Fight For Life ⤜ Carl Grimes

⤜two

Rose sat outside on the porch with Maggie, looking up at the nighttime sky. She admired the stars, and how bright they were. The farm was such a beautiful spot to just sit peacefully and watch the stars dance across the sky.

"Look at that one," Rose pointed to the sky. She pointed to a constellation in the stars.

"Orion," Maggie responded."Right there, you see those three stars right next to each other? That's Orion's Belt."

"Wow," Rose breathed. "That's so pretty."

They grew silent as a car pulled up in front of their house. A Korean man, and an African-american man got out of the car, standing in front of the house. They stopped as the came to the first step.

"So do we ring the bell?" Glenn asked, looking over at his friend. "I mean it looks like people live here."

"We're past this kind of stuff, aren't we?" T-Dog responded, beginning to walk up the steps. "Having to be considerate."

"Did you close the gate up the road when you drove in?" Maggie questioned, causing the two men to become startled.

"Uh, hi. Yes, we closed it, did the latch and everything," Glenn responded. Maggie leaned forward on the bench. "Hello, nice to see you again. We met before, briefly."

"Look, we came to help. Anything we can do?" T-Dog asked. Maggie stood up walking towards the men. She looked at T-Dog's arm, studying the bandage that was wrapped around it. "It's not a bite. I cut myself pretty bad though."

"We'll have it looked at. I'll tell them you're here," Maggie responded.

Glenn began reaching in his bag, "we have some painkillers, and antibiotics. I already gave him some, if Carl needs any."

"Come inside, I'll make you something to eat," Maggie offered, then looking back at Rose, gesturing for her to come inside with them.

Rose sat at the table with them, watching as Patricia sewed up the man's cut on his arm. "That looks bad. Does it hurt?" Rose asked.

T-Dog looked up at her, "like a son of a bitch."

"You got here right in time," Patricia said, finishing up the last few stitches, "this couldn't go untreated much longer. Merle Dixon, is that your friend with the antibiotics?"

"No, ma'am, Merle's no longer with us," Glenn explained. "Daryl gave us those- his brother."

"Not sure I'd call him a friend," T-Dog said, groaning out in pain from the stitches.

"He is today," Patricia responded. "This doxycycline might have just saved your life. You know what Merle was taking it for?"

"The clap," Glenn responded, causing Maggie to lift her head up. "Um, venereal disease. That's what Daryl said."

"I'd say Merle Dixon's clap was the best thing to ever happen to you."

T-Dog groaned out in pain, "I'm really trying not to think about that."

Glenn quickly walked out of the room. Maggie watched him as he left, sensing something was wrong. After they were done with his stitches, Maggie walked outside to where Glenn was sitting. Rose decided it best to stay in the kitchen, not wanting to eavesdrop on the conversation.

She walked into the empty room, sitting down on her bed. She reached into her nightstand drawer, pulling out the photograph once again. She admired it, tears filling her eyes. The flashbacks of that moment flooded into her mind.

6 year old Rose hung on her father's back, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. "Rose, darling, you're choking me," her father laughed.

"Sorry," Rose chuckled, letting her grip around his neck get looser. She looked around, admiring the amazing views of the trail they were hiking on. Her mother walked a little bit farther behind them, dreading how far they had to walk to reach the top.

When they finally reached the top of the mountain, Rose let out a deep breath. The sight was absolutely breathtaking, even her mother stared out in awe. "Wow," her father breathed, "this is amazing."

"It's gorgeous," her mother laughed.

"Rose, hand me the camera, please," her father instructed.

Rose reached into the pocket of her gray hoodie, pulling out the small camera they owned. "Karen, get in the picture," her father smiled.

Her mother walked over to them, placing her hands on her husbands shoulders. Her father faced the camera towards them. "On three, say cheese."

"One

Two-"

Rose was snapped back into reality by a car pulling up. She rushed out of her house, and outside, standing next to where everyone else was standing. Her eyes furrowed when she saw only Shane get out of the car.

He got out of the car, a backpack strung on his back. He looked as if he had seen a ghost, he was shaking, and his whole body was drenched in sweat. He let out shaky breaths as he walked towards the group. "Carl?" he asked shakily.

"There's still a chance," Rick answered.

"Otis?" Hershel questioned, quickly grabbing the bag out of Shane's hands.

Shane let out more shaky breaths, shaking his head no. "No."

Maggie's eyes began to water. Hershel hesitated for a moment before responding, "we say nothing to Patricia. Not till after. I need her." Hershel ran inside, followed by Maggie and Rose.  Rose wanted to be close in case, by chance, she was needed.

She sat with Maggie at the table, resting her head on Maggie's shoulder as she let out tears. Glenn stood by the table, looking at the pictures that were taped up on the fridge. "I've known Otis since I was a kid," Maggie cried. "He's run this farm since before my mother died."

"Who else? Who'd you lose?"Glenn asked. Maggie didn't respond, instead, she kept crying. "You said I had to make it okay somehow. That's what you've been trying to do, right? Which ones?"

Maggie stood up, walking over to where the pictures were taped on the fridge. She pointed to different pictures every time she said a name. "Stepmother. Stepbrother."

Maggie continued, but before she could finish, Hershel walked out of the room, catching their attention. He walked outside, with Rose, Maggie and Glenn following after him. Rick and Lori stood up from the steps, waiting for Hershel to tell them the news.

"He seems to have stabilized," Hershel said.

Rick let out a deep exhale, smiling that his son was okay. He walked up the steps, embracing Hershel in a tight hug.

"I don't have words," Lori told him tearfully, and that was true. Words couldn't describe how happy she was.

"I don't either. Wish I did," Hershel responded. "How do I tell Patricia about Otis?"

Rick looked over at Lori, "you go to Carl. I'll go with Hershel."

They all went inside. Rose went to her room, the only thing audible was the sound of Patricias sobs echoing around the house. Why was this world so cruel? Why did it take away the people we care about the most?

She closed her eyes, fiddling with the locket that dangled on her chest. She finally let the tears fall, sobbing as quietly as she could. But her sobs weren't quiet enough. Maggie walked in her room, seeing Rose crying furiously.

She walked over, sitting down next to Rose and embracing her. Rose cried on her shoulder, as Maggie hugged her. "Shh. It's okay, it's okay. It'll all be okay," Maggie calmed, stroking her hair.

No matter how hard Rose tried, the tears wouldn't stop. Regardless of how much she wanted them to.