Found Book One

Dinner

"Let's get to eatin'," Daryl says with a large grin, the group cheers, as Carol and Maggie start dinner. I wonder to the area with the women and food, "What can I do?" I ask.

Carol waves me over to her, I comply and walk over toward the woman. "Load up plates, we gotta get everyone fed," she says passing me a plate. I pile food onto it so that everyone has an equal amount

Gabriel comes out with some bottles of wine, Rick laughs and everyone continues cooking and eating and laughing and talking. I smile at the sight of everyone being fed and full, Judith is being passed around to everyone.

The door opens and closes, I turn around and look at the people in the room, I tap Carl's shoulder. "I think Carol and dad left," I whisper, he shrugs, "They probably left to do it," he says.

I smack his shoulder, "Eww, no one wants to hear about that," I laugh. "Hey, do you think we can steal some of that wine?" Carl asks, "Yeah I've got it," I tell him.

I sneak over to the table which no one notices, I grab two cups and quickly dump some wine into both. I jump when Abraham pours some wine into his own two glasses.

"You could've just asked me and Ro," he says with a smile. I roll my eyes and sigh as I grab the cups, "Our secret," he says. I smile and make an 'X' over my heart with my pointer finger. Abraham does the same, "Our secret," I repeat.

"Get back over there," he says with a smile. I nod and walk back to Carl, I hand him one of the cups, I take a sip of the fermented grape juice. Carl drinks some as well, he makes a lemon face. I laugh and take another drink.

"This shit is disgusting," Carl sighs taking another drink, I smile and close my eyes basking in the dim glow of the firelight. I take a few more sips. "We should go out for a walk," Carl mumbles leaning against me, I shake my head.

"Yeah. I think no, because if we go for a 'walk' and Daryl finds us you'll end up with an arrow in your head," I giggle.

I look around the room and watch as people around me laugh and joke for the first time in what seems like forever. "I like this," I say keeping my eyes on Carl's plump lips, he smirks at me.

"What about this do you like, being drunk or everyone being happy," I press my lips to his. My hand lands on his thigh, he groans lightly his tongue slides across my bottom lip.

I open my mouth slightly, our tongues fight as his hands find my hips, "Aye the kiddos over there are gettin' more than us," Abraham laughs.

Carl pulls away and pecks me on the lips, a blush covers my cheeks and I can't tell if it's from embarrassment or alcohol. Carl rolls his eyes, "Meet me outside in five minutes," he whispers standing up and walking toward the door.

I stand up and make my way outside running my fingers along the rim of my cup. Carl is sitting on the doorstep with his gun in his hands.

He looks up at me, a smirk slides onto his face, he takes my hand and pulls me down to sit on the step beside him. I smile, leaves crunch and a twig snaps and Carl jumps up. "Dead one?" I ask. There's no other movement for a few minutes.

He shakes his head, "No if it was a walker it wouldn't have stopped," he whispers, I stand as well. I raise my rifle to look through the night-vision scope, "Carl, what if there are people out there," I ask. I'm still looking through the scope, a gunshot sounds but it's not from my gun.

My eyes widen and a gasp falls from my lips as hot metal tears through my flesh. The gun falls from my hands, and my fingers go to my side, blood drips down from the hole in my stomach.

"Shit," I mutter, "Wha-" Carl grabs my arms. "Hey you're okay," he whispers as he lowers me down to the ground.

"Dad!" Carl yells, "Michonne! Dad!" he calls again, a tear slips down his cheek and falls onto my forehead.

"I'm fine," I say as I reach up to grab his shirt, "Yeah I know," he says. His hand presses on the wound, I look down to see blood pouring from between his fingers.

I smile at him weakly as people rush around me, he pulls me into his arms and lifts me up with no trouble.

"Oh god! What the hell happened?" Rosita asks as Carl lays me down on the red carpeted floor. Rosita rips my shirt to examine the wound, "Rick get me the first aid kit!" she yells.

The man hesitates, "Now Rick! And someone lock the door!" everyone springs into action, Rosita kneels beside me. "Well she has an exit wound, so that's good," she says, my limbs slowly start to feel heavy as I stare up at the arched ceiling.

"Carl," I whisper, "Yeah?" he mutters taking a deep breath. "You know this isn't gonna be the last time you see me. So, don't look at me like that," I say trying not to let my voice tremble.

He brushes the hair away from my face, "I know but you gotta stay awake," he says kissing my forehead.

I nod and stare into his sky-blue eyes. "Carl, give her something to bite down on, we need to cauterize the wound," Rosita says grabbing things from around the room.

I shake my head as Carl whips off his belt, he folds it three times, I reluctantly open my mouth.

He places the folded leather in my mouth. I bite down on the smooth leather. A red hot burning starts in my abdomen, but I don't scream.

I don't even try. "Shush, shh, you're okay. Just stay with me, look at me," Carl mutters. His hands tightly on my arms to keep them down.

His voice fades in and out as I stare into his eyes. A dull ringing starts in my left ear and spreads to the other.

My sight is fuzzy as burning pain runs through my body, "Elaine, please. I need you," Carl whispers pressing light kisses to my forehead.

I let out a muffled sob as colors dance at the edges of my vision. "I love you," he mumbles as my eyes fall closed.