Surviving All Out War (BOOK FIVE IN THE SURVIVING THE WALKING DEAD SERIES)

Stargazers

     The sewers shook, dirt fell from above us as explosions continued throughout Alexandria. I sat alone. Daryl tried to comfort me, but I didn't want to be bothered, I needed to process this. Carl was dying. How could he be so calm right now? It's taking all my strength to not go up there and kill every last motherfucker there, but I didn't, I couldn't... Carl wouldn't want that.

     Rick was fighting back so much emotion, trying to be strong for Carl and Judith, it was  heartbreaking. To listen to his voice crack as he screamed on the inside was more than I could bear. Carl tried to reassure him that it was okay, but it wasn't. None of this was okay. Carl got bit. My brother is dying. How is this okay?

     "I wasn't sure if you'd make it back before-" Carl paused. "But just in case, you know, I wanted to make sure I was able to say goodbye."

     "'No. It's them." Rick whimpered, cursing the Saviors above.

     "No." Carl weakly argued. "I got bit. I was bringing someone back. His name is Siddiq. We saw him at that gas station before. It wasn't the Saviors. It just happened... I got bit."

     "Carl, you should lie down." Michonne suggested.

     "I-I want Michaela." I slightly turned my head at the sound of my name.

     "Carl-" Rick began.

     "I want my sister, dad."

     "Okay." Rick sighed. "Michaela!" Rick quietly called for me and I looked up at Daryl.

     "Go on, Carl needs ya." I gently nodded and slowly rose to my feet and made my way over to Carl. He was looking worse with every passing minute.

     "There's my human pillow." Carl quietly teased. I couldn't help but to smile and stepped around Michonne to take my seat beside Carl before Rick and Michonne carefully laid his him down, letting him rest his head in my lap.

     "Is that better?" Michonne asked.

     "Yeah, thanks." Carl slightly nodded.

     "I, um, I got these." Siddiq spoke up as he held out a pill bottle and a bottle of water. "They're over-the-counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. They'll, um- they'll help a little with the fever... they did for my mom and dad." Siddiq turned to Rick and began to whimper. "Please take them. Your son, he should have them." Rick let out a sigh and took the bottles from him.

     "You're a doctor?" Rick asked.

     "I was a resident before. Yeah."

     "Your name is Siddiq?"

     "Yes."

     "Did you know he was a doctor? Is that why you brought him back?"

     "He wasn't gonna make it alone." Carl answered. "He needed us. That's why."

     "He was the one at the gas station. Carl slowly closed his eye and subtly sighed as I ran my fingers through his hair.

     "You're always taking care of me."

     "You're my brother." I smiled. "I'm always gonna take care of ya."

     "I remember the farm." Carl smiled. "When I was having problems accepting Sophia's death. You were there for me. You took care of me."

~BEGIN FLASHBACK~