Just Keep Walking

One hundred and seventeen

Mary was sat on Michonne's lap, watching Alden through the fencing as Rosita drove into the gates in a new van, immediately alerting everyone.
"What's she got?" Mary asked curiously, as Michonne stood up, holding Mary close.
Rosita got out of the van, and Enid opened the trunk, seeing a few empty crates.
"I don't know what the hell it is." Rosita explained simply, giving Maggie a letter.
"If you fill the crates with food or phonograph records, I will gladly exchange for a key to your future." Maggie read out loud.
"It lists coordinates for our meeting spot." Rosita added, as Maggie silently gave Michonne the letter. Mary clung to her as she read, uninterested, simply wanting to be close to her mother.
"This ain't the Saviours. They'd blow through the gates, make a big show. This isn't that." Michonne decided finally.
"I wouldn't put anything past him." Maggie shrugged.
"Well if it is a trap, it's kinda obvious." Rosita contributed.
"Which is what could make it a trap."
"What if what if it's someone who actually wants to help?" Michonne asked suddenly, putting a hand on Mary's back. Mary instantly sank even further into Michonne's chest, relaxing instantly.
"Someone who's trying to help us and we miss out? We miss out. Someone who's tryin' to kill us? We die." Maggie said simply.
"Not if we're careful."
"Being careful is staying here." Enid whispered suddenly, and Michonne looked at the teenage girl, seeing fear in her eyes. Enid has just lost the closest thing she had to a best friend and a lover. She was scared to go out. She was scared that Maggie or herself would die, just like Carl.
"I'll go," Michonne nodded, understanding the girl's concern, "I'll see what's up."
"You go, I go." Rosita said firmly.
"Rick wants us here." Enid half whined, and this time everyone picked up on her dear.
"I know," Michonne soothed, her voice so calm, so motherly, desperate to reason, "but the last time we took a chance like this, it changed everything. Rick didn't agree with me then, he may not understand me now."
"He won't." Maggie retorted.
"But eventually he will. He will." Michonne insisted, beginning to walk away, to get ready to leave.
"Jesus and the others have been scavenging, and we're still starving. Maybe this person does have something that can help." Maggie admitted reluctantly.
"Then I'm coming with you." Enid insisted.
"Okay. I'll grab record cases in case it's real," Maggie sighed, taking the clip out of her gun, then turning to Enid, "you get extra clips in case it isn't."
"Okay, you're gonna stay with Uncle Daryl, yeah?" Michonne smiled softly to Mary.
"No. I'm stayin' with you."
"Or Siddiq? You like him."
"No. You. Only you."
"Mary, it might not be safe. I can't... I can't put you in that danger. Baby, you understand, right?"
"No. I'm staying with you. I don't care." Mary snapped.
"Mary..."
"No! Daddy left me! Carl left me! No. Not you too." Mary cried softly, and Michonne sighed shakily, then nodded.
"Okay. Okay. But you do as I say. Okay? If I say to stay in the car, you do. Yes?"
"Yes." Mary nodded seriously. Michonne nodded with a sigh, and kissed the side of Mary's head.
"I love you so much."
"Love you too." Mary said softly.
"Okay. Alright, do you have your Carl Bunny?" Michonne asked gently, and Mary nodded, pulling it from inside her long sleeves.
"Mom... Is... Do you think daddy's okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, oh, Moo, don't worry about daddy. He'll be fine. He's always fine. He just needs a bit of space, yeah? Some time alone." Michonne explained soothingly.
"When mommy Lori died he didn't talk for a little bit. He got really sad. He was sad and quiet and mad. It was scary."
"I know, baby. I know. It was a hard time, and these are hard times too. I know."
"I'm gonna go say goodbye to the others." Mary mumbled, getting down from Michonne's arms. She walked over to Siddiq, and hugged him, then left, not exchanging another word, and then walked to Daryl who was sat on the steps leading up to the large house.
"Hey, kid." The man smiled tiredly, putting aside his crossbow he was cleaning. Mary instantly realised the action and slid into his lap, half leaning into his chest.
"Hi."
"Yer alright? D'ya want anythin' to eat?"
"No. I'm fine. Me and mom and aunt Rosita and Maggie and Enid have to go for an hour or two. I'm just sayin' bye."
"Okay. Alright." Daryl nodded, ruffling her hair.
"Gonna go." Mary declared quietly, getting up and walking over to the imprisoned Saviours.
