Carl's eyes flashed open and stared into the bright sunlight. Somehow, it always managed to be sunny inside but cloudy outside. His father, Hershel, and Daryl were outside. Carl's just doing his own thing he does when he got hurt. Laying on the prison bunker and looking at the bunker above him, thinking about Wilmur. It's been two days since he left and he's got a lot longer to go to see him again. It sickened Carl how Rick shoved one of the members closest to him out of the group. Wilmur may be the Governor's son, but he's certainly not the Governor. He'd have to talk to Rick about it once he got his voice back.
Hershel and Beth were the ones taking care of him while Wilmur's gone. He'd prefer Wilmur, but he's gone and will be for a while unless they kill the Governor. If they didn't kill the Governor, Wilmur wouldn't be back, at least for a long, long time. But even if they killed Philip, will Rick allow Wilmur to come back? Let alone be around Carl? If Merle didn't reveal Wilmur was the Governor's son, then Wilmur would still be there. But he's not because of Merle.
"Hey." Beth came in with a bowl of cereal in her hands. "You should eat. I know it'll hurt your throat, but you can't heal by starving yourself."
Carl groaned and took the bowl. He hasn't eaten for a while because every time he swallowed, pain would choke his throat again, but he had to eat. He's already too skinny from the lack of food. If Wilmur were here, he'd already have forced Carl to eat.
"Listen, I'm sor-sorry about Wilmur." She said and Carl froze at the mention of his friend's name. "Your dad shouldn't have acted like that. Ever since your moth-ever since the C-section, he's been different. Do you know what I mean?"
Carl nodded.
Even Rick's voice was different. He sounded so miserable, like he's the only one who lost Lori. Rick was never there for Carl anymore.
Who had to comfort Carl about Lori? Wilmur and the group. Who had to show Carl a way out of the pain? Wilmur. Who had to save Carl? Wilmur. Who had to take care of Carl after his injury? Wilmur. Who had to show him there was still love left in the world? Wilmur.
Wilmur.
Even though it felt awkward, Carl missed the feeling of how Wilmur shot a warm surge through him that always traveled through his veins and made his heart melt. It felt really weird, but really good to. It made him want more. But that can't happen anymore since Rick threw him out of the prison. Which doesn't make any sense because Merle was part of the Governor's group, too. And Merle is far more worse than Wilmur.
"Be-" Carl tried to say but Beth puts a finger to his lips just like Wilmur does.
It felt different with Wilmur's finger pressed against his lips. A strong surge was sent through him as soon as Wilmur's finger is pressed gently to his lips. With Beth...there was nothing there. Just a sign for him to be quiet so he can heal.
Now with Wilmur gone, it felt different. It felt like something was ripped from his side. Something he didn't know he needed to keep himself satisfied. He never felt it until he met Wilmur. Now that feeling is gone, there's an empty hole on his side where Wilmur used to stand.
"Carl?" Rick stepped in the cell to see him eating.
A glare is put on his son's face as soon as Rick stepped in his territory. Carl's still furious with Rick after what he's done. He was the one who ripped Wilmur from his side and placed him to the Governor's. Whether Rick liked it or not, Wilmur was his friend and he will support him despite being the Governor's son. There's nothing Rick can do to make him change his mind. Rick's not his governor.
Beth simply nodded to Rick and placed another cold, wet washrag to Carl's sore, swollen throat. She gave him a simple nod before walking out to take care of Judith. When Wilmur was there, she used to be able to take care of Judith only while Wilmur took care of Carl. Now that he's gone, she has to take care of both.
Rick sat beside his son and looked him in the eyes. All he wanted was his son's forgiveness, but Carl will never forgive him unless he got Wilmur back. After all, Wilmur was the one who took care of Carl and apparently, that meant nothing to Rick. Wilmur and Michonne took care of him when Rick didn't. Wilmur was the same as Michonne. They were both with the Governor, they didn't like him, they both went to the prison untrusted, and then they took care of Carl in the end. If they were the same, then why did Rick only kick out Wilmur?
