I Promise (Carl Grimes)

Happy Birthday

Brooke's POV:
I'm almost positive that I'm dead. Everything is black and there's a faint sound of a woman humming. "Miss? Hello? Is someone here?" I asked shakily. "Brooke, I'm so glad to finally meet you. I've been watching over you and my son." She replied with an angelic voice. Carl? She's his mother? Wait.. This is Lori. "Is your name Lori?" I asked. "Yes dear. Will you please let Carl and Rick know that me and Judith are perfectly fine. Oh and happy birthday." Oh yeah. It is my birthday, isn't it? I can't see her but I can tell she's smiling. "May I see you?" The once dark image of her glows in the dark. She's wearing a white, silk dress. Her hair, long and brown like her eyes. She was gorgeous. Pure beauty. "You have to go back." Her voice was calm yet stern. "I-I want to stay here. With you." For some odd reason, I felt an attachment to her. "Carl needs you." She protested. "He doesn't love me anymore." I whispered. She stepped closer, caressing my cheek. "Sweet child, you have no idea.." Her voice faded along with her body. "Don't go." I cried. And just like that, she was gone.

My eyes shot open, and I instantly sat up panting. "Beautiful." Was the first word that escaped my swollen lips. "What?" I heard a deeper voice say. "You.. I told you, but you didn't believe me." He rolled his eyes and stood up from the ground. "Come on. We have two days to get to the highway. I say we walk half way, then when night comes we'll find somewhere to stay. Then in the morning we'll go." He said while beginning to walk. "How long was I out?" I asked. "All night." He answered kind of rudely. Okay? I haven't said or have done anything to him. Whatever though. Why do I care? "What was so beautiful?" He asked after a while. "Hmm?" I knew exactly what he was talking about, but I'd rather not answer. "When you woke up. You said beautiful." He reminded me. I gulped and began," I saw your mom. She was there and talking to me. She was so beautiful. She told me that her and Judith-" He grabbed my wrist and looked deep into my eyes. "They're dead. Don't. Talk. About. Them... Ever." He hissed slowly. I looked down at his hand on my wrist. His grip was so tight that it was cutting my circulation off. "Let go." I tried snatching my hand away, but he just squeezed tighter. He squeezed once more before releasing. I glared into his blue orbs before pushing past him.

We've walked for hours now, no words were spoken. It's around 2 pm I think? I'm just glad I kept my back pack with me. It has my pills in there, and lord knows that if I didn't have them I'd get myself killed. "Can we take a break?" I pleaded. He ignored me and plopped down under a tree. "We should probably start looking for somewhere to stay tonight." I tried starting a conversation to reduce the awkwardness. He simply ignored me and laid down, placing his stupid hat over his face. "Are you hungry?" I asked trying not to sound annoyed. Once again, he said nothing. "Oh the silent treatment? I see." I scoffed at his ignorance yet he showed no intention of commenting back. I started thinking. I'm sixteen, no rules, no one to tell me what to do, and what do most sixteen years old do? Drink. As in alcohol. I stood up from my spot, dusting myself off. "Get up." I demanded by kicking his boots. He groaned loudly and stood up. "I'm getting a drink." I stated confidently. "Here." He pulled water out of his bag. I swatted it away and crossed my arms over my chest. "No. I mean I'm getting a drink. I'm sixteen. I can do what I want." I walked past him and down the dirt road.

"Do you even know where you're going?" He asked. "Nope." I smiled widely at my stupidity. Why? Because I'm the boss of me and I don't give a rats ass if I get lost. I can take care of my self. I don't need him. "You passed the bar 5 minutes ago." I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around. "I knew that. I was just scoping out the area." He rolled his eyes at my comment. "Sure you were." He said sarcastically.

Cobwebs covered the counter tops and wine bottles. It smelled absolutely horrible in here but hey, everywhere smells like that. I climbed up on the counter and grabbed a wine bottle from the top shelf. I sat at an empty seat at the bar, placing the wine bottle in front of me. I fidgeted with the glass bottle, thinking of the possibilities of getting wasted.
A. Get killed by walkers
B. Get killed by people
C. Die from alcohol poisoning
D. Do something with Carl that I'll regret later on
Okay, now I'm loosing it. I pried the top off and lifted the bottle to my lips. I took a sip and cringed as the tingling sensation took place in my throat and in the pit of my stomach. Carl took a seat next to me, a bottle in his hands as well. He glanced at me, then back to the bottle. He ripped the top off and began chugging it down like a 5 year old in a drinking contest. His face was all twisted and his eyes were droopy. I burst into laughter earning a glare from crank puss. "Calm down, okay? Jeez lighten up." I don't get what his problem is. He's been so moody lately.