Walking Decay

Chapter twelve

This Is The Beginning…

  I wake up next to Carl still asleep. I yawned, I got up and stretched. I dressed in appropriate clothes and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I jogged down stairs to see Rick in his white shirt and he opens the door for that doctor Pete I rolled my eyes when I seen him.  I walked to the kitchen to get some water. “Carter” Pete approached I looked up and lean on the counter “What.” I shot out to him “What happen to Sir, or yes, saying what to an adult is disrespectful.”  “Don’t tell me what’s disrespectful.” I plead “Why wont you come get a check up from me soon.” He continued after a sip of the bottle he was drinking “why wont we do it now.” He said while grabbing my arm pulling me closer to him “Man what the hell.” His grip was forced. “Let go of me” I repeated pulling away  “Just one check up, and you’ll be clean maybe…” “Let Go Of Her!” I heard Rick voice lectured.  He finally let go and glared at me “Get a check up later I suppose.” Rick shown him to the door and he said “We should be friends” to Rick he said “Yeah okay…” cutting him off by closing the front door I walked up and Rick questioned “Are you okay?” “Yeah I think “ I informed Rick looked down “you have bruises, and a scratch…” I looked down at my arm. I then realized he saw my bite most likely but I looked above it to see the bruise and the scratched both sides same spot. “I’ll be fine” I lied and slowly started to blank out I started to fall before fading out hearing Rick screaming “Carter! Carter!”  Repeating. 

-Flash Back –when it all went down-

 “Carter get you ass over here right now!” I heard my Dad shout I hid in my closet it spot a nine year old would choose to hide from their drunken crazy father.

 I heard the roaring footsteps running up the steps. Slammed my door open. “I know you’re in here” I heard the heavy breathing I gulped. “You dumb bitch.” He swung open my closet door and hit me in the leg with the bottle as it broke on my leg now I’m bleeding.  “Dad no not again, Mommy will be home soon she will yell at us.” I whined.

    He forcedly grabbed me and slammed me on the bed. He started to rip my pants off  “Dad no!” I wheezed. I looked over to see my brother in the door way seemed worried. He started laughing. Dad started to take his belt off first he beat me with it kept hitting me blood and bruises appeared. I’m worthless; thanks to him I now know this. My dad stops for a second and looked at my wrists and legs. He sees cuts that were put there two nights ago. I put those, a nine-year-old girl cutting her self almost killed my self last week but my sister stopped me.  She understands the struggle I go through, Dad use to do this to her he stopped when she turned 14 moved to grandma’s house.  “Did you cut yourself?” my dad asked my tears were already flowing as I nodded. “Stop crying, you are worthless I should kill you, but I believe you should kill yourself.” 

    My brother have already left and dad started to touch me and said “Just wait until you’re like your sister, I refuse to let you leave.” I cried even more and he got mad and started beating me again with the belt but the last stroke he had his arm in the air. “Dad!” My brother shouted. My dad turned and this human that’s all bloody and so different jumped on my dad started ripping him eating him alive. I laid flat on my stomach on the bed and watched the gruesome event. Blood pouring out, my dad eyes started at me in shock. He screamed for help and watched has it eaten his flesh. I smiled to his pain and couldn’t help but added a giggle or two. “Finally god spoke to my prayers, I’m free.”  I Screamed on the top of my lungs I repeated and repeated then my brother walks in with a gun. He is shocked he points the gun and shots the cannibal and looks at me. “What have you done.” He shouted. Dad was dead I was happy but Alex seemed upset. I threw some pants on and changed my shirt. I put a jacket on. I heard a Groan… I turn to see my dad eyes open trying to grab me while he is on the ground. I grabbed my gun. 

    Yeah nine years old with a gun. I tried to kill my self with it and I was planning on killing dad. I point it at my dad’s head and shot. He was out I smiled to my success of running away. Nine-year-old girl does not know it’s the apocalypse. But to me it was Paradise. I ran and my door is bust open and I see my mom she hugs me and called for my brother. He runs down the stairs “Mom dad is dead and Carter laughed.” My mom looked shameful but smiled “I would have to… we’re free” my mom hugged me I was shocked.  My mom was happy for once she felt open…

    My mom seemed free like me.  Everything is going to change for better or for worse. My brother was upset but happy mom was happy.  My sister walked in saying, “Let’s go!” and we ran to the car. Sister was driving she is fifteen now permit. Mom looked down at my arm. “Carter…was dad doing it again?” I nodded to her question. “Mom I stopped her from killing her self last week…” my sister mentioned and all my mom could do was hug me tight “You’re going to make it far in this new world. This is the beginning. 

  This is only the beginning.  Repeated in my head as I was being shook and heard mumbling. Finally my vision became clear as I heard my name chanting. I opened my eyes breathing heavy and looking at my legs and arms looking for bruises and cuts from that belt. Carl and Rick were looking at me while I was having a little tantrum feeling my legs and going in to fetal position. I started crying in my knees. I looked up to See Carl hugging me and Rick is giving me sympathy “Baby are you okay why are you crying?” Carl seemed worried I stopped crying and smiled. “I seemed to have fainted… fainting scared me…” I lied getting up and I announced,  “I’m going to take a nap.” “Okay” Rick agreed. I walked to the room and sat on the bed and mumbled, “Everything is fine,” repeating over and over again. Carl walks in studded me “Carter what happen…” he asked. He sat in front of me and grabbed my hand. I took a deep breath and started to explain everything.

  He hugged me so tight when I finish speaking. “Carter…” he tears up a little. “Dad told me about Pete… I will kill him…. and that’s a promise.” He smiled and I hugged him. “Not so soon though.” I stated “Of course” Carl said with a giggle.  Rick knocks on the door. “Deanna wants to talk to you about Pete…” I nodded I got up and walked to her home.  Maggie was sitting smiling at me, she hugged me. “Baby girl I heard what happened.” She looked at the bruises of what Pete left. “Carter” Deanna started to say but Maggie got up and went downstairs. She continued, “I believe the doctor saw your bite… I’m going to tell him.” “No!” I shouted and the door was knocked on. “Go help Maggie downstairs.” I started to walk downstairs but I heard Father Gabriel’s voice. I froze and decided to listen. 

   "Satan, he disguises himself as the angel of light. I'm afraid that false light is here, inside these walls."  He continued to say to Deanna Maggie walks up and sees me “Carter?” she whispered “Shh” I said listening. "Rick, his group, they're not good people. They've done things. They've done unspeakable things," I was about to walk up to say something Maggie held me down she whispers “we’re tell the group” I nodded Finally after a long speech of how bad we are. I waited five minutes to move. “Hey Deanna I’m going to head home.” I said with a smile “Pete was a little drunk he most likely won’t remember anything.” She nodded “Are you sure?” I nodded and walked out ran home. “Carl!” I shouted opening the door but seeing Carol and Rick. 

  "Pete's hitting Jessie, maybe Sam too," Carol said I Looked at Rick “I know…” I looked at my arm… I blanked out what Carol was saying then she said, “You’re going to to have to kill him.” “Carl told me he would…” Rick smiled at me and said, “Carl can help me… but he wont do the killing. “Carter?” Carl said walking down stairs and I said “Guys… Father Gabriel is a trader….” 

  “What do you mean?” Rick asked I said “Ask Maggie her and I heard him tell Deanna that we are horrible people.”  Rick nodded. “We have to do something about this…it’s only the beginning of our troubles.