like real people do | c.g [#wattys2019]

H A N D

WE GET SENT TO OUR CELLS a few hours later, Hershel seeming better now. He's conscious and the bleeding's stopped. I climb up the steps, plopping myself down on the bed, saying goodnight to Carl. He mumbles an answer, and I close my eyes.

I thought that the minute I got an actual bed and not just a blanket and the ground, I'd be asleep in seconds. But I toss and turn and don't sleep. Something doesn't feel right. And I don't get what until Carl whispers my name. "Case?"

I flex my hand, staring at it. "Can't sleep?" I whisper back.

"Yup." That's all it takes for me to toss the covers away and climb down the steps immediately. I try my best to not make any noise and, as my feet hit the ground, I find my stupid best friend looking at me, a small and tired smile lacing his features.

"Scoot over." I smile as he rolls away instead of just moving. I plop down on his bed and his hand's already stretched out for me to take. I grab it, even though we're safe and don't have to.

We started doing this after about the second month of us being out on the road. We were all sleeping on the side of the road, not being able to find a place, and a single walker found us. T-Dog was on watch, and he was supposed to wake Daryl up when he felt tired. Only, he didn't. He ended up falling asleep next to a tree.

I've always been a light sleeper, but I was so tired that day that, when it made its way to me, I didn't wake up. I only woke up when I heard it snarl before it threw itself at me. I managed to keep it from biting me by trying to push it away, but I couldn't reach my knives, as I was using both my hands to keep it from eating me alive. So, my screams woke the others up, who killed it. But, it didn't keep me from being scared.

I guess Carl saw that, because he started sleeping next to me. And he'd hold my hand, so if one of us got pulled away by a person, or if a walker grabbed one of us, the other one would wake up and help. He was always there. I guess we got used to it, because neither one of us can sleep alone now. I close my eyes and whisper. "Goodnight, Carl."

"Goodnight." I drift off, and it feels like it's been two minutes when I'm woken up in the weirdest way possible, by giggling. I guess we moved in our sleep, because we're closer than we were when I fell asleep, my head now on the crook of Carl's neck and his arm sprawled around my midsection. My small hand has, for some reason, grabbed a fistful of his shirt, too.

"Mom, why are you giggling?" I hear Carl mutter. I still haven't opened my eyes, being too tired. The weight of the bed shifts as he moves up, chuckling when I groan, my arm moving as he does since I haven't let go of him. He lies back down, re-wrapping his arm around me, his grip tightened as I open my eyes, seeing Carol and Lori giggling.

"Why are you sleeping in the same bed?" Lori asks back. I sigh, rolling my eyes before burying my head in Carl's chest again as he chuckles lightly.

"You're awful at waking people up, you know that, right?" I sleepily mumble, changing the subject as I run my hand through my hair. Carol and Lori chuckle and leave as Carl and I reluctantly get up.

Beth tells us to wait, as she's gonna get Hershel his crutches since he's eager to get up and wants us to be there. "Take your time." Lori tells him as Beth hands him the crutches. He moves forward, stumbling and they grab him.

"I can't stand to look up at the top of that bunk anymore!" They help him balance himself. "You know what, I think I'm pretty steady."

"That's a good start. Wanna rest?" Lori asks him, concerned.

"Rest?" He scoffs. "Let's go for a little stroll." We walk out, but before we make it outside, Hershel has to go down the steps. They try to calm him down, try to make him go down slower as he stumbles a little. But, he doesn't slow down, and once he reaches steady ground, he only walks faster. "You cleared out all the bodies? It's starting to look like a place we could really live in." He asks, looking around.

"Watch your step. Last thing we need is you falling." Lori warns him.

"You're doing great, daddy." Beth encourages.

"Ready to race, Hershel?" Carl asks, jokingly.

"Give me another day. I'll take you home. And after him, I'll race you." He nods at me, making me smile.

"Give me a time and place, I'll be there." I tell him. We laugh, and everything seems fine, until Carl turns slightly.

"WALKERS, LOOK OUT!" He yells. I pull out my gun and shoot one closest to me in the head. Another one goes to follow Hershel, since he's moving away because he can't really fight, and I shoot it, too.

We hear Rick yell at us to get out of there, but there are too many. Maggie, Carol, and T-Dog run toward us, guns raised and start shooting, too. One of them starts coming at me, and I go to shoot, but I run out of ammo. It gets closer and I walk back, finding my knife and stab it in the head.

"The gate is open!" T-Dog yells, going to shut it along with Carol.

"LORI, HERE!" Maggie yells at them, finding a door. I start running towards them, but a walker moves towards their door and they're forced to shut it. Carol yells for me, having found a door, and I'm closer to them anyway, so I run to her as T-Dog goes to shut the gate.

But, as I reach Carol, a walker sneaks up on him. T manages to kill it, but not before the walker takes a bite out of his shoulder. Walkers start closing up on us as T-Dog makes a run for it. We get inside and T finds his way in as well, and we shut the door before the walkers get any closer.

We start running through the tombs when an alarm sounds through the prison. An alarm this loud is bound to attract a whole lot of walkers.

"There are doors that'll lead to a corridor that will get you back to our cell block." T-Dog explains, panting. "I'm getting you there!"

"You should stop! Stop!" Carol yells.

"And wait to die?" He retorts. Carol says that'll she'll do whatever for him not to become one of them, but he shakes his head. "I can't ask for that. This is god's plan. He'll take care of me, always has. He's gonna help me lead you out of this, come on." He grabs me by the arm, pushing me forward as we start running.

"We're almost there." T-Dog says, as he holds onto Carol. He's been losing strength gradually, so now he can't even stand properly without help. We turn around the corner where the door is, but walkers are blocking off our passage. We start to turn around when T stops us.

"No, we're so close!" He yells. He runs forwards, pushing them away as they bite at his body. "GO! GO! GO! GET OUT OF HERE! GO!" He yells. Carol seems completely terrified, so I grab her hand and push her forward, running. But, she stops before opening the door.

"GO, I'M ALREADY DEAD!" He yells one more time as they tear at his flesh, and I step up, opening the door.

✖✖✖✖

hi!

so... lori's gone and casey and carol are gonna be gone for a whole episode, now. but can you imagine how awful this must be for carl? because in this fanfic, he not only just lost his mom, but he thinks he just lost his best friend, too.

and also, did you like the giggle and sleeping thing in the beginning? i just think it's cute that they were trying protect each other and now they can't sleep if they're not together... i just think it's cute and i've been thinking about doing that since even before i started this fanfic.

jfc, so please vote if you enjoyed this chapter and comment if you think carl grimes has the shittiest life ever. i sure do!

goodbye,
-angryfeminist