dromomania |carl grimes|

5

SHOW DOG

I woke up the next morning, queasy that there are others around me while I sleep. I change into a white knitted sweater, one that I had recently snagged but never had the chance to wear in case I died in it. 

I frown in the mirror, my frizzy collarbone-length hair, the wet hair has always doomed me in the morning. I comb through my hair with a brush, adding somehow more volume to my hair.

A knock on the door caused my eyes to widen, I want to know I'm safe.

It was Rick, of course, it was Rick. I open the door with a half smile.

"Mornin' Alora," He says with his little accent. I peep out a small greeting.

"Where's Carl?" I ask glancing around, the boy is nowhere in the visual.

Rick chuckles, "He's out helping Carol with the gardening."

I nod, I don't know who the fuck anyone even is. I don't know if I even know who Rick is anymore, Carl is too overprotective. I spent so many years of my life without a guardian, I don't need to start with one now, especially not at almost 20 years old.

"Oh."

Carl had spooked me in my sleep but I don't need him telling his father that I'm a child with nightmares. Rick still views me as the 5-year-old he had to save for several years and take away from a bad home.

"How'd you end up this way anyways?" He asks. I lean against the door frame, "My best friend and I were making our way to Maine, it's the one place I wanted to see before I died."

Rick nods me to the kitchen where Michonne sets a piece of toast with red jam on it. It was the kind you'd see in commercials the idol photo.

I slowly ate, watching the environment around me. It was clean, unusual for this situation that the world is in.

"You're safe here, Alora. You don't need to be on high guard," Michonne told me setting a cup of a green liquid in front of me. You can tell me a billion times that you won't hurt me and still cut me, words mean nothing anymore. I eye down the glass and cock my head to the side, "What is this?"

Michonne put a box on the counter, labeled Spinach Smoothie, I would have gagged but I know I need this.

I shrug and down the drink, it'll be good for me.

"After you're done, I'm gonna run you over to the doctor's, and have Denise check you out," Rick told me, sitting down next to me.

The doctor, ew, repulsive. I slow down on my breakfast which wasn't much but my stomach can't handle much.

Rick and I head over to a white house with a carved Doctor sign propped up next to the door. I look the house over and back to Rick, trying to figure out if he's serious or not.

Rick knocks and a short white woman opens the door, she gives me a big smile.

"Hi, Rick, who's this?" The lady, who I can only assume is Denise asks.

"Alora, she's a new resident of Alexandria."

"Temporary, I'm only here for a month."

I can feel Rick's shoulders drop, he wants me to stay but one night in, I'm already bothered during sleep and awoken to eat breakfast that someone made without me watching.

The woman steps aside and shows me to a sterile room while Rick waited outside. There wasn't much in the room, clean sheets on a twin-sized bed, at least I hope they're clean. The windows had the curtains drawn so the light barely peeked through but enough to where I wasn't concerned.

"I'm just gonna do a basic check-up, blood pressure, run a quick blood test, and all that stuff."

Not fucking needles. "Can I object, is that something I can do?" I ask, nervously tapping my foot on the ground. I've been shot, stabbed, and all of the above but I hate having my blood drawn.

"Unfortunately as a health risk no."

I do everything but the blood test without a complaint, I ask for her to grab someone for me. Anyone who looks strong enough to carry a passed-out girl, because in about 90 seconds that's what I'll be.

Rick stands in the room while Denise draws my blood. I know how this goes, I had anemia pre-apocalypse and I know I pass out each time. I avoid watching the blood leave my body but thirty seconds later my eyes roll back.

"Your name means my dream, Alora, and that's exactly what you are, my dream."

"Alora."

"Alora."

I'm blinded when I wake up, Denise shining a bright light in my eye.

"God fuck, turn it off."

Rick was looking over me, head tilted in concern.

Denise was looking at the sample she took, it always looks like so much blood. I guess in this day and age all blood is a lot, I see blood more than I see a blue sky.

"Anemic, right?" She asks, I nod.

She jots that down, finalizing my vet visit. At this point, it feels like I'm a foster kid, I was for a while. Unfortunately, the court likes to reunite parents as opposed to finding children a safe home.

"You feeling alright?" Rick asks, helping me walk outside.

Carl walks over, leading a horse. I smile at the large animal, Elowen said she had horses before this. I was a total horse girl too, I binged Spirit a billion times over.

"You look really bad, Alora," Carl says.

His eye was wrapped in a new bandage, I still don't know what happened, I feel as though it's not in my place to ask.

I roll my eyes, despite the pounding headache. "Thanks, I just passed out."

His expression dropped and I felt bad, what is with this kid and being so sensitive?

The big horse tries to nudge me but Carl stops it.

"Alora, this is Amaretto. We recently got him from the Kingdom as we didn't have many options," Rick explains to me.

I chuckle at the name, Amaretto looked like a dapple grey but I could be wrong my vision is still blurry.

"Like the liqueur?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

Rick laughs, "I'm surprised you knew that."

Well, my father was an abusive alcoholic so I know my alcohol and liqueurs. My mom was a workaholic so I was in charge of making drinks for my father, I had a few and I have a heavy preference for the vodka but tequila gets me fucked up.

"My dad was a drunk."

That's the easy way to put it. I'm not sure if Carl ever knew why a stranger younger girl showed up on his couch some nights. Often times she wore a black eye and bruises like a leopard, but she was happy, happy to be away from home.

"Would you like the rest a little bit or go out with Carl and meet some people?" Rick asks me. I narrow my eyes and look up at him, "You guys are treating me like a show dog."

Rick laughs, it's not funny.

I agree to go with Carl, even after how I acted last night.