Rick gently placed his hand on Carl's, but he yanked away. Now Rick was being there for him. After Lori died and he had to shoot her, after he nearly was choked to death. Rick, like the Governor, was a ruthless beast. Every time he looked at Rick now, all he saw was the man who yanked away Wilmur from him. The one he cared about more than anyone in the group.
"Leave." Carl managed to say strongly even though it killed his throat. If he hesitated while saying so, then Rick would never leave him alone. He had to be strong and stern to show he meant it.
Rick scoffed. "I'm not leavin'."
Carl scoffed and crossed his arms. He was going to make Rick leave somehow. He glared his swollen eyes at Rick before hopping out of his bunker and walking out of the cell.
"Carl, please get back here now." Rick ordered with his voice firm, but still showing his miserableness.
However, Carl didn't listen. He can take care of himself. He doesn't need a father who betrayed and hurt him. What he needed right now was his mother. She would've definitely disagreed with Rick taking Wilmur away. If he made Carl happy, then Lori would want him to stay. It would attract an argument between her and Rick, but Carl would've been on Lori's side. You shouldn't separate people that love each other. No matter who it is, as long as it's a good person, you should let them be together. But Rick separated Wilmur and Carl for himself. Not out of fear.
All Carl wanted was Wilmur. It's just one simple favor. Carl has done everything Rick wanted! Why won't Rick let him be with someone he loved? Why won't the Governor let Wilmur be with someone he love? After all, Wilmur hasn't cared for anyone in a long time. If the Governor wasn't so cruel, he'd be happy his son found a new friend. Rick would be, too. But just because his father and Wilmur's father hate each other, they can't be together. His father and Wilmur's father is the most selfish people he's ever seen.
Carl kept walking and until he was out of the cellblock with Rick following. He sped his pace up when he realized Rick was following him. Can't he just be left alone? He's not a kid anymore. He can handle himself!
He accidently ended up bumping into Daryl, knocking down his crossbow. Daryl stared down at Carl with a sign of curiosity and comfort in his blue eyes. What was Carl doing out of bed? If he wanted to heal, he'll have to rest. Daryl had promised Wilmur to take care of Carl, and he wasn't going to break that promise. Especially since Rick doesn't take care of Carl. Wilmur would be upset if Daryl didn't take care of Carl. Wilmur was special to Daryl. It was one of the few people in the group he really cared about. The other was Carol and Rick. If Wilmur came back really soon with no parent care, Daryl would be honored to adopt Wilmur. And if he's gonna do that, he has to take care of Carl. Wilmur would be angry with him if he didn't.
"What are you doin' up?" Daryl asked calmly unlike Rick. Rick was angry and would do anything to get his son back in bed.
The young teen pushed passed Daryl and continued to storm off. He wasn't going to listen to Rick or Daryl. If they didn't give him back Wilmur, then he would never forgive his father. Andrea and the Governor were together. They didn't have to be separated. Why should he and Wilmur? If Carl's killed walkers, killed people, shot his mom, then he's old enough to be in love. Whether it's Wilmur or not.
Carl stormed outside, grabbed a bucket and stick, and headed out with Maggie whose distracting walkers at the fences so Glenn could get in his truck, get something from the fields and go. He's sick and tired of sitting in that bunker bed doing nothing when he can help.
"Hey! Over here!" Maggie yelled, banging her bucket with a stick at the walkers with Carl doing the same.
"Over here!" Carl screamed loudly, causing his throat to seer in pain again, but he didn't care.
His throat was the least thing to worry about with all the tension going on around them. If Wilmur was there, Carl would still be in the bunker bed. Wilmur didn't just want Carl to heal. He wanted to show that he cared. That's why he sat down on the bunker bed with him every night.
The car drove down the field as Carl and Maggie continue screaming an yelling at the walkers. It hurt Carl's throat terribly to scream, but ignored it and kept screaming. But he was the only one screaming and banging the fence. Maggie had stopped to look at him with concern. Why was everyone doing that? Couldn't all the sympathy just stop?
"Hey! Get over-over here!" Carl's voice trembled as the pain in his throat get worse and worse. "Get over her-here, dumbasses!"
Maggie had put her bucket on the ground and is now trying to get Carl to stop screaming. His throat really didn't need it. All the rage wasn't worth hurting his throat again.
