"so, why are you handcuffed to the seat?" noah asks as he waits for the group to leave to atlanta where he said his group has beth and carol.
"i keep trying to run away," i say and shrug.
"you did that with us," he says. "glad to see you're being patrolled."
"i'm not a criminal," i roll my eyes.
rick comes over and nods at noah for a moment alone with me. "hey, man who set me up," i smile.
"look, i can't let carl go to atlanta. he has to stay behind," he says.
"maybe you should hand cuff him to something?" i suggest and raise my eyebrows.
"jade," he says in more serious tone. "you can come with us if you want."
i look down at the cuff on my wrist and jiggle the chain. "do i have a choice?" i ask. "i guess i'll stay. carl would disintegrate without me."
"i'd let you go but he has the key," he says.
"who gave it to him?" i ask and rick rolls his eyes.
"it's in his back pocket," he says and shrugs. "do with that information what you will. i never told you."
"rick, you know i want to leave. i can put up with this because it's carl, but once i'm free... i'm leaving."
"i told you. i'm going to let you do what you think is best. you don't want to go backwards, okay. i get it. i, we will miss you, but this is what you want."
"so, i'm free?" i ask and he nods.
"you just need to the key."
"well, how am i gonna get it?" i ask.
"distract him?" he suggests.
"he's gonna do his little sad eyes," i rub my face. "you're gonna come back to a beat up son," i call as he walks away.
after a while, carl comes over. "you're not going with them?" he asks.
"how could i leave, carl? no, i said i'll stay with you," i tell him. "glenn's gone, all the stuff that happened with gareth and it's a lot. plus, i don't think it'd be too great for me to show back up there."
"why do you say that?" he asks.
"well, you're real uptight about people leaving," i say and look at carl.
"heard you wanted to fight me," he says and unlocks my handcuffs, putting it back around his wrist.
"yeah," i say.
"in the lord's house?" he jokes.
"i think he deserves a good show," i shrug.
"god is real and he can hear you. do not speak those words here." gabriel says, coming up behind us.
"look, if god is real then he owes me a big apology," i say.
"tell me about it," i hear carl mutter and i grab his hand.
gabriel clears his throat and passes us by to go to his office. "you're strong, carl," i tell him. "this is your world."
"do you think your dad's still alive?" he asks.
"between the two of us," i sigh. "that man ain't dying till he's damn good and ready."
"do you ever plan on looking for him?" he asks.
"maybe when this is all over," i say. "but i'm sure the man i find won't be my father."
"well, i hope he is," carl says. "and i hope you do find him someday."
YOU ARE READING
DEFIANT | Carl Grimes
Fanfiction"i didn't ever think it would be me?" "what?" "being the one that's gonna see everyone die."
