Water was flooding into the car through the drivers side window. Carls head was buzzing, the sound of his heartbeat almost blocking out the sound of rushing water. When a herd of walkers came out of the woods and blocked the road, Negan veered out of the way. They hit trees as the truck slid down the hill, Carl hitting his head on the window and the dashboard. Next to him, Negan was shouting things he didn't understand and gripping the wheel.
Negans window was down when they splashed into the water. At the rate the truck was going it began to sink very fast, nose diving into the lake. Negan didn't have his seat belt on so he almost effortlessly was able to squeeze his legs out from under the wheel and climb out before the water made it to the top of the truck. Carl wasn't so lucky, he always had his seat belt on and with the water pooling around him, he couldn't find the button to push so he could retract the belt.
He was almost chest deep in water, the seat belt holding him tight against the seat. Carl was thankful they didn't hit anything head first, the air bag would have snapped his neck or tore the skin off of his face. Drowning somehow seemed better than that. Underneath the water was the radio, the speakers still blaring one of Negans favorite rock songs. It was muffled the same way almost all the sound was.
Carl turned to his right then to his left. Negan was able to make it out but he wasn't coming back. For a moment, Carl thought of breaking the glass out of his window and cut his way out of the seat belt but once the window was broken water would flood in and drown him faster, maybe eveb sink the car further down, and Carl couldn't have that.
The car groaned as it slipped further into the lake. Negan was still no where to be seen and the water was up to Carls chin. Carls hands searched all over the car to try and find something that could help him. A knife and a bat. Cut the belt and then break the glass. But would the pressure of both windows being open keep him inside? Would the water forcing its way into the car kill him? He was going to die. Not by a bullet. Not by a zombie. But by being trapped in a sinking, flooding car.
It began sinking in, finally, that Carl was going to die. The water was surrounding him and even if he was able to get out who's to say there aren't zombies in or around the lake. And he doesn't have any weapons. He didn't have a gun or a knife. They were all packed in the back of the big rig along with food and water and clothes. The water was cold causing Carl to shiver and shake in his place. The belt only tightened. The way the car aggressively jerked around and moved probably triggered the belt to tighten and hold Carl in place. For safety.
"Negan." Carl yelled, slamming his fists against the window. "Negan!" Negan couldn't have left him. Even if he didn't care about Carl he would still try to save the supplies. His people trusted that they would always have more than enough. He couldn't have all of them turn on him when they start to run out. "Please! Someone!" Carl felt weak. He hated calling for help, but he didn't want to die, not being trapped under water and being forced to feel the way his body filled up with water and choked on it.
The water was rushing across his lips now, pushing his head beneath it within seconds. Carl kept his mouth and eye closed, covering his nose with one hand while the other continued to bang against the window. After a minute Carls mouth fell open and his hand moved, he gasped for air only to have his mouth and lungs be filled with water. He coughed beneath the water, only to have more water flood in. He was suffocating. Drowning. Dying. Carl gripped the belt with both hands and tugged at it, coughing more and more. He couldn't die like this.
Carl gripped the belt and yanked at it over and over, his screams being muffled by the water rushing around him. He began to feel dizzy, his eyes closing, his hands still gripping the belt. With a few more tugs, Carl finally fell limp in the seat, passing out. The front of the truck slammed into the bottom of the lake, causing everything to jerk forward.
-
It was warm and bright. Carl really wasn't sure what it was, but it was so bright he had to keep his eye closed. Around him were sounds of groans. He thought heaven would be different. Safe and happy. No flesh eating monsters and people who have lost their minds. Maybe Carl didn't end up in heaven at all. This could be his hell. Fighting a never ending amount of walkers just like he did when he was alive.
"Kid." Something slapped his cheek. "I saw your eye open, come on, now isn't the time to play dead." Another slap. Then his body was being shook by something. Someone. "Carl, come on, I can't carry you and we don't have a car. I need you to wake your ass up." His voice was harsh. Then soft. "Please just... wake up..." Negan. The smell of rotten blood and beer filled his nose. His Negan.
"Damn..." Carl said weakly. "I thought I was dead." He reached up and pushed wet clumps of his hair out of his face. "Too bad I still gotta deal with you." He smiled. Small. It hurt to breathe.
"You asshole." Negan breathed out, kissing his head. "You weren't breathing when I finally got you out. It took me too long to find a knife and I thought-" Negan was breathing heavily. Tears fell from his cheeks and stained Carls face. "I thought I killed you but I got you out and did all that mouth to mouth B.S. I had to learn when I was a teacher and-"
"I knew you were gonna get me." Carl lied. "I just... I couldn't get the belt off and I didn't know what to do but.. you saved me, okay?" He cupped Negans cheek and rubbed his thumb against it. "You saved me." He smiled. "You're my hero." He laughed before coughing and rolling onto his side. He spit water out, shaking his head. "Fuck.."
Negan rubbed his back, biting his lip. "I would never leave you. Ever. You're my boy and I'm gonna protect you." He leaned down and kissed the top of Carls head before pulling away.
Carl could hear him walk away, pull a door open and climb inside. The end of the truck must still be above water. Carl closed his eye and tried focused on breathing but all he could think about was Negan saying he would never leave. Carl didn't want to think about it, he always got his hopes up, but maybe Negan was telling the truth. Maybe he really wouldn't leave. Carl opened his eye and looked back at the car. Maybe Negan really would be his hero. Forever.
