Almost Broken: Carl Grimes fanfic

Chapter 36

I looked at the little girl both in fear and confusion. All she did was stare at me, no emotion whatsoever on her face as she held her hand out to help me up.

"Thanks...." I mumble and look at the bite on her arm. She nodded and looked away from me, to something in the woods.

"I... I think you're-" I point to her arm.

"I know." She says coldly.
"I have to go." She says and turns to leave.

"Hey wait!" I yell. She turns around and looks at me, big brown eyes peering into mine.

"What's your name? You just uh... You just saved me. Why are you leaving so quick?" I ask.

"It's Brooke. And I don't like getting attached to people, just so they can leave me or... In this case," she points to her bitten arm. "I leave them..." She says and turns back around.

"Brooke.." I call. Something about her petite self reminds me of... Well, it reminds me of me, besides the blonde hair.
"Don't you wanna be with people before you... Well.. You know.." I ask.

"I have people.." She again looks to the woods. "They don't know I'm bit.. I was just gonna leave them so they don't have to deal with it." Her voice comes out small but so confident and sure. I'm almost jealous of this little girl.

"Who?" Now I'm curious.
"Another girl from my old group."
"Why aren't you with your old group?"
"Why do you keep asking questions?" She asks harshly.
"Why don't you answer mine?"
"Because I don't know you and I don't need to know you. I'm leaving, bye." She says and turns around again, walking into the woods.
I quickly run towards the church for Carl when he comes out.

"Hey I was looking through cabinets and found thi-" he starts.

"Yeah yeah that's great," I say, grabbing the box of cookies he has in his hand, shoving them in his bag, and grabbing his wrist to follow me.
"There was a girl, she helped me from a walker." I say as I navigate me and Carl through the cemetery.
"Wait what?"
"She left before I could convince her to stay."
"Then why are we trying to find her if she wanted to leave?"
"I wanted to leave... You went looking for me." I mumble without looking back at him.
"It's not the same Rylie." He says harshly.
"Whatever. She was bit and she needs-"
"Wait she's bit?" Carl stops and pulls his wrist from my grip. I turn around to face him.
"Yes now let's go-" I reach for his wrist again but he pulls it away, looking at me like I'm insane.
"Carl please... She saved me and I just want to help her, I-"
"Ry, there is no helping her.. She's bit, we can't fix her. There is no cure." He says, pleading with me to let it go.

"But..." We hear a scream.
"That's her!" I say and start running for the woods.
"How can you tell?! You just met her!" Carl yells and runs after me.
"I just know!!!" I yell, not turning around. I find Brooke... But I guess it wasn't her screaming. She looks perfectly fine... Well I mean, besides the bite of course. I look over to what she's looking at and freeze.

"Brooke..." I mumble and she looks at me. She slowly walks over and stands next to me. Her arms crossed.

"What..." I point to the strawberry blonde teenager crying over a dead dog.
She leans to my side and Carl grabs my arm from the other side.

"That's Grace... She's not all the way there in the brain... That's not even her dog." Brook says, with no sympathy in her voice, just remorse for Grace.

"How'd you get bit?" Carl breaks the silence.

"Is that any of your business? I'm gonna die or turn anyway. What is wrong with you people trynna get close to me?" She asks, and finally, since the moment I met her, I hear sadness in her voice and a flicker of hope in her eyes.