The Lost Immune (The Walking Dead/Carl Grimes)

Guts (Chapter 15)

Casey's POV

It was always the smell that got to me. Not the noises or how the walkers looked, it was their rotting smell. So as I dug my life through the guts of a walker; the smell made me cringe. Even after all these years I never got used to it.

I spread the guts all over my poncho. Then I spread it over Carl's poncho. Rick and Michonne were helping the others out. I turned to Ron who was waiting behind me. I sighed and started to spread some on him. I "accidentally" got some on his face to which he freaks out smacking himself until it was off.

"Mom?" Sam came down with fear over his face. I sighed watching him stare at all of us.

"Sam I need you to pretend you are someone who is brave." Jessie said bending down to his height.

"Why are you looking like the bad guys?" He asked shakily.

"Because the only way out of here is to be like them. We aren't safe here." She informed. He let out a shaky sigh and looked at me.

"Slash and stab kid, slash and stab." I said, everyone else was confused but he just nodded. 

He left his Mom's side to come over to me. She looked at me and we shared a nod. I placed a poncho over his head. I told him to close his eyes so he wouldn't see the blood and guts going over him.

He cringed as the first handful was spread over his chest. He crinkled his nose at the smell turning his head away from me. When I was done with the front I turned him around to do the back. I could tell by his quiet sob he opened his eyes and looked down.

When I was finished I washed my hands off in the sink. Carl stood behind me in the doorway. I looked at him through the mirror. Both of our eyes were tired; we just wanted it to be over with.

"We'll make it out of here." I said turning around.

"I know." He nodded. I wanted to hug him but we were both covered in wet blood, so that wasn't an option. I took his hand and placed it against my cheek.

"I just have a bad feeling like something bad will happen."

"If something bad doesn't happen, that's a miracle." He said and I smiled.

We walked out of the bathroom to where everyone else was. I saw Michonne looking over the staircase down to where the walkers are. I walked over to her and peeked down too. She looked over at me.

"You ready?" She asked.

"I'm never not ready." I shrugged taking a step away from the stair case. "I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about everyone else. I mean if one person goes down then we are all going down."

"It's scary because you're right." She sighed shaking her head. "We have to go." She looked at the others.

"We're ready." Jessie said with her hands on Sam's shoulders. Ron kept his head down. "Ron?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." He mumbled.

"I'll get Judith." Rick stayed.

"Rick, let me get her, she's safest with me." I said and he agreed.

I went back to where she was sitting. She was calm and had a bottle in her hands. She gave me a small smile as I looked over the cradle. I picked her up trying to avoid her from touching the poncho. But there was no other way, it was dry anyway. As long as she doesn't get her mouth near it.

At the touch of the poncho she began to whine a little. She didn't want her bottle or any of her toys. I tried to think of some lullaby from deep in my memories.