Fight For Life ⤜ Carl Grimes

⤜three

Rose, Beth, Maggie, Jimmy, Shane, Glenn, and T-Dog were gathering rocks by a small tree patch just outside of Hershel's house for Otis' funeral. Their attention was gained by the sound of a motorcycle roar. In the distance, a motorcycle rode up the road, followed by an R.V, and a small SUV. They began wheeling the cart of rocks back to the front of the house, where the cars were parked.

Rick and Lori came outside, greeting the unfamiliar faces that Rose had never seen before. "How is he?" An older man, Dale, asked.

"He'll pull through," Lori said, nodding, "Thanks to Hershel, and his people."

"And Shane," Rick added. "We'd have lost Carl if not for him."

Dale pulled Rick into a hug, and the other's began hugging as well. "How'd it happen?" Dale questioned.

"Hunting accident. That's all- just a stupid accident," Rick responded.

It was now the time to proceed with Otis' funeral. Everyone took turns helping to stack the rocks up, before Hershel began reading a verse from his bible. "Blessed be god, father of our lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to him for the gift of our brother Otis. For his span of years, for his abundance of character. Otis, who gave his life to save a child's, now more than ever, our most precious asset. We thank you, god, for the peace he enjoys in your embrace. He died as he lived- in grace. Shane, will you speak for Otis?"

"I'm not good at it," he simply responded. "I'm sorry."

Rose noticed that his hair was not long anymore. It was now shaved into buzzcut.

"You were the last one with him. You shared his final moments. Please, I need to hear. I need to know his death had meaning," Patricia cried.

Shane hesitated for a moment, his face looking scared- and almost lifeless. "We were about done, almost out of ammo. We were down to pistols by then. I was limping, it was bad. Ankle all swollen up. 'We've gotta save the boy.' See, that's what he said. He gave me his backpack, he shoved me ahead. 'Run,' he said. He said, 'I'll take the rear, I'll cover you.' And when I looked back..."

He began walking ahead, "If not for Otis," he picked up a rock and placed it atop of the pile, "I'd have never made it out alive. And that goes for Carl too. It was Otis, he saved us both. If any death ever had meaning, it was his."

Rose could sense deep down that Shane's words held no meaning. As if he was lying about something. The look on his face, and they he twitched his eyes, the feeling just made Rose unconvinced.

After Otis' funeral, Rick's group was setting up their tents around the small tree patch outside of Hershel's house. Rose, Maggie, Lori, Glenn, Shane, and Andrea went to examine the well just outside of the house, where T-Dog and Dale were standing.

Rose pulled the flashlight out of the back pocket of her jean shorts, shining the light in the well. Her eyes furrowed when she saw the walker that stood down in the water. "Maggie, has that always been there?" Rose asked.

Maggie looked down in the well, her face scrunching up in disgust. "No. Wasn't there the last time I was here."

"Looks like we got ourselves a swimmer," Dale informed, examining the walker that growled up at them.

"How long do you think it's been down there?" Glenn questioned.

"Long enough to grow gills," Andrea responded.

"We can't leave it in there. God knows what it's doing in the water," Lori added.

Shane sighed, "We got to get it out."

"How are you guys gonna do that?" Rose asked.

"Easy. Put a bullet in it's head," T-Dog said. "I'll get a rope."