"Mary, your daddy doesn't want you over here. I don't want you to get in trouble." Alden sighed gently.
"Daddy isn't here. He left."
"Okay. Okay, sweetie, I think you should go back and find your mommy. I bet she's worrying."
"She's fine. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, kiddo, I'm fine." Alden smiled sadly, sighing softly.
"Are you scared? Who are your friends here? Is your mommy or daddy here? Alden, I'm worried. I think you're lonely." Mary whined, concerned for her friend.
"I'm fine, sweetie. I promise." Alden laughed gently.
"Here," Mary nodded reluctantly, holding out Carl Bunny, "I want you to have this. Not for forever. Just tonight. Then you're not alone."
"No, Mary, I can't take your teddy."
"Al. Please. He'll look after you." Mary insisted, and she pushed the bunny through the fence, Alden taking it with a sigh.
"Thank you, sweetheart." Alden smiled gently, as some of the other men laughed teasingly.
"Mary! Get away from there!" A voice snapped suddenly, and Mary span around guiltily, seeing Carol striding over.
"Come on. You know you're not supposed to be there." Carol sighed, picking Mary up and carrying her away.
"I was talking."
"I don't care. It's not safe."
"It is. I know him. That boy keeps staring." Mary commented, and Carol sighed, turning and walking towards the boy. She sat Mary straight down next to him, looking at the pair with a hint of sadness.
"Okay. That's Henry. Henry, you've got a job. Keep her in your sight, and look after her, okay? Her mom could do with a break. And you need something to do. Entertain her. Mary, where's Mishy?"
"We're goin' out soon." Mary announced.
"Okay, Whatever. She'll come get you."
"I don't wanna be left with some kid!" Henry snapped suddenly.
"Hey. Be nice. She needs a friend, and so do you. You've both lost people." Carol said firmly, before leaving.
Mary looked up at the boy, and held out her hand, as she'd seen her father do when he greeted new people. "I'm Mary. Mary Grimes."
"Henry."
"Is your daddy or mommy here? Are they dead?"
"Yeah, they're dead. Not everyone's lucky like you and has two parents." Henry snapped.
"My other mommy died. Mommy Mishy is actually my step mom. And lots of other people died. And my brother died this morning. Maybe this night."
Henry immediately felt guilty and sighed softly. "I'm sorry about your brother."
"Do you have one?"
"My brother died. About a week ago."
"It's too sad." Mary nodded in understanding, and Henry nodded back, visibly holding back tears. "What was your brother's name?"
Henry breathed in slowly, the exhaled sharply. "Benjamin. What was yours?"
"Carl. If all of your people are dead, who looks after you?"
"Ezekiel. King Ezekiel. Carol too, and sometimes Morgan, I guess."
"Carol used to look after me, but she's not living with us now. Since we got to Alexandria I don't see her much. But I didn't love her that much anyway. Not as much as the others."
"That's not very kind."
"It's honest. I don't even love Maggie as much as I used to. But I love Glenn still. I miss him."
"Who's Glenn?"
"My best friend. He's gone." Mary answered simply, and Henry nodded in understanding. "Henry, I think we have to be friends. It makes sense. We both lost our brothers and mommy. We both need a friend. And Carol wants us to."
Henry rolled his eyes, then nodded with a scoff. "Okay. Sure, whatever."
"Hey, pinky promise?"
"Pinky promise." Henry sighed, rolling his eyes again, and he allowed Mary to hook her pinky around his. Mary looked up into Henry's eyes, and for a moment, he was caring and loving and he was there for her, then she began to sob.
He was lovely, and now he was her friend, but he wasn't Carl.
He wasn't Carl.

Dear my amazing, kind, patient, and beautiful readers,
Hi! It's been a while. Firstly I just want to send you all some love, especially to those of you who have continued to comment and send me love while I haven't been updating. The past year has been very hard for me; not only have I been in my last year of school doing my Alevels, but I've been struggling with my mental health, and I lost someone in my family who I loved very dearly. It's been a hard year. And now, instead of taking my Alevels, they're cancelled due to Coronavirus. It's upsetting, but also means I've had a lot of time to focus on myself, and now, I'm very happy to say I have time to update my books! I'm going to make a schedule for updating, but they will hopefully be very regular (hoping to update this book two/three times a week at least). I cannot express how much your comments have meant to me.
All my love, Emma