Found Book One

First Night

Soon people start trickling into the home and dinner is started, everyone is laughing, and talking as we cook. "Hey everybody, we're sleeping in the same house tonight," Rick announces to the houseful of people, "So y'all can start making beds," Rick says motioning to Carl and I.

I nod and walk up the stairs to get in the closets to try and find pillows and blankets. Carl pulls pillows off the beds and some of the blankets, Tara thumps up the stairs and holds out her hands. I place blankets and pillows into her open arms, then I gather my own pile and walk down the stairs after her.

I place the folded blankets onto the couch and sit beside them, Judith babbles in her playpen, "'Arl!" she squeals as Carl walks back into the room from the kitchen.

He stops in his tracks and looks to his sister, "Did you just," he asks but before he can finish his sentence she squeals out the word again this time pulling herself up onto her feet.

"'Arl!" she yells this time as he kisses her nose, "Dad!" he calls out as he rushes into the kitchen. "Dad she said my name," he laughs excitedly to the older man, I smile as Tara sits beside me and Noah sits on the floor.

"Do you think these people can learn?" Noah asks as he flips through a book from one of the living room's built in shelves. "I think that they might be able to but they've been here since the beginning," Tara says patting his afro like hair.

He chuckles lightly and puts the book down, "I wonder which houses we're gonna live in," he says standing up. Rick walks into the room with Carl behind him, "Noah's right we gotta have some order in the way the houses are sep up. Carl and Judith are with me here, Glenn and Maggie can run things over in the greenhouse. Carol?" he asks turning to the woman at the dining room table.

"I'll go where ever just keep me with my girls," she says looking across the room to her sleeping daughter, "Daryl, Carol. You guys are in the green house," Rick says.

His son goes to object but people continue talking, "I'm stayin' here," Abraham says, "I want that California king," he grumbles pulling Rosita onto his lap. Everyone in the room chuckles as more arrangements are made.

"I think we should head to bed," Rick says placing blankets  on the table, slightly interrupting Carl and Noah's tense poker game.

"We've had a long day," the leader of our group says, I nod and walk past the door and into the kitchen. A shadow from the porch startles me and I reach for my gun which doesn't reside on my hip anymore.

A small knock sounds at the door and suddenly everyone is alert, like when we were outside the walls.

Rick slowly opens the door, to reveal Deanna, standing there speechless, "Wow," she mumbles looking at Rick's freshly shaven face.

He groans and rolls his eyes, "I just didn't know what was under there," she laughs as the large man moves to let her inside.

"I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to stop by and how you're all settling," she says stepping inside the house. She takes a look at everyone making their beds in the living room, "Oh my!" she gasps before turning back to Rick.

"Stayin' together. Smart," Deanna says, Rick shakes his head, "No one said we couldn't." Deanna comes further into the house.

The older woman nods, "Well, like you said you're a family," she says patting Ricks arm.  "Everyone said you gave them jobs," Rick says, "Oh yeah, everyone. It's part of this place," she says. 

"I didn't get one," he says. Deanna smiles, "You have, I just haven't told you what it is yet, same with Michonne. I'm almost there with Sasha. And I've gotta figure Mr. Dixon out," she says. Rick nods. "Oh, I have a surprise for all of you this weekend," she says with a big smile as she leaves the home.

After she's gone I look at Rick, "How many days until the weekend?" Rick turns to me, "Two," he answers. Carl lays a blanket down beside where Noah is sitting, "You guys can play another game tomorrow," Rick says. 

Carl and Noah roll their eyes, "Okay," they both say. Carol turns out the lights and we all settle to go to sleep. 

Around midnight I hear Rick get up and go into the kitchen. He goes upstairs after that. I can't sleep for the life of me.

"Carl," I whisper, he turns over and looks at me, "Ha- couldn't sleep either?" he asks. I nod and place my hand on his cheek, the room is dark but his eyes are almost glowing. "Are you okay?" I ask leaning forward, he shrugs lightly and turns onto his back.

"I don't know, this just seems too easy. And before my mom died, she told me that if something seemed to easy you shouldn't do it," he mumbles staring at the ceiling. 

I cuddle against his chest, I can hear his heart thump against his ribs. "But this wasn't easy, getting here wasn't easy. We lost so many people we lost more than what most of the people here can even imagine losing,"  I whisper.

"I guess that's why we're here because we lost so much," he says. I nod against his chest, "We deserve to be here because we fought for a place," I tell him. "Yeah," he mutters. We lay together in silence for what feels like forever. 

The moonlight shines in the at the right angle so I can see everyone on the other side of Carl. I glance up at him, his eyes are closed but he's not asleep. "What?" he asks me I smile, "I love you," I say to him. 

His arm tightens around me, "I love you too," he says. "Now can we go to sleep?" he questions. I smile and nod lightly. "Goodnight," I whisper.