"Carl, stop!" Maggie said, trying to get him to snap out of his rage, but he wouldn't. Rick kicked Wilmur out and now he's angry. His throat meant nothing to him the way Wilmur did.
"Hey, get over here!" Carl's veins were boiling with rage instead of the warmth Wilmur gave him.
Maggie was still trying to get him to stop, but it wasn't working. Carl's screams were only getting louder and louder and his throat was hurting more and more with every scream that slipped through his throat and past his lips. Something was starting to come out of him, but Carl ignored it.
"Over here!"
Blood suddenly splattered out of Carl's mouth. He screamed too much. His throat was even more swollen and had a tighter knot. His eyes were swollen even more as well. Blood wouldn't stop spilling out of Carl's mouth. It dripped down his chin as more spit out. Maggie had stumbled back with wide eyes. She knew his throat would hurt worse if he continued to yell, but she didn't know it would get so bad that blood would come out.
Carl tried to scream again, but only a trembled squeak came out. More blood spewed out as Carl clutched his throat and started choking on his own blood. It was splattering all over the rocky ground. His vision was starting fade when Maggie grabbed his shoulders. If she didn't grab him, he would've collapsed to the ground.
"Breathe, Carl! Breathe!" Maggie reminded him when he realized he couldn't breathe.
The blood was strangling him just like that mad did on the road. With every cough, his vision blacked out more. The world was a lot darker and he could feel himself getting ready to pass out.
"Carl!"
All Carl saw was Wilmur's face...
Carl opened his eyes to find himself still standing in the same exact spot. Only Maggie was gone, it was dark out, and there was a lot more walkers in the field. Dead bodies covered the grass and crimson blood covered the rocks.
Up ahead in the distance, he can see Wilmur standing in the middle of the field and dead bodies. There nothing but crimson blood all over his skin and cloths. Either fresh or dried. It didn't matter but it scared Carl. He ran out of the fences and in the field to Wilmur.
Wilmur stared at him and smirked. Despite all the blood and dead bodies, Wilmur was still smirking. A bloody knife was held in his hand and behind him was the Governor's dead body. Carl looked back up at Wilmur whose still smirking. This wasn't like Wilmur. Nor Justin. Wilmur wouldn't smirk after killing his own father.
"I killed him, Carl."
Tears fill Carl's eyes as his blue eyes darted to Wilmur. The Governor was dead, Wilmur was back...but there was something different.
Wilmur's smiles of evil...
The Governor's dead corpse...
It wasn't Wilmur...
Tears pour down Carl's cheeks as he watched his friend step toward him, knife still clutched in his hand. His smile was mischievous and his eyes were filled with darkness. He gripped his knife tighter and took small, slow steps toward Carl. Tears of fear fill Carl's eyes as he took a step back. It wasn't Wilmur or Justin.
"Wilmur, please..." Carl croaked.
The evil teen took another step toward Carl, making Carl step toward him. Maybe, if Carl took a chance, he could get Wilmur back. With shaky hands, he grabbed Wilmur cold, bloody hands and holds them up between both of their faces. Wilmur's hand didn't send the same warm surge through him. Instead, there was nothing but the cold in his pale skin. If that surge warmth didn't go through him, then there was something off.
Wilmur smiled mischievously again and pulled his knife up to Carl's face, dragging the sharp end on Carl's cheek and to his other cheek. A blood streak was left. A blood streak of crimson red. Carl gently grabbed Wilmur's cold wrist to stop the cut. It wasn't like Wilmur at all due to his cold skin. It was as if he were dead himself.
"Just stop...please." Carl sobbed silently.
Wilmur just showed off a grin and dragged the knife down Carl's arm, leaving another blood streak. Why was Wilmur doing this if he even was Wilmur? What was he doing? If this was him, then the Governor did something.
Suddenly, Wilmur disappeared into the fences where Carl was once standing. Another dead body could be seen behind him. Carl quickly ran back to the fences, stumbling across walkers in the process. Once he got back to Wilmur, tears filled his blue eyes again. Behind him was Merle's lifeless body. Blood and cuts were covered all over Wilmur. His knife dripped with more redder and crimson blood than last time.
