Born to Die

20

Alli
I laid in my bed, waiting for Carl to come get me, it'd probably be really late tonight though. Sarah and Daryl were supposed to go on a quick run this morning, but they still weren't back yet. I sat up and started getting out of bed slowly, I could walk pretty easily now, just standing up was the issue. I held onto the top bunk to keep my balance for a second, then slipped on my sweatshirt.

Carl had grabbed me the sweatshirt on a a run last month, since I haven't been able to go. I liked it though. It was navy with the name Oswego sewn onto the front in white, I knew it was some place in New York. Either way, it's the most comfortable thing I've ever had. I crept into Carl's cell, opening the curtain a bit to see him reading comics with a flashlight.

"Wanna go to the courtyard?" I asked and he nodded, grabbing his hat as he turned the flashlight off. I still hadn't asked about the hat, there's just been so many other things going on that I forgot. We walked quickly as we made our way out of the cell block, just in case someone was awake still.

"Do you think they're okay?" I asked Carl and put his hands in his pockets "I think so, I've never seen a situation that Daryl can't get himself out of. They probably just got held up with something" he said in a calm tone, it made me feel a little better. I'm probably just psyching myself out.

It was windy outside and the air was cold against my face. There hadn't been snow since last month, so my guess is that it's February or March. I like cooler weather, mostly because I hate sweating in summer, but summer nights are fun. I let out a sigh as we walked towards the guard tower "I just hope they get back soon".

We climbed up the guard tower, sitting on opposite walls from each other, how we always did. I looked at him, feeling a grin form onto my face, I always felt like smiling when I was with him. I couldn't really explain it, but I didn't care. I focused on his hat for a moment, debating if I should ask about it now or another time, but decided that I was impatient and wanted to know now.

"What's the story with your hat?" I asked him and he grinned, taking it off, which messed up his hair a bit. "Well, that goes back to about two months into this whole thing. That's my guess at least" he shrugged, then started to continue. "At the start of everything my dad was in a coma from a gunshot. He ended up waking up and finding us later, obviously. Anyway, one day we were looking for Sophia, Carol's daughter-" I cut him off "Carol had a daughter?" I asked and he nodded, a slight look of sadness crossed his expression for a moment.

"While we were looking, Shane, my dad, and I saw a deer and I got really close to it. Then someone shot the deer, and it went through the deer and shot me" he said and I stared at his, my jaw was slightly dropped "you were shot?" I asked and he nodded again, pulling up his shirt a bit, revealing a few small scars around his lower stomach. I could tell that I'd be asking a bunch more questions during this story, so I just decided to stay quiet until the end.

He put his shirt back down "so anyway, we ended up at Hershel's farm and when I was getting better my dad gave me the hat, he said that I was in the club now since we both got shot. So, I just wear it now, it means a lot to me since it's my dad's and all" he explained to me and I nodded, still completely interested in what he was saying, even though he was done.

I rested my chin on my fist, thinking of a few questions that I had, but I didn't ask them, I felt like I knew the answers. Sophia died somehow, probably the same for Shane, I feel like that's how things always are. I glanced at the gates, staring at them as if it would make Sarah and Daryl appear somehow. I was worried about them, I just wish I knew what was going on.

I looked down, twiddling my thumbs in my lap as I started to speak "I love you Carl" I said quietly and he perked up, surprised. "You said it" he grinned at me and I felt my cheeks heat up "yeah, I just wanted to make sure you knew it. I'm scared something will happen, but just because I didn't say it, it wouldn't change how I feel. So yeah" I kept my eyes down as I spoke.

"Alli, look" Carl said and I looked up to see him pointing at the gates, where a pair of headlights approached. "It's them!" I squealed, starting to climb down the guard tower. I felt a wave of relief come over me as I ran towards the gates, I knew it probably wasn't great for my leg, but whatever. Carl quickly caught up with me to help open the gates to let them in.

We pulled it open and they drove inside, parking the truck as we closed the gates again. I walked to the truck, waiting for them to get out. Sarah got out and hugged me immediately "what took you so long?" I asked as I hugged her and she sighed "we met someone, he suggested a few supply places, and they were loaded".

A boy got out of the backseat "that's Dylan" she pointed to him and he waved silently, he seemed shy. "Dylan, this is Alli and that's Carl" she motioned to us as she spoke, Dylan just gave a small smile. "Alright, we can unpack tomorrow, it's late" Daryl muttered and started to walk towards the prison with all of us following close behind him.