Day 9
by 2violetflower15
(find more of violet's writing under our favorite authors or check out her tumblr page)
Carl walked through the open door and scanned the room for a hiding place. A pillar stood twenty feet away and he dashed behind it. A bead of sweat dripped down his face and into his good eye. He wiped it away with a steady hand and sneaked a quick glance around the post.
Negan stood at the front of the room with Lucille in hand. The large crowd of people all took to the floor, kneeling before him. The sight brought back memories that made Carl's stomach turn. The sounds of his family members screaming in the dark still haunted him when he slept at night.
There would be no rest; not until Negan was dead.
The boy stiffened his spine and raised his Beretta. His target was in the front of the room, going on about respect and consequences.
Poetic.
He fingered the grip of his gun and took aim. A woman stood between him and a clear shot. He considered firing anyway, but her long, dark braids reminded him of Michonne. He shook away the thought and focused on the task at hand.
"Come on you bastard," he muttered, "move."
As if he'd heard Carl's command, Negan took three steps to the left and opened a clear path. Carl placed his finger on the trigger and was about to pull when he felt a sharp pain on the top of his head.
And then the room went dark.
I won't let Negan hurt another member of our family, ever again.
The words in Carl's letter played over and over in his mind. Like a record stuck on repeat, angry and loud, unrelenting.
I'm going to find him and kill him.
"He's going to do what I can't," Rick whispered to himself.
"What's that?"
Rick turned his gaze to Michonne who was behind the wheel. They'd been out on the road looking for Carl all night long, and were back at it again early this morning. She'd been doing such a good job of holding it together, mostly because he was so busy falling apart, but her worry for Carl had obviously taken its toll. Her shoulders sagged and her eyes were dull. She looked tired.
"I said: he's doing what I can't," he spoke up, "going after Negan." Rick turned his gaze back out to the windshield, searching for something. Anything. "He's brave, you gotta give him that much. Maybe he's Shane's son too."
"Rick!" Michonne scolded. It was just one word, but it was the only word needed. She'd used that same tone on Carl many times before. "He's being an idiot," Michonne continued.
"Yeah," Rick sighed, "just like his dad."
Their eyes met and Michonne gave him a sad smile before she turned back to the road. "I don't know how much more of this I can take," she said. "I'm scared, Rick."
"Me too." His hand found her knee, just like it did the night before. "He's gonna be ok."
Just then a loud bang rang through the air, followed by another, and then many more.
"Michonne, gunshots!"
"I'm on it."
Michonne pulled off to the side of the road and Rick was out of the car before it stopped moving. They ran into the woods towards the sound of the gunshots. Rick's heart was pounding in his chest. His mind was racing with images of his son hurt and bleeding. He ran harder and faster, keeping an eye out for anyone lurking in the shadows. Michonne was right by his side.
They came to a small clearing and saw Heath and Tara crouched behind a large boulder. Their guns were raised and aimed at a woman who was shooting right back at them. Rick caught Michonne's eyes.
"Savior?" Michonne asked.
"I'd bet…" Rick responded.
"She can lead us to the sanctuary," Michonne reasoned.
Rick nodded, "Exactly."
"I got her. Cover me."
Michonne set off towards the woman and Rick edged closer to the boulder. Tara turned in his direction and they made eye contact. He held a finger to his lips and then pointed in Michonne's direction. Tara looked where he pointed and then turned back to him. She nodded in understanding and whispered the plan to Heath, who was exchanging gunfire with the suspected savior. All three of them trained their weapons on the woman and waited for Michonne to make her move.
Suddenly Michonne emerged from the woods and attacked the woman from behind. Within seconds the samurai had the woman on her stomach with her spindly arms secured behind her back. Rick noticed that Michonne still had her sword sheathed and her gun holstered. That's my girl, he thought with a small smile.
Tara and Heath came out from behind the boulder and Rick ran over to Michonne who was now kneeling with her knee in the woman's back. He touched her arm lightly before squatting to address the woman lying on the ground.
"We have some questions, and I think you're the one who is gonna give us the answers." Rick cocked his gun and placed it against the woman's head. "Where's the sanctuary?"
The sound of several guns cocking caught everyone's attention. At least ten men had them surrounded, all of them with guns drawn.
"Well," a man Rick recognized as a Savior spoke up, "what have we here? If it isn't Negan's little bitch, Rick." He raised his gun and pointed it at Rick's head. "Drop your weapon, bitch."
"I'm not dropping shit," Rick spat out.
"Don't you ever learn boy?" The Savior laughed a dry humorless chuckle, "You can't win." He leaned in to Rick and whispered, tauntingly, "We've got your son."