Wilmur smiled again but the mischievous grin wasn't there anymore like it was when he killed the Governor. "I killed him, Carl."
Carl was frozen, shaking and trembling in fear. How could Wilmur do this? He's not surprised he killed his father but Merle...now he was just taking it too far. What was he doing anyway?
The older teen took a step toward Carl, grabbing his other arm and drawing with his knife. Blood slowly seeped through his skin as the knife dragged down it. Wilmur was writing something and it will tell him something. He let's go of Carl's arm and pointed to Merle's body. A chair was drawn with blood on Merle's shirt. Why would he draw something like that for?
Suddenly, he disappeared into thin air again. After he does, Carl looked on his arm at the words.
Look behind you and then up ahead.
Carl does as the cut told and turned around to see Wilmur standing up at the fences where the prison building was. Again, Carl took off running. As he got closer, he could see another dead body lying behind him. Once he's up there, he can see the dead body was Andrea. Blood was soaked in her blood hair just like blood was soaked on Wilmur's skin.
"I killed her, Carl."
Why was Wilmur killing everyone? Was this even him? It wasn't what he thought it was though. There's an answer to what Wilmur's doing. He's not just killing them because he wanted to. There was a warning sign just like there was on Merle's shirt.
But what warning sign?
The older teen grabbed Carl's hand and turned it around before dragging his sharp knife over his knuckles. The blood was oozing through, each time it grew more crimson red.
He disappeared again and Carl followed the blood line of his knuckles. It pointed to cellblock C. Carl gave his head a fast shake of disbelief before sprinting inside the cellblock. The lock was cut open from Wilmur so he could get in. Once in, he ran down the small stairs and looked up to see Wilmur standing in the middle of the room.
Like usual, he was smiling with a dead body behind him.
The dead body was Michonne's. Blood gleamed on her dark skin and shimmered as Carl stared at her.
Carl back at Wilmur whose still smiling but not a smile of evil. The blood and killing didn't make any sense, but it made sense enough for it to be a warning. Wilmur wasn't doing it for fun, he was doing it to warn him. It's not a someone else, it's still Wilmur. Just a side of him to scare Carl to warn him.
"I killed her, Carl."
And then he walked toward him, grabbing his wrist and streaking a bloody line through his hand and straight up. After he dragged the knife away from his skin, he disappeared. Carl followed the blood on his hands and walked in the cellblock.
Wilmur was standing in front of the stairs with a dead body behind him.
The dead body was Rick's.
Carl's eyes widen and fill with tears at the sadness of his father's lifeless body. But then he remembered it's just a warning sign. It wasn't real. What Carl is in isn't real. None of it was. Only the warning.
Even though Rick treated him like shit, Carl still loved him. Nothing would change that. Not even if Rick ripped Wilmur from his side and placed him on the Governor's.
"I killed him, Carl."
Tears drip down Carl's cheeks as he stared at his father's lifeless body. Did it mean he was gonna die? Did it mean everyone was gonna die? Did it mean they would lose the war? What Wilmur was telling him is serious. Something deadly is coming up, and they have to be prepared.
That's what Wilmur was telling him.
"Follow me." Wilmur said, turning to the stairs and walking up them with Carl following.
Each step he walked on, the above floor got darker and darker. When he took his final step, he disappeared into a huge field. More bigger than the prison's field.
The field was filled with black roses instead of red. The wind felt like a tornado. Carl's hat flew off with some black rose petals flying off with it. Carl chased after his hat, his hand reaching out to grab it. But instead, Wilmur grabbed it.
"Look around you."
Carl does as told and looked around.
The two boys were in a circle of dead bodies. Every dead body was from his group. Rick, Michonne, Daryl, Hershel, Andrea, Maggie, Glenn, Beth, Carol, Judith, Merle...everyone was dead. Every single one of them had crimson blood covering them as a blanket.
"I killed them all, Carl."
Tears fill Carl's eyes as he stared at his family's lifeless bodies. They were all laying in the same black roses, their red blood staining the roses. The sky and roses were all black. There was no moon in the sky to shine down on them. All the clouds blocked the stars. It was a dark warning.
