Leah Grimes

Chapter 5

When we got back to the highway Daryl set me down by the RV. Dale rushed over bringing me granola bars and bread. I nodded in thanks, eating them quietly as the rest of the group sat around me. "Leah, there's something we need to tell you." Dale said. I looked up, "what's that?" Daryl sat down beside me, "your brother got shot, some people down the road are helping him. Glenn Carol and T-dog will take you there." I put my head in my hands, "I want to go now. My parents need to know I'm okay." Glenn held out his hand, "they'll know kid. We will leave soon." I started to get up, but Daryl grabbed my arm, "how'd you make it out there anyway, you're like what ten?" I scoffed, "I'm twelve."

At night time I sat outside the RV on the steps. The door opened I turned to see it was just Daryl so I spun back around. "What you doing up girly?" I shrugged, "Waiting for Glenn and Tdog." He nodded, "how'd you two get split up?" I sighed, "we were running and I tripped fell down a ditch, I was scared I just kept going." Daryl sat down, "at least we found you." I smiled, "I found you actually." He scoffed, "whatever you say kid." I stood up as Glenn walked our way, "ready Leah?" I nodded waving goodbye to Daryl then getting into the vehicle.

We drove only about twenty minutes before pulling into a farm house. A woman sat on the porch, she smiled at me holding the door open for us. "Mom," I whispered rushing over to her. "Leah... your okay." I nodded letting her wrap her arms around me. "I shouldn't have run mom. I'm sorry." She cried into my shoulder. "It's okay baby, I'm not mad." I gave her a small smile, "where's dad?" She grabbed my hand, "let's go see Carl and Daddy." I nodded following her up the stairs. We pushed open a door and dad sat there looking exhausted. "Leah," he whispered looking at me in shock. "is Carl okay?" I asked. He set me on his lap, "we don't know hon, are you okay? What happened to you?" I leaned back and mom crouched down in front of me. "Me and Sophia got separated, I kept running until I found a tree I could hide in." Mom cried, "I'm proud of you baby." I looked away, "don't be I didn't kept Sophia safe, I broke my promise to her." Dad turned me to face him, "don't think for a second any of this is your fault." The doctor, and the owner of the farm house walked into the room, "you can go see him if you want." I got up and started to walk to the room Carl was in, but the doctor stoped me, "now I heard you went through quite the adventure yourself, what's your name young lady?" I glanced up at him, "Leah." He smiled at me, "now that's a beautiful name, I'm Hershel if you need anything. I nodded in thanks then started walking. Carl was up and coughing. I ran to his bed grabbing his hand, "Carl are you okay?" He looked over at me with a big smile on his face, "you're back Leah." I nodded looking at his bullet wound. "I saw a deer Leah, it was beautiful you would've loved...." he stopped talking. "Carl." I whispered.

All of a sudden he started shaking, uncontrollably I pulled my hand back quickly. "it's a seizure let it pass." My mom grabbed my dad sobbing into his shoulder and I pushed my way out of the room. I made my way to the porch sitting in the corner where no one would see me, I stared off into the darkness lifting my head as Glenn came outside. "You okay?" He asked sitting down. I scoffed, "is that a good question to ask right now?" He nodded, "that's a fair point." I sighed, "I'm sorry." He shrugged, "don't be it was a dumb question." There were no stars in the sky tonight it was just black. "I wish I hadn't have kept running I should've turned around tried to help her." Glenn sighed, "anyone would've kept running, can't beat yourself up over that." I nodded, "it's hard not too. I guess Carl being shot is my karma." Maggie, Hershels oldest daughter walked out, "don't say that. It was just an accident a dumb accident." I pushed myself up, "doesn't feel that way." Glenn gave me a small smile, "hey they got the equipment now it's up to Carl to pull through." Instead of answering I went outside to where our tents were now set up and crawled into my sleeping bag staring at the roof of the tent.