Together

Chapter 12

Carl's POV

Unloading everything from the jeep, me, JC, my dad, the two members from JC's group, Deanna, Spencer, Aiden, and Eugene walked back into the gated community.

I was talking to Eugene, Spencer, Aiden, and Deanna about where they would be staying when a loud scream cut me off.

The entire group became alert. It was coming from within the town. It was a male voice and he was screaming for JC.

Soon enough, JC must have recognized the voice, because she dropped everything she was carrying in fear and sprinted into the town.

I dropped my stuff as well and ran after her, everyone soon following behind me.

"Tim!!!" JC kept screaming.

Eventually, we found the source of the screaming. There was a middle aged man in the middle of the road. A walker was ripping flesh out of his shoulder.

"No!!!" JC cried and we ran towards them.

JC pulled Tim away while I sliced through the walker's head.

Everyone slowly started gathering around Tim and JC.

His head was resting on her legs and blood was pouring out of his shoulder.

JC was mumbling things that I could decipher. She was crying heavily.

I saw her shakily pull her gun out of her holster and hold it to Tim's head.

"I'm sorry," she said lightly and pulled the trigger. She simply stared at his body for a moment before we heard a shrill cry.

"JC?!" JC turned around to look at a women that had gotten to the scene in time to see JC shoot Tim.

JC struggled to her feet and stumbled toward the women.

"Mary Ann," she said softly, managing to stop crying. "I had to. I didn't have a choice. He was bitten."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Michonne and Enid join the circle and stare at the bloody scene. Enid slowly looked up at me and held her hands up with a What is going on?! look.

I shot the same look back at her, showing that I didn't know.

I looked back at JC and Mary Ann. I watched as the older woman pushed past JC and kneeled down next to Tim, cradling him in her arms.

JC backed up and stood next to me, a somber look on her face.

Wanting to say something, I said the most generic thing on Earth. "I'm sorry about Tim."

She didn't acknowledge me, just continued to stare at the scene.

I decided to press gently. "Mary Ann, was that his wife?"

She nodded sadly. After a moment, she mumbled, "She's pregnant." She looked up at me. "With their first." JC glanced back at the widow. "Tim was so excited, now he's never gonna get to meet his own child."

I nodded as I remembered how much I hated this world.

I slowly reached down and grabbed her hand. She didn't pull away like I expected her to. She simply laid her head on my shoulder, sniffling.

Who would do this?

My question was answered when I saw my dad kneel down next to the walker and take something off of it.

He looked at it for a moment before standing up.

"JC," he said, keeping his eyes on the slip of paper. "Look at this."

JC took the paper from him and looked at it. I read it over her shoulder.

From a friend

"From a friend," JC echoed. She turned to look at me with fear in her eyes. "Negan."

"What's wrong?" a member from JC's group asked.

JC sighed and recounted everything she had told me yesterday.

Everyone in her group stared at her in fear.

"But," a member asked. "If this was from Negan, how did he even get the ripper inside the walls?"

JC seemed to think for a second before another member spoke up. "Well, there is that hole in the wall in the back of the town. Maybe they got it in through there."

JC sighed before pointing at members of her group. "Nick, Jared, and Lauren, get a bunch of boards from the supply garage and cover that hole up. Negan is gonna pay for this."

Mary Ann looked up at her leader, tears in her eyes. "We are going to have a funeral for my husband, aren't we?"

JC looked down at her. "Of course, Mary Ann," she said softly. "We will tonight." She pointed to two other members from her group.

I saw Eugene pass Judith over to Rick and step forward. "I could dig the grave," he offered.

Spencer and Aiden stepped forward as well. "Yeah," Spencer offered. "We will, too."

JC looked at them in gratitude. "Thank you," she sighed.

Daryl walked forward and handed Eugene a shovel while Spencer and Aiden picked up Tim's body, despite Mary Ann's protests.

I turned to JC. "What do you want the rest of us to do?" I asked.

She sighed sadly. "Go home," she said. "I know that's what I'm gonna do."

She then let go of my hand and walked off.

As the rest of people started to walk off, I headed straight for Enid.

I wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Are you okay?" Her muffled voice asked.

I shook my head.

I wasn't okay.