Guys, for now I have lost the chapters between the last one and this one, but I want y'all to know that this doesn't really stray from what happens in the TV show. Basically, Chris chases after Sophia rather than Rick, she gets lost, the group go to find her, they split up and Carl gets shot with Chris, Shane and Rick. This chapter kicks off from the beginning of Ep 2 of S2. Enjoy!
P.S If I can find the missing chapters, I will definitely post them! Promise!
"Rick!" I screamed as I struggled to keep up with him, "Rick I can get him there faster!" He finally slowed down and gently passed Carl's limp body towards me. As soon as he was in my arms I went off, as fast as my body would go. In the background I could hear Rick and Shane screaming at Otis, the man who had 'accidentally' shot Carl.
In the distance I could see a house, beckoning to us, a dark haired woman in the porch. Carl's weight began to draw on my arms as my body began to tire, but in no way was I about to give up. In all honesty, this whole thing was my fault. I lost Sophia, that's the reason we're all out here. If I hadn't of left her, Carl wouldn't have been there, and he wouldn't have been shot. It was all my fault.
"C'mon Carl, hang in there bud," I whispered, knowing that he was out cold, but still. Eventually, the image of the house felt as if it were in an arm's reach, a rather threatening set of people on the doorstep. The dark-haired girl, no older than myself, was now joined by an elder man, supposedly her father, a young blonde girl, who linked arms with another young man, and to the other side stood another woman, possibly her mother. "Was he bit?" The eldest man asked.
"Shot." I replied, my tone cold and calm, surprisingly, "By your man!" They all exchanged worried glances and the eldest woman muttered something that I couldn't hear. Not over my raging heartbeat. "Bring him in here," The man said, before turning back into the house. I followed him precariously, passing all the others on the porch, avoiding their glances. My ears began to hurt with all the noise, Rick arriving, the elderly man ordering everybody around, and my body. Everywhere seemed to hurt, to fear what was about to happen, that the boy in my arms was gone- dead.
I laid him out on the bed, as the man instructed, and stood there cautiously, as Rick stormed into the room. "Is- Is he alive?" Rick asked, trying very hard not to break down. My body became almost paralysed at the sight, until Hershel finally knocked me out of my hesitations, "pillowcase!" he shouted. I jumped into life and began undressing the pillow, attempting to keep my shaking hands steady. "Okay, now put pressure on the wound."
I followed my orders, until the woman, Patricia, took over. "What's your name?" Hershel asked me. "Ch-Chris, I'm Chris. That's Rick, he's the-" Hershel interrupted me before I could finish my sentence, "Well, Chris, we're going to do everything we can to save your boy, but you and you're friend have to give us some room." With that we were ushered out of the room. I guess we'll have to explain that I'm not the father another time.
As Shane and Otis approached, Rick went outside to join them, unable to find words. Gradually, I moved towards the nearest wall, and slumped down it until I landed with a thump on the floor. I must've looked a sight, blood and sweat smeared over my face, and other than that my face was riddled with shock and devastation.
I sat there, still and silent as Rick and Shane passed into the room where Hershel was working. I just couldn't move, I didn't want to. Once again, I was disturbed from my thoughts, this time by the dark haired girl. "Sorry, urm, I made you this, thought you might be thirsty," as she spoke, she held out a glass of what looked like orange juice. 'Nice gesture', I thought, "No, honestly you don't owe me anything." I replied, betraying my body's desire for the liquid. She sat down next to me, leaning back against the wall. "Otis really shoot that boy?" She asked nonchalantly, I nodded. "Well then, I think we owe you a lot." With that she pushed the glass into my hand, and I took a swig. It was refreshing as hell.
"Thank you; honestly, you don't understand how good it is to see other people." She smiled at me, chuckling a bit. We chatted for a while, getting to know each other, what we did before the turn. "So, why were you out in the woods?" She pestered. God, as if it isn't enough that I have to think about my depressions, now I have to speak about them too. "We, well, I lost a girl in our group, and we were out searching for her." Her face said a lot of things, worry, sadness, but mostly confusion. "We were up on the highway, and a herd of those things came through, we used the cars for cover but a couple of strays chased her off into the woods. I told her to hide while I took care of them, but when I got back, she was just… Gone." That last word, 'gone', was painful to say, like poison on the tongue.
She didn't respond, and we sat in silence until the blonde girl walked in to the room, "This is Beth," Maggie informed me, "my younger sister." I could barely force myself to look at her; I swiftly looked at her face, taking in her details, crystal blue eyes- a little like Amy's. With that reminder, and her forced, nonchalant smile, I returned my gaze to the ground. "Bethie, would you mind showing Chris to the bathroom, so he can clean his face up." Still, I continued to stare at the ground as the girl agreed, she stood at the end of the room, waiting. I didn't look to see, but I knew she was watching me with bewilderment. Soon after, I felt Maggie nudge my shoulder, "Go on now, she won't bite." 'Bite'… How ironic.
She opened the door ahead of me, ushering me into the bathroom, "you can get yourself cleaned up in here, taps all work, and feel free to use the soap." I passed her, and noticed her step back carefully not to touch my arm. It didn't bother me; in fact I appreciated her nervousness.
"Thank you," Suddenly my mind fell blank, I couldn't remember her name. "Sorry, you're gonna have to remind me of your name" She smiled in return, and I felt a flush of embarrassment swipe across my face. "It's Beth, and don't worry about it," What am I doing? There's a probably-dead kid downstairs and I'm embarrassed about forgetting a name!
She stood in the doorway as I placed my gun, and its holster, on the toilet seat. With a quick look back at her, I could see that the weapon made her nervous. "They use to scare me when I was younger too." I said, instantly regretting it. "I'm not saying you're like a kid or anything, I mean like… Urm… It doesn't matter." Well great way not to insult your host! Thankfully, she didn't take it in a very negative way, in fact, a small grin crossed her face.
"It's not so much they scare me, we just don't see need for them 'round here." She responded, ignoring my whole age comment. "Seriously, you don't keep 'em on hand for safety?" I asked, intrigued as to how mellow they all appeared.
Think about it, I arrive at their doorstep covered in blood with a dying child in my arms, they let me in without second thought, okay, yes, that can just be taken as good will, but then Maggie gave me a drink and decided to talk to me, when they have no clue who we really are, and now she'd sent me up here alone with what looks like a 16 year old school girl. These people trust too easy- do they have any idea what's really going on out there?