𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭. carl grimes

23 - AWAY

Somebody is shaking me awake and the first thing I do after I wake, I cough. There weren't blood coming out, thank God, but my lungs still feels like it's on fire.

"Lizzie?" I asked once I was done. I remember her coming here yesterday, sadly she also got the flu like I did.

"Carol's downstairs." She tells me and I sit up. "She wants to talk to you."

I nod my head before standing up. Lightheaded, that's what I also feel, but I keep going. I went down the steps and saw my mom behind the glass.

She smiled when she saw me. "Hey, I'm going on a run with Rick."

"Well, be careful." I tell her, throat hoarse. "How's everyone out there?"

"Maggie's on watch. Carl, Beth, and everyone else is on quarantine. Daryl and the others still aren't back." She tells me and I nod. I already know that Carl isn't happy about being in quarantine.

"When are you leaving?" I asked, hugging myself.

"About now." She tells me and I nod again. "Just wanted to see you before I go. How you doing?"

I cough, covering my mouth. "Still the same."

"You're gonna fine, okay?" My mom reassures and I just nod, not knowing what to believe. "Alright, I'll get going now."

"Be safe." My mom leaves and I watch her walk away. There's this feeling in my gut that's telling me something, but I don't understand it. It's like it's saying I shouldn't have let my mom leave, but maybe it's just the sickness talking.

When I turn around, Hershel was at the top cells. "Hey." I call to his attention.

I went up the steps when Hershel told me to come there. He then hands me a cup with liquid inside. "It's elderberries. Drink it."

I took a sip from the cup and finished it off, before giving it to Hershel. "Has Lizzie drank this?"

The old man shakes his head. "She hasn't, do you mind giving her some?"

I grab the cup from Hershel and went to my cell, where Lizzie was in. She was holding a flashlight while reading the book that Michonne gave me the other day. It was a Harry Potter book, the first one, I would've asked Patrick to go all nerd on me about Harry Potter, but...

"Hey." I call to her attention, sitting beside her. "Drink some of this. It'll make you feel better."

Lizzie grabs the cup from my hands and takes a sip, before scrunching up her nose. "Is that tea?"

"Yeah, you don't like?" She shakes her head. I'm not a fan of tea, too but elderberry tea kind of tastes good.

"Can you tell me what this book is about?" Lizzie asked me, referring to the Harry Potter book. I nodded, and started telling her what it's about.

— later

"Farren?" Lizzie and I both turn to Hershel, who's standing by the gate of our cell. "Rick's downstairst, he needs to say something to you."

I nod before standing up. "Is my mom with him?"

He shook his head. "Just go talk to him."

Confused, I got out of the cell and down the steps. When I got to the room, there was a dead body but I didn't pay attention to that.

"Hey," I said, grabbing Rick's attention. "How's my mom?"

Rick pinches the bridge of his nose. "About that..."

My heart started beating fast. "I-Is she..?"

"She's alive. She's alright." Rick tells me and I breathe out a sigh of relief. "I sent your mom away."