Leah Grimes

Chapter 23

I sat up alone all night playing with my knife, when the sun peaked over the trees I watched my dad stand up. "Where are you going?" I asked. He turned around offering his hand, "we're leaving today, just packing. You sleep?" I shook my head, "No."

Once the group was awake we squeezed into our last vehicle. I hadn't even bothered to meet any of the new people. I had figured out their names though, Rosita, Abraham and Eugene. I sat up front with dad and Glenn, staring out at the road ahead. We made it about two hours before we ran out of gas. "We're on foot now." Dad instructed as we all hesitantly stepped out of the van. I met up with Carl walking beside him at the back, "how are you feeling?" He asked. I shrugged, "I miss Beth a lot." Carl nodded showing me a jewelry box, "I was thinking of giving this to Maggie, it played music once. Reminds me of Beth, I think you should though." I held it in my hands playing around with it, "you should Carl you found it, she'll appreciate it." He shook his head, "you were with her that whole time Leah, it's Maggie, she's going to love it."

I sighed giving in, "thank you." He nudged me, "what's a brother for if I can't pretend to care about you once in a while." I smiled, "that's funny. What happened with you after the prison? You never told me." He nodded towards dad, "it was me dad and Michonne, well Michonne found us later. I thought dad was going to die." I nodded, "my first few days I didn't even speak to Beth or Daryl. Then we got in a big fight, it was on my birthday. He said we wouldn't ever see you guys again." Carl laughed, "I think he was wrong about that." I nodded, "he was also drunk, and an asshole. But he never stopped taking care of us." We continued walking in silence for a bit until I turned to look at him, "is Liam dead?" He looked down ignoring my question. "It's alright Carl. I'm fine." He sighed, "Leah, I'm sorry. Really." I gave him a small smile, "promise me something, you won't leave me. I need you Carl." He hit my shoulder, "don't go soft on me."

I was starting to get tired, we haven't ate, and I've refused water making sure everyone else got some first. It felt like I didn't deserve it. I thought about Liam, and Beth. Those two meant something to me, I could've done better. Dad stopped us and we sat down, on the road all taking a break. Carl took Judith from him and I sat down beside dad and Daryl. "You need water, you're looking pale." I shook my head leaning against him. "How'd Liam die?" He stared at me, "who told you he died?" I shrugged, "I'm not an idiot." He nodded, "he never made it out of the prison. He was too sick Leah." I sighed, "sucks how many people we lost." Daryl agreed, "you're a tough kid", I scoffed, "everyone who died was tough Beth, and Liam, so was my mom, it doesn't matter."

Dad placed his arm around me, "I'm sorry." I pulled away, "I don't care." I pushed myself off the ground walking over to Carl and Judith. I gave her my hand to play with, smiling at her laugh. "You've grown on me Judith." Carl laughed, "she's pretty cute."

The three of us sat down together, I was breathing heavily, trying to stay composed. I felt a drop of water land on my shoulder and I immediately smiled. "It's raining Carl." He stood up offering me his hand, I accepted it holding my face up to the sky. "It's a miracle." I looked up at the storm clouds rolling in, "we can't stay out here, look at those clouds." Daryl pointed into the woods, "there's a barn let's go." I followed everyone into the barn sliding down the wall when we got there. I isolated myself in a corner resting my head back. Daryl kicked the wall beside me and I looked up at him. "No way to talk to your dad." I rolled my eyes, "go away Daryl." He sat down with me, "sorry about Liam." I turned away, "are you sorry about everyone else too? Stop blaming yourself." He sat there with me in silence until my dad came over. I ignored his attempt to talk to me walking to another wall where glenn and Maggie were sitting. "Hey kid." Glenn patted the ground beside him. Carl and Judith sat near us and I leaned back again closing my eyes. "Night Leah." I heard Maggie whisper gently kissing my forehead.

I slept good until I heard a loud banging, which made me alert right away. I saw Daryl fighting against the barn doors, holding off a herd. I shook Glenn, and Maggie quickly jumping up to the doors. Soon everyone was up pushing as hard as we could, I watched Carl set Judith down forcing himself up against the barn with us. We stayed like that until dawn, when they got distracted disregarding us.