"Everyone's gonna die if you don't-"
Wilmur doesn't finish. Instead, he collapsed to the ground with blood pouring out of him uncontrollably.
"Wilmur!"
The older one looked up at Carl with tears filling his eyes. "I love you." And then he fell in the death circle, leaving Carl all by himself.
"No! Don't!" Carl bursted into tears and fell to his knees.
This is what's going to happen to them. Everyone in his family is going to die...including Wilmur. Everything will be taken away from him and to the Governor. Earlier, Wilmur had killed him. That means if they don't kill the Governor, then everyone will die.
Suddenly, blood started to pour out of him.
But that's when his eyes flash open. Everything was a dream, but it was also a true warning. Something's gonna happen if they don't do something. That's what Wilmur said, but what's gonna happen? Will the Governor win the war? Will he do a massive slaughter?
Or is he doing something to Wilmur?
Carl started to focus on his present time. Everyone in the group was crowded around him, yelling and trying to shove some water in his mouth. That's when he remembered he choked on his own blood, and he still is. His throat was in so much more pain now than before. The blood was strangling him to death and it was far worse from last time. He must've been doing it in his sleep.
"Carl, hang on!" Hershel yelled.
Maggie and Beth was holding him down. He was probably tossing and turning in his sleep. Hershel sent something down his throat. It was medicine, but he didn't know what kind. There was an icepack on top of his throat. Where did they get the icepack from?
Carl coughed out a bit more blood before the medicine had hit the spot. It was like a cool energy hitting the ball in his throat. It brought him relief. No more blood was coughing itself out and choking him. The medicine was cooling down the blood. It was like how Wilmur reassured him. How he calmed him down just like the medicine did to his throat.
"Shh." Hershel shushed, his hand laying on top of Carl's head.
Carl was now in a worse condition than before. His eyes were bloodshot and swollen red. His throat was swollen in the inside and outside. There was black bags under his eyes. His face was really pale from the sore throat.
Rick grabbed his son's hand and held it tight, stroking it gently with his thumb. His son was okay. He almost lost his life just because he screamed and it hurt his throat even more.
"Listen to me. This is serious. You must not talk at all until you've healed. You have to lay in bed if you're gonna heal. That was way too close." Hershel said and Carl nodded in response, causing everyone to sigh with relief. Carl's had hurt himself way too many times now. He has to rest.
Everyone fell in silence as they watched Carl drift off to sleep. But that was interrupted when Rick spoke up. "When I met with the Governor, he offered me a deal. He said-he said he would leave us alone if I gave him Michonne. "And I was gonna do that..."
Exactly how you kicked Wilmur out.
"I changed my mind. But now Merle took Michonne to fulfill the deal and Daryl went to stop him and I don't know if it's too late. I was wrong not to tell you." Rick continued. "And I'm sorry. What I said last year that first night after the farm...it can't be like that. It can't. What we do, what we're willing to do, who we are, it's not my call."
It wasn't your call to kick Wilmur out and send him back to the Governor.
"It can't be. That's why I feel terrible for sending Wilmur away now. He was a part of us. He wasn't the Governor and I should've accepted that. I'm sorry, Carl. For everything. If it means a lot, we'll get him back but only if we win the war. We can't lose the war and get Wilmur back. We have to win in order to do that. But I'm sorry, Carl. I shouldn't have done what I did. I'm sorry."
Carl bowed his head and looked at the floor. He couldn't exactly forgive his father until they actually got Wilmur back, but he knew he was sorry, it just can't be forgiven without him. Would Wilmur forgive Rick?
"We choose to go. We choose to stay. I should've let Wilmur decide that." Rick said with shame in his voice. "We stick together. We vote. We can stay and we can fight to get Wilmur back or we can go."
I'm not leaving without Wilmur.
Rick walked out of the cell, not knowing Michonne is at the fences again. Merle had let her go. Now she was back with them and she's gonna help. Soon, one day, Wilmur will walk up to the fences and be welcomed with arms again.
They will get Wilmur back just like Michonne. One way or another.
The problem was that they still had that warning, and they have a lot more deaths to go.