End of the World - The Walking Dead

Chapter 12

                                       𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝓈

               "𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦."    

We continued to drive. Eventually, we rolled to a stop. "Okay." Michonne said. The engine turned off. I looked through the windshield, then we got out. I drew Carl's gun just in case.
There were two people. When they saw us, they opened their souped up van door and a woman came out. "My name is Georgie, and these are my friends, Hilda and Midge." Georgie said. "And you are?" We stared at her. "Suspicious. But curious enough to see what I have to offer for food and music. I do hope the records are music. I don't accept spoken word. If you're out here, you know you can take care of yourselves, and I like that. I don't care to share this with the weak."
"Good." Maggie responded. Rosita came around the corner of the other van with her gun drawn. I raised mine, just in case. "Enid."
Enid walked forward and took their guns with Rosita.
"Give us what you have." Maggie said.
"I'm afraid I can't do that." Georgie answered. "I come bearing knowledge to trade— essential knowledge for the future, primarily in my head, and, uh, I prefer to keep that where it is."
"You're trading knowledge." Michonne said.
"That's what I have. I've made the same offer before— fill the crates, get the knowledge— simple as that. It's not a trick, just a fair trade. I promise you."
"It's an act of benevolence." Hilda said.
"Why would you do that?" Maggie asked.
"What else should I do?" Georgie asked.
"Rosita." Maggie said. Rosita looked inside the van.
"Uh, what's in there isn't part of the deal." Georgie said.
"There is no deal." Maggie said.
"How many communities have you found?" Rosita asked.
"Communities like yours? Not many at all. And not one for a very long time. What you have is special, unusual. The dead have brought out our best and worst, and the worst us been outpacing the best lately, but that won't last forever."
"It won't." Midge said.
"If, perhaps, people can believe in people again, four crates of goods is worth far less than a sustainable future and perhaps an exercise in trust." We all stared at her. "I know, 'trust' probably sounds like a made-up word now, like flibberschticky."
"Or klompf." Hilda said.
"Or moisture." Midge said.
We all looked at her. "Stop. This isn't real." I said. "No way anyone survives going around doing what you say you're doing."
"But we do." Georgie replied. "And we will, because I can divine that you are a fine group, manners notwithstanding."
"These people and their van are coming with us back to Hilltop." Maggie said.
I helped them get the people situated, the Rosita and I drove their van back.
"How are you doing?" Rosita asked.
I looked at my lap. "Fine." I said.
I dug through the glovebox and found a CD. I smiled. Carl and I had listened to one similar. Had some of the same songs on it.
I popped it in the player, and the first song that played was 'Enjoy the Silence' by Depeche Mode.

"All I ever wanted~ all I ever needed is here, in my arms!" Carl sang off key. I giggled at him. We were going to meet Rick at an intersection after doing a few things out of Alexandria.
He put his hand open in the middle, and I drew pictures on it. "All right, guess what that was." I said.
"Uh, a walker?" He asked. I giggled.
"No. It was a flower." I said. He chuckled.
"Didn't feel like one."
I softly touched his palm, and stroked his hands up and down between the fingertips to the middle of his hand. I looked up to see him smiling at me.

"Charlie?" Rosita asked. I looked up at her. "You okay?"
"Yeah." I replied. I rolled the window down.
       When we arrived back to the Hilltop, we got out. "Charlie!" Daryl called. "Come here."
       I walked toward him. "Hey, look who made it." He said. He whistled and Nash came. I stared at him. "He came running up while you were out."
       Tears filled my eyes. Of fucking course. Of fucking course the dog lives.
       "Great." I said. "I have a dog." I scoffed. "A dog, a baby on the way, and a ring. And no Carl. Carl's dead. Carl's dead, and it's not fair! It's not fair! I was ready to die! I am ready to die! Why did he die? Why did he get that? He wanted to live, dammit! He wanted to." My voice broke, and I fell to my knees. I felt Daryl touch me softly. "It's not fair!"
       "Nothing is in this world anymore." He responded. "Nothing."
        He pulled me up and walked me toward the house. When we arrived he sat me in a chair. "Stay here. You don't need to work a shit ton right this minute." He said. "So, sit back and get better."
        Carol tapped me. "It's time." She said. I looked at her, confused. "They're here." The Saviors.
        I stood up. "All right." I said. I checked my gun for bullets.
       "You're not coming. I need you to stay in here." She said.
       "I'm not staying in here." I said.
       "Yes you are. I won't let another one of you kids die today."
       "Whatever you say, Carol." I said.
       When it became dark, I watched through the window as Maggie dragged the prisoners out.
       "So, you and Carl were together?" A boy asked.
       "Who are you?" I asked.
       "Henry." He said. "You're Charlie Dixon."
       "Grimes."
       "Oh. Grimes."
       "Please stop talking to me."
       He looked at me, then nodded and walked away. I continued watching.
       I could hear Daryl's bike ripping down the road and inside. I watched as a car followed, and the school bus blocked it off, causing the car to crash.
       "Now!" Maggie yelled. Gunshots fired everywhere.
        I watched as Arrows flew everywhere, and the prisoners were ushered back in.
       Maggie ran in as well.
       "Daryl, where's Daryl?" I asked her.
       "I don't know." She said. "He made it in safely, but I don't know where he went."
        I nodded. She left my side.
        Daryl ran in and handed me a gun. "You can do this part." He said. We all lined up in the windows with our guns out, then turned on the lights and fired.
       The Saviors retreated.
       I heard more gunshots that weren't coming from us. I set the gun down the minute I couldn't see anyone.
       I grabbed Carl's gun and walked out of the house, then ran after the truck, firing directly at it's windshield.
       Rick and Maggie joined me as they drove off.
       I continued firing even after they left. "Hey, hey, stop." Rick said. "Don't."
       I put the gun back in the holster. We walked back inside and shut the gates.
       I laid with Bella in the nursery, never to sleep.
       At about 2am, I walked down the stairs and out of the house, taking my backpack with me. With the faint glow of the moon, which had been uncovered, I found my pictures and my camera.
        It was hard to think that it'd been over 24 hours since he left me.
        I turned the camera on and went through the photos, watching videos.