𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 [ 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬 ] ✘

The Time Has Come... [Pt. 2]

I groaned when I felt someone shaking me and as my eyes blinked open, I saw Carl hovering over me, that familiar sheriff's hat fixed in place on his head.

"Come on! We gotta go - now!" he said, shouting to be heard over the explosions as well as because of the dire situation we were in.

He grasped my hand tightly as we both stumbled through the smoke coming off the burning fires. I coughed, the sulfur filling up my lungs as we hurriedly made our way around the debris. Carl let off smoke bombs as we went, trying to cover our tracks. We had to make it look like no one survived - as if all of the townspeople had died in the attack. Hopefully, this would be enough to convince the Saviors.

All of a sudden, Gabriel's church on the corner burst into flames and Carl and I ducked for cover as debris came raining down on us. He brought me into his chest, shielding me from the blast. Finally, after the air had cleared, I gave him one last squeeze before starting to pull away. But the wince that erupted on his face made me frown in confusion.

"Carl, what's wrong?" I asked immediately, concern filling my voice.

Instead of answering, he brushed off my question and grabbed my hand, leading me to a house not far from us to get to safety. When we'd finally reached the porch, I pulled my hand away from Carl's and stopped in front of him. I was about to ask him again if something was wrong...that's when I noticed it: the growing crimson stain on his dark gray t-shirt. Carl stopped panting from the exertion long enough to notice where my eyes had fallen.

"Stop! Please, don't-" he started to say but it was much too late for that.

Wordlessly, I had reached out a hand and with gentle fingertips, pulled up the edge of his shirt to reveal a square white bandage on his skin. I frowned up at him. In my heart, I knew exactly what it was. The thought of what could be under that bandage made my chest tighten and my breathing become labored. But here...now...I had to hear him say it.

"Carl...what happened?" I asked him quietly, my voice sounding foreign to me.

"Look, it's not-" he began when I cut him off sharply.

"Carl! What happened?" I repeated myself.

He looked at me intently for a long time with that lone blue orb before speaking, "You know...I know you do,"

"What happened?!" I asked again, my voice coming out shaky and small.

A sigh escaped his mouth but it was a desolate, broken sound that made my heart break in my chest.

"That day with Siddiq...I got bit..." he finally admitted, his eye squeezing shut briefly before blinking back open again.

Those three simple words made my world shatter into pieces and unbidden, a raw, loud sob erupted from my throat.

"No! No! You're lying! It's not true, it's not-" I tried to get out but my voice betrayed me and I choked on the words.

The tears flowed freely now as if a dam had broken, leaving all the water to come gushing out in waves. He made a move to grab my hand, to comfort me when suddenly, we heard the shattering of glass in the house. Without a moment's notice, Carl pulled me into his body and hurled us off the front porch. We landed with a thud just as the windows blew out, tendrils of fire licking up the sides. I let out a small whimper of fear as we lie there in the grass, my ears ringing like mad. Quickly, he helped me up off the ground and together, we raced to the sewers before crawling down to hunker inside with the others.

I helped him sit down against a wall in the back of the tunnel before I did the same. I hadn't said a word to him since I found out... What could I say? What could I possibly say that would make a difference now?

"Talk to me...please," he said, ending the last word in a desperate whisper.

I felt tears prick my eyes, a lump of emotion forming in my throat. I let out a humorless chuckle, the tears filling up my eyes like water in a swimming pool.

"I can't...I can't lose you..." I breathed out, squeezing my eyes shut in an attempt to hold them in.

But it was no use - the tears fell unbidden and hiccuping sobs soon followed. Slowly, Carl moved to where he was now positioned beside me and brought me into his chest. I clutched fistfuls of his shirt in a vain attempt to bring him even closer, as if that would stop the world from taking him from me. It wasn't fair! It wasn't fair! I needed him!

I couldn't just go on without him - just the mere thought of it made me feel physically sick. He held onto me though, not saying a word, just letting me cry as much as I needed to. I could tell he'd already come to terms with his fate - ever the brave soldier. But me? I was a broken mess. His... I swallowed, trying to get my mind to just form the thought...

His death would destroy me. I could feel it in my bones - I wasn't made to live without him. It was like a knife had been stabbed in my heart. I felt...lost.

And as I cried into his chest, his hand rubbing circles on my back in an attempt at comfort...

I feared I always would.

Note: SOMEONE HOLD ME! :"( THE PREMIERE IS TOMORROW AND I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS! :"(