Wilted

t w e n t y e i g h t

Days go by. Life without dad here isn't normal and still sucks, but we're learning to live with it. Mom has me running all over the place to get her food and such, but I don't mind. It keeps me busy.

Currently, mom is asleep on the couch. It's not comfortable by any means, but  better than the hardwood floor cushioned by a couple blankets considering the saviors took all of our mattresses. 

I sit in a chair in Carl and I's room reading a book, listening as ruins our door with dart marks. He throws another one, only to miss the dart board and hit the three other darts stuck in the wall, causing the one he threw to fall to the floor. 

"You should come with us." Rick says to his son. It's been tense between the two of them, and everybody can tell. 

"Someone's gotta be here for Judith." Carl replies with a sigh.

"There's people who want to help." Rick reasons. "We'll only be gone a few days at the most." 

Michonne and Aaron stand on the opposite wall listening to the conversation themselves. Carl throws another dart, it misses. 

"We need supplies." Rick tells his son. "They're gonna be coming back soon."

"Is this how it's gonna be now?" Carl snaps frustrated. 

"Yes." Rick states sternly with a hand on his hip. "It is. You know that." 

Another dart is thrown, making the number of darts in the door raise to five. "See you in a few days." Carl says walking forward and pulling the darts out. 

"We should get going." Rick says exasperated. 

"He'll come around." Aaron whispers and I look between Rick and my boyfriend. Both are stubborn, but eventually they'll agree on something again. 

As they leave, Carl resumes throwing his darts. After the adults have cleared from the hallway I stand up from my spot and set my book down. I find myself behind the boy, grabbing his hand gently. He barely turns and I wind up placing a kiss on his cheek before heading downstairs. 

Mom is still asleep, wrapped in one of dad's flannels. She misses him, we all do. But I think the fear of raising a baby alone while their father is being held prisoner is hitting her hard. 

Michonne is bustling around the house, looking like she's about to leave when Carl comes downstairs. 

"Why didn't you go with my dad?" Carl asks sitting backwards on a chair.

"I need to figure some things out." Michonne tells him.

"What is there to figure out?" Carl asks quickly standing up as Michonne walks to another room.

"How we can do this, if we can." She says placing her bag on the kitchen counter.

"We can't." Carl says shaking his head. "No, not like this."

"Your dad thinks differently."

"And he's wrong. You know it." 

Michonne is quiet as she walks to the door. "Even if I think he is, I don't know. Change your bandage later and be nice to Olivia."

With that Michonne leaves the two of us standing there in silence. Something then catches Carl's eye outside of the house. It's Enid, she's climbing over the walls with a backpack.  

He turns around and gives me a look. I shrug before and opening the door. "Let's go on an adventure I suppose." 

"Enid!" I yell as she begins to climb up one of the walls. She freezes, barely turning to face us.