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Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead.

Lost Hope: A New Life

Chapter Fourteen

(Carl's POV)

I'm still a bit shocked with the events that had taken place only moments before. Shane had become a walker, and I shot him. How he became a walker, I am not sure, but deep down, I'm not so sure I want to find out.

"You bit too?" I ask Dad, letting the curiosity get the better of me. We are slowly making are way back to the house.

Dad hesitates a few seconds before answering. "No."

"Shane was." I say.

Dad hesitates a few more seconds. "That wasn't Shane. You know that." he tells me.

"Used to be." I reply. "What happened? Were you guys attacked?" I wait for him to respond, and when he doesn't, I continue. "I mean I… I heard a gunshot. I didn't see any walkers nearby." Dad still remains silent. I finally just come out and ask. "How did shane die?

Dad stops and faces me, so I do the same. Before he says anything, I chance a look at Erin, expecting her to right beside us, but instead I notice that she hasn't moved at all since I shot Shane. Is she in shock? I walk a few steps towards her to see what the deal is, but then I get a better look at her face. I see a look I have only seen Erin wear a couple of times. Pure terror. She's looking at something out in the distance and I follow her gaze and soon realize what she's looking at. It feels as if my heart stops. Walkers…hundreds of them…and they are all heading this way.

Dad must've noticed it too because he runs back, grabs Erin by the arm, and begins dragging her behind him.

"Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go." he whispers to me, urgently, slightly pushing me forward, away from the oncoming walkers.

We stop next to a tree and Dad takes a moment to look around and think of our next move.

"W-We gotta get to the house…tell the others." I whisper, frantically.

Erin seems to have come to her senses. She looks more alert now, which makes me feel slightly relieved.

"We'll never get through that." Dad whispers back to me. "Can't go around. Carl, Erin, stay close. Go!" and we are running again. We run towards the barn. The walkers are close now; some only a few feet away and I can feel myself beginning to panic.

We reach the barn in a matter of seconds and run inside. Dad closes the doors behind us and latches them closed. In a matter of a second, I can already hear walkers pounding on the doors. The three of us take a second to catch our breaths.

"Those doors don't look like they're going to hold." Erin says.

"It won't." Dad says. He then grabs a container filled with liquid. He begins pouring it out onto the ground and the smell of gas fills my nostrils. "Alright, here we go. Get behind me. Come on, hurry."

I grab Erin's hand as we get behind Dad. The walkers were already beginning to tear away the wooden walls. Dad sets the container of gas down and gestures with his head towards the ladder behind us. "Up there, hurry." He instructs.

I look at him, nervously. "Well, what about you?"

"I'll be right there." he says. He then holds out a lighter to me. "Alright, drop the lighter when I say." I take the lighter, still a bit unsure. "We'll stop some of them from reaching the house, distract the others, so at least we'll have a chance." I must look like I'm about to lose my head because the next thing Dad says is an attempt to reassure me. "Hey, hey, hey, look at me. You can do this." I barely register his hand is on my shoulder, squeezing tightly. "Carl, I love you." he tells me, looking me straight in the eye. "Alright, go, go, go!"

The way he says 'I love you' sounds like it could be the last. I don't like it. I quickly sum up all of my courage and turn towards the ladder. I let go of Erin's hand a push her towards it. She quickly climbs up, with me following quickly behind her.

When we reach the top, Dad turns towards the barn doors. He begins banging on them, kicking them, and shouting at the top of his lungs. "Hey! Hey! You want some!? Come and get it!" he pulls the latch free and the walkers come pouring in. "Come on! Come on!" Dad continues shouting. "Come on! Over here!" He grabs the ladder and begins climbing up it. I get into position and ready the lighter. I quickly glance at Erin, who gives me a nod of approval.

When Dad get's high enough on the ladder, he turns towards me and shouts the words I've been waiting for. "Carl, now!" I release the lighter and watch as it falls to the ground. In an instance the ground beneath us lights up with bright orange flame and the walkers that've stumbled into the barn catch fire along with it.

"Even the fire can't stop them." Erin says, just loud enough for me to hear her. She's right; the fire doesn't seem to have any effect on them. Of course, their skin is burning off…but they don't notice or react to it in the slightest.

Dad climbs the rest of the way to the top, and I feel slightly relieved. I begin to hear vehicles on the outside as well as gunshots, which also fills me with a bit of relief. At least the others are aware of the walkers. I notice Dad pull out his gun so I do the same. I glance at Erin who looks back at me nervously. I realize she doesn't have her pistol with her. Instead she pulls out the knife I gave her awhile back. Better than nothing. I take her hand again and give it a reassuring squeeze. "Stay close to me, Erin." I tell her.

She gives me a quick nod in response, and I let go of her hand.

Dad moves towards an opening where a ledge is, with Erin and I following behind him. I fire a shot at one of the closer walkers, but unfortunately it only hits it in the shoulder.

"Hey! Get in here!" Dad shouts and gestures with his arm. I look over and see he's shouting at Jimmy in the RV. "Put it right there!"

Jimmy pulls up to where a lower part of the barn roof is. Dad jumps over the gap between the ledge we were standing and the roof. I follow, but almost stubble off of it. Dad grabs me to steady me. My heart is beating out of my chest. If I'd fallen, I'd be as good as dead; a bunch of walkers are right beneath us.

Then the worst thing happens…Erin doesn't clear the gap and I watch in horror as she falls to the ground.

"ERIN!" I cry out. I try to look for her…try to see any sight of her, but I don't. There is too many walkers. My whole body is shaking and I can barely breath. "ERIN!" I shout again, but still…nothing. Then there is screaming. I barely register Dad dragging me to the top of the RV.

"NOOOOOOOO!" I scream trying to fight back.

Dad stops and grabs me by the shoulders while looking me straight in the eyes. "Carl, we have to go. We can't say here." his voice is shaky and I see tears in his eyes.

"But…Erin…she…" I feel my self begin to sob.

"I know, Carl. I know." he says. "There isn't anything we can do. It's too late. We have to go."

He pulls me towards the ladder and climbs down it dragging me with him. The next thing I know, I'm being dragged towards a vehicle. My body is moving on its own. My mind is barely registering anything. All I can think of is Erin, and the look she had as she fell…the last I saw of her…and probably the last I'll ever see of her. It will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Erin…my best friend…the first girl I ever loved…gone.