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

F A L L

I GRIP CARL'S HAND TIGHTLY AS I WALK, always trying to stop myself from looking at the many, gruesome injuries the walkers sport. Rick leads us to a place near some bushes, where the walkers don't seem to be going. "Alright, new plan." Rick says as we all drop each other's hands. "Flares from a few guns aren't enough. Too many walkers, too spread out. We're not going to the armory. We need our vehicles back at the quarry. All of us drive. We'll need to round 'em up. We leave, we come back." He explains making Jessie nod.

"Okay. But Judith, to the quarry and back, I-" Gabriel cuts her off.

"I'll take her. Keep her safe in my church until you all lead the walkers away." He proposes, Rick seemingly hesitant.

"Can you do this?" Michonne asks.

"I'm supposed to. I have to. I will." He promises, Carl nodding as he hands him his baby sister.

"Take Sam." Jessie says, making the former shake his head.

"No. I'm not leaving you." He says. She tries to protest, but he cuts her off. "Mom, I'm not. I can keep going. I can keep going. Please. Let's just go." He says, her eventually nodding.

"I'm going to keep her safe." Gabriel promises, Rick thanking him, before he walks away.

"He's gonna make it. Okay? I know it." Jessie assures Rick. His only response is to grab Sam's hand.

Sam grabs my hand instead of his mom's which surprises me. I guess he's trying to prove that he can do this, and I was the person next to him, but I still raise my eyebrows. Jessie grabs my other hand, Carl grabbing her other one, Ron being next to him, and Michonne after them in the back. It kinda makes me uncomfortable, not being next to Carl in such a worrisome and dangerous situation, but I sigh, following Sam and Rick's way nonetheless.

✖✖✖✖

Night falls as we walk, which makes everything worse by tenfold. Everything feels more dangerous and scarier in the darkness of the night, and being surrounded by walkers doesn't help. We're almost at the gate when I feel Sam's hand get more clammy. I look at his face seeing his eyes wide and bottom lip trembling as he looks around, and I think about saying something, when his hand leaves mine. I see he let go of Rick, too. "Sam? Sam? Come on, come on. Sweetheart? Sam?" Jessie calls him out, but he's not looking at her, he's just looking at the walkers.

"You can do it. Sam, you can do it." I whisper, Ron, Rick, and Carl whispering similar encouraging things.

"Sam, just look at mom. Honey, you can do it. Sam, honey, I need you to come with me. Sam. I need you to come with me." Jessie encourages. I look around, noticing some walkers are starting to look at us.

"I want to." He cries out, making my eyes widen at the sound. Jessie keeps telling him to be strong before a pair of arms grab him and teeth sink into his shoulder and neck as he cries. They keep biting into him, and I take a few steps back, out of reflex. "Mom!"