Together

Chapter 13

JC's POV

I stumbled towards my house, numbly acknowledging people as they passed me and tried to make me feel better.

I walked to my office and stood in front of my desk. There was some work I had to do.

I put my hands on the edge of the desk and leaned on it.

How could I have been so stupid. I should've stayed. I shouldn't have gone on that run. Tim would've still been alive if it weren't for me. Now Mary Ann hates me and the rest probably do, too. I'm a horrible leader.

I felt the tears come and, in a rage, I quickly shoved everything off my desk.

Once I realized the mess I had made, I started to bend down to pick it up when I heard a voice.

"JC?"

I looked up to find Carl's girlfriend standing at the door. Eden was it? No, Enid.

Embarrassed, I quickly wiped all of my tears.

"Sorry," I breathed. "Come on in."

She smiled a little and slowly walked in.

I bent down and started to pick everything up.

I saw Enid bend down as well in front of me.

"Oh, let me help you," she offered.

I smiled at her gratefully.

As we were gathering the papers, I looked up at her and asked, "Where's Carl?"

Just hearing his name made Enid's face soften a little. She must really love him. "I told him to go home," she sighed. "Get some rest. He seemed really overwhelmed by everything."

"Yeah," I laughed. "Him and me both."

"What do you think's going on?" she asked seriously.

After considering it for a moment, I said, "He wants me to fight back. I mean, with me gone, he could've just forced his way inside and killed everyone. But he only killed one of us. He's trying to push me. He wants me to fight back."

"Are you going to?" Enid asked, a little worried.

I focused on a point behind her. "He killed Tim," I pointed out. "I'm not letting him get away with that. I'm gonna fight back, just not in the way he expects me to."

"Okay," she said, nodding. "I'm with you. I'm sure Carl and the rest of us are, too."

I smiled. "Thanks."

Once we were done picking everything up and organizing it on my desk again, we talked for a little while longer before she excused herself to go home.

I walked her to the door and was surprised when she pulled me in for a hug.

I returned it hesitantly.

She let go, smiled at me, and started walking home.