I'm Right Here

Chapter Eight

We spend another night camping (and itching).

The day before, after being reunited, we had found a sign for a place called "Terminus."

We hadn't decided if we would go yet.

I wanted to. I mean, chances were, the rest of the group was heading there too. And I really missed Carl- I mean the group.

That night, we stayed camping, Carol talking to Lizzie about Sophia.

Shane opens the barn and walkers begin to pour out. They are all shot down by our group, and everything is okay, but then... One final walker comes out.

Sophia.

My dad holds on to Carol as she loudly mourns for her daughter. We all have our worst fear confirmed.

Sophia is dead.

Nothing too exciting happened the next day. We found a house, which was good. Somewhere safe to stay for a little while. I still wanted to go to Terminus. I wouldn't rest until I got to see Carl- I MEAN THE GROUP- again.

It was the next day where everything started to go wrong.

It was early in the morning when Carol had to save Lizzie, who had been playing with a walker. Lizzie, being completely nuts, had a major freak out.

And of course, Lizzie has to do something even crazier and somehow managed to almost get herself and Mika killed.

What a lovely child. I think, as I walk inside angrily after we kill the final walkers.

Of course, that was nothing compared to what happened the next day.

I'm leaning my head on Carl's shoulder. He moves to kiss me gently, causing me to giggle. I snuggle closer to him. He lovingly brushes my hair out of my face. I sigh happily. He holds my hand, making circles with his thumb. His other arm is holding me close to him. I look into his blue eyes.

"You're so beautiful." He whispers gently.

All I can to is blush and insist that I'm not.

"Yes, you are." He insists, his hand lifting my face so that our lips meet. He kisses me gently and for a long time.

I wake up. My dreams had been getting worse since the prison, so another kissy Carl dream had been nice.

This is gonna be a good day. I thought happily.

Haha. No.

Carol and Ty walked off to talk, Lizzie and Mika were playing outside and watching Judith, and I sat inside reading a book. I had found a copy of Fahrenheit 451. While I had read it several times before, I still loved it.

I skipped to the last page.

"When we reach the city." The last line read.

When we reach Terminus. I thought.

Both would be full of new begins and change.

I heard a muffled scream. I ran outside with my gun, to see Lizzie hovering over a dangerously bleeding Mika. I look up to see Lizzie staring at me innocently. I kneel next to Mika, hoping that I might be able to somehow help her. The dying girl took a few more dying breaths before going limp. Her eyes glazed over.

I looked at Lizzie, horrified.

She smiled at me.

"Just wait a while. She'll eventually come back." She said happily.

I shook my head.

"Lizzie..." I said, numbly. I pulled my own knife out and put it against Mika's temple.

"No!" Lizzie screamed. While I had been preoccupied with Mika, Lizzie had moved closer to Judith, and now had the knife pointed at the innocent baby.

I felt my heart pounding as I held back tears.

"Lizzie... Please, don't hurt Judy." I begged.

"Don't hurt Mika then. She needs to come back. I need to show you that they're just different." She said, raising her voice

"Okay, okay Lizzie, just calm down, okay, everything will be okay, Carol and Tyreese will get back, and we'll get this all sorted out, okay?" I said nodding. She nodded in response. "Just bring Judy to me." I said.

Lizzie nodded, and picked Judith up. She handed the baby to me.

Then I heard a gasp nearby. Carol and Tyreese were back.

"Don't worry. I didn't hurt her brain." Lizzie said confidently. "She'll come back."

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

I shakily told Carol and Tyreese what had happened. Lizzie was in another room. Tyreese then told us about other things that Lizzie had done.

It seemed like Lizzie did a lot more than just give names to walkers.

In the end, we knew we had no choice but to... But to... But to kill her.

Carol did it.

That night, Carol and TV and some long conversation, but I couldn't hear it.

Maybe if I had been watching them...

Maybe if I had gotten out there sooner...

Maybe if I had taken Lizzie's problem more seriously.

Maybe...

Maybe...

Maybe...

My mind was full of maybes.

Maybe if I wasn't just a scared little kid.

I cried until I fell asleep.

I cried because I hadn't been able to save Mika.

I cried because Carol had to put down Lizzie, just to stop her from hurting anyone else.

I cried because we were all separated.

I cried because I may have never seen my dad again.

I cried because I may never see Carl again.

I cried because of everything, and everyone. I even cried because of things that happened years ago. Pre-Apocalypse.

I cried, because I knew that if my mom were still around, she'd know what to do...