𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 [ 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬 ] ✘

The Time Has Come... [Pt. 1]

This was it. The final battle - the last showdown. At least, I hoped it would be. There had been too many lives lost, too many hearts broken over the havoc these monsters had caused. Carl had assured me he was fine, that he could handle being the distraction while the others got away. But I wasn't so sure - he had been weak ever since that day with Siddiq. I didn't even know why though.

He wouldn't talk about it at all, just brushed me off every time I tried to help him. But that was Carl for you, I suppose - always independent, never wanting help. So needless to say, I wasn't surprised when he ordered me to stay behind with the others. And needless to say, he wasn't surprised when I blatantly disregarded every word that came out of his mouth, instead choosing to follow along behind him like a puppy. I only held back once he'd climbed the ladder to stand, towering over the gate like he owned the place. This was his showdown, not mine.

His moment to shine like the jewel I knew him to be.

"He's not home," Carl spoke up finally, cutting off Negan's rant over the sound system like a boss.

I grinned at my boyfriend's saucy attitude, crossing my arms over my chest as I waited on the ground below in the darkness.

"Oh-ho-ho! Everybody hold your fire. It's Carl! Look at you. Answering the door like a big boy," Negan said from the other side. Even though I couldn't see his face, I could tell he was grinning like a possum, " I am so proud. Daddy's not home, huh? Well, I guess he's gonna get back to a big old smoky surprise-"

"There's families in here. Kids. My little sister," Carl interrupted him once again.

Negan was silent a moment before speaking, "Well, that just breaks my heart... There's kids at the Sanctuary. You must've seen 'em. Even had a little baby at one of the outposts. I wonder what happened to her... None of this is fair, kid. Man, you know that. You had to kill your own mom. That is messed up. Ergo, we need someone in charge who's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that doesn't happen. Oh! Wait! That's me,"

"Bad stuff does happen, but we can figure this out. We can stop this," Carl argued, trying to get his point across.

"Oh, now you want to talk? See, your dad had it that I died, He gave my people a choice. Not me. Now we're gonna need a new understanding. Apologies, punish-" Negan began to reply when finally, Carl cut him off one last time, leaving the both of us reeling.

"Kill me!" he said, as if it were the easiest and most logical thing in the world.

My eyes went wide as saucers, my mouth gaping as I began to feel my heart pound like a jackhammer in my chest. He had to be joking! He had to be! Was he out of his mind?! This wasn't like Carl at all! Negan seemed to be in shock, too - having said nothing since the exchange a few seconds ago.

"What did you say?" he asked, finally speaking up.

"If you have to kill someone, if there has to be punishment, then kill me...I'm serious,"

No! No, no, no! And then with sudden finality, I realized this was his plan all along. That's why he didn't want me here - he didn't want me to watch when they executed him... His last brave act to defend this town and its people, finally becoming the hero I'd always seen in him.

"You wanna die?" Negan asked him in disbelief and confusion.

"No, I don't," Carl replied, shaking his head 'no' once before nodding, "But I will. It's gonna happen..."

There was such a finality in his voice, like his death was impending. And it made cracks form in my heart from the brokenness in his tone as he continued.

"And i-if me dying could stop this, if it can make things different - for us, for you, for all those other kids - it'd be worth it... I mean, was this the plan? Was it supposed to be this way? Is this who you wanted to be?"

I could hear the trucks rumbling in the far distance, our fighters preparing for battle. Suddenly, we heard a loud crash from the other side of town and Carl briefly glanced down at me, the both of us sharing a look as he began to climb down the ladder quickly. We heard Negan swear some profanities from outside the gate and the loading of weapons before I saw Carl mouth 'get down' to me. Without even questioning him, I did as he bid me. We both hit the dirt just in time as explosions went off around us, making my vision go dark.