my fiancee - out there on his own. He was brave and he could handle anything but Negan and his men? It was too much for one person. I needed to find him! Once I'd made my way up the ladder, the sight before me was enough to make me stumble backwards a fraction.

Everything was on fire! The houses, infirmary, church, gazebo,vehicles, gate - ALL of it! My hand flew to my mouth and I murmured an "oh my gosh" under my breath. I had to find him!

"Carl! CARL!" I called out loudly, trying to make myself heard over the fire and the bombs.

I stumbled around in the smoke, avoiding the flames but the sulfur filled my lungs anyway, making me splutter and cough.

"CARL!" I shouted again, cutting myself off with a cough.

I had finally made it out to the street when I heard a glass break. My eyes widened and I was barely able to hit the grass nearby as an explosion hit the house, windows blowing out with flames licking up the sides of the building. An ear-piercing ringing resounded loudly in my head, blocking out all other sounds and I groaned in agony, still coughing because of the smoke in my lungs. Slowly, I picked myself up off the ground and scanned the area. Instantly, my brown eyes locked onto a lone figure nearby and my heart caught in my throat. Carl! Wordlessly, I sprinted towards him.

I could see the expression on his face - a mixture of shock, relief, and anger. But it all melted away as I collided into him, his arms instantly wrapping around me tightly. I breathed out a sigh of relief into his shoulder, feeling as if a weight had been lifted. He was okay! Thank goodness, he was okay! We didn't say anything after we broke our embrace - he didn't even reprimand me for not staying in the sewers.

Instead, I helped lead him down there to safety. He was weak and tired from the battle, I suppose. Everyone was still down there - now along with Daryl and Tara included. Gently, I helped Carl sit down in the corner towards the back. Why was he so weak like this? Had the battle really hurt him so badly?

Carl's eye met mine then and I saw a sadness there that I'd never seen in that beautiful blue eye before. There was something wrong. Something terribly wrong.