Red (sequel to TYG)

Chapter 1

Carl's pov

No one really quite understands why Anna has stopped talking. It's like the second Maggie died, she lost her voice. It's been two months, and not one word.

Some people have long since given up on her. They act as if she's a burden and not a person anymore. But the people that have and always will care about her, my Dad, Glenn, Daryl, and myself, will never give up on her.

The Washington dream for curing the apocalypse was a bust. Turns out Eugene was lying so people would protect him because he was such a wimp.

So we've been doing what we always do when we have no plan or place to stay. We run. We search for what little supplies that are left on this earth and look for a non-temporary home. We leave when walkers come. We try not to be killed.

My thoughts are interrupted when my little sister, Judith, toddles towards me saying in her sweet little baby voice, "Carwl!"

Judith started walking not to long ago, and she just recently started talking, although pretty much the only words she can say is our names. We all have been dreading the day that she could walk and talk, and that day has arrived. It just makes things harder.

"Shh." I tell her as I scoop her up and balance her on my hip, my gun in my other hand.

Anna follows Judith into the room. Her hair is slightly messy, hanging down around her face to her waist. Her blue blouse hangs off of her loosely, something that makes me feel extremely guilty. I haven't taken good enough care of her. She's to skinny.

Her green eyes light up when she sees me. She gets more gorgeous every time I see her. I instantly feel myself relax because I know she's safe, and a small smile spreads across my face.

You may think from what I've told you that Anna has just completely gone off the deep end or something, but you're completely wrong. She's still the exact same girl that I fell in love with. She's still the same girl that took care of me with her Dad so many years ago when I had been shot. She's still Anna. I know that eventually she will talk again, and she can take as much time as she needs.

I put my arm around her waist and hold the two of them close, listening for Daryl to say that it's alright for us to enter the house that they are sweeping.

After a moment, I hear a small bird like whistle and I push the door open, letting Anna in first and then following with Judith.

"Found you something." Daryl says and holds out a knife to Anna that has a long black handle.

Knives somehow became Anna's special thing a while ago. I'm told it started while she was with that psycho at the hospital, all though no one knows much about her time at Grady Memorial. Maggie died right after she was rescued. Anyways, all the sudden Anna just can fight like a pro with knives. It sometimes scares me how good she is.

He wins a small smile from Anna. She reaches out for it and grasps it in her slightly dirty hand and adds it to her collection on her belt. She has several on there.

I can tell Daryl is happy from her reaction. He's always had a soft spot for Anna, now especially. His crossbow is slung over his back, his signature angel wing vest over a long sleeved black shirt. Winter has come back with a vengeance. I'm not sure what month it is. My best guess would be October.

I walk over to my Dad and hand Judith to him. Everyone dispatches then to do our normal routine things when we get to a new house. Bring bags inside, search for food, find a room, you get the idea.

Glenn starts a fire in the fireplace of the house. I'm not sure what way Glenn has coped with Maggie's death. She was after all his wife. He seems to almost have tried to forget her, which is quite sad. I suppose a guys gotta do what a guys gotta do, and everyone deals with it differently.

Anna goes to the kitchen with Michonne, most likely to try to make some kind of meal for us so I go out to the cars and grab the bag of things we share.

Neither one of us has a lot of things, so we keep it together.

It's raining slightly. It's what I would call sleet actually. Not snow and not rain. Something in between.

We go through the motions of the day and then when the sun goes down we all choose rooms. Some people pair up, some don't. The house has enough separate rooms to do that.

Being the kids though, Anna and I are given the room that's most uncomfortable. At first there was a slight problem with my Dad when it came to us sharing a room. I think he then realized that if we wanted to do anything, we would find a way even if he didn't let us share a room.

So we spread a blanket out on the floor and curl up on it. Anna lays her head down on my chest and holds onto my hand with a death grip. I think she's terrified of losing me. After all, she has lost her entire family.

I can feel the cool metal of Maggie's wedding ring on her finger. She hasn't taken it off since Glenn gave it to her. I hope one day to put my own ring on her finger, but that doesn't seem anywhere near the future.

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