Walkers//c.g✔️

Chapter Forty-One

Tessa looked at the letter in her hands, "Negan" was sloppily written on the paper. She breathed out of her nose, looking at the bag that laid on her bed. The crickets chirped outside of her window, the night looked so weary and not inviting, but she needed to do this. For Carl and for herself.

Tessa tugged on Carl's flannel and tied her dirty boots. She cleared her throat, tugging on the bag. Her hair didn't get stuck on the bag. Tessa looked in the mirror, her tiny bump somewhat visible. She shook her head. Heading towards the window, she threw the sheet down, tying the end on the chair that was in her room. She threw the bag out the window. A soft thud emitted from the worn out bag, Carl's bag. Tessa always wore something that belonged to Carl, it felt odd not to.

Tessa carefully climbed out the window, not trying to make anymore noise than she had to. She breathed heavily as she clanged on to the sheet, making her way to the ground, semi-safely. Carl would have scolded her for making this bold of a move. Tessa tugged the bag back on her back.

She crept along the wall, not trying to alarm the guards stationed above her. She moved swiftly and quietly. She went out of the secret tunnel Maggie had installed.

When Tessa got to the end of the tunnel, she gripped her blade in her hand, leaving the tunnel, in the middle of the woods, all alone. She left a car a mile away from where she was standing, she ran for it.

She hasn't felt free in weeks. This is how she stays strong, this is how she stays sane, this is how she stays human. It may sound silly, but everyone has treated her like she was some kid or something fragile, like a bomb or those plates you would find in your grandmother or great aunt's cabinets.

As she ran through the woods towards the roads, she felt free. The air smelt free. The sticks that broke under her feet. She smiled for the first time in weeks. Tessa, finally, came to a clearing. The car was still there. A huge wave of relief washed over her, she got in the car. Putting the bag in the passenger seat, shutting the car door. She looked at the passenger seat, it didn't feel right to her, to be in a car without him.

Tessa turned key, the car sputtered and stalled for a second but then the engine roared. She flicked the head lights on, and began driving. Her eyes were glued to the road. She has only drove in the daylight, she was nervous to say the least.

She had a two hours until she would arrive to the sanctuary. She looked at the cars' clock, 4:25 AM. Tessa barely slept last night, she had so many scenarios running through her mind. Not to mention the fact that her mother was at the sanctuary, along with Eugene, he was a traitor. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white. She was stressing out.

She just wanted to get there, give Negan the letter, and leave. She didn't want to explain anything, she didn't want any trouble. She just wanted to do this for Carl, for the promise she kept to him. For everything.

She stopped her car in the front of the sanctuary, immediately she was greeted by guns pointing at her, "Step out of the fucking vehicle!"

She tugged the bag on her back, turning the car off, slowly stepping out of the car with her hands raised in surrender, "I'm here to give Negan something!" She yelled, "A letter, from Carl!" "We should just murder her." Someone said. "We aren't monsters, she's with child, dumbass."

"Woahho! What's all the commotion!" Negan's voice boomed, "Tess?" Her mother said from the crowd. "Get your damn guns off her, now!" Negan said.

The people, hesitantly, dropped their weapons to their sides. Tessa gulped, walking towards the crowd, the crowd split. "Tess, tsk tsk tsk, didn't you learn from la-" Negan's eyes averted to her stomach, "Hot diggity damn!" He said, "Carl's?" He already knew the answer to that question. Tessa nodded, "Yeah." "I'm sorry kid." He genuinely looked sorry, "Where are my manners? Come." His hand stretched towards the door. Tessa walked through the sanctuary doors. "What are you doing here kid?" He asked. "I have a letter, from Carl." "A letter?" She nodded her head, "A letter."

"I know, Rick told me," Negan sighed, "You came all this way for a damn letter, though?"

"I promised Carl I would change all of this fighting and shit, I wanted you to read it yourself." She outstretched her arm, the letter laid in her hands, Negan took the letter, opening it. His eyes scanned over the paper, twice. His eyes got glossy, his nose got red, he sniffled. "Shit kid." Tessa felt that lump in her throat, she wanted to cry, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it, she has cried way too much these past two months.

"Anyone know you're here?" He asked. "No which is why I have to leave soon." Tessa said, "I'll try to talk to Rick about it, if you're ready for change. No more of this "saving" shit. We actually work together, we become a community. We can live together, survive together. No more of the "we are taking half of your shit" either." Negan nodded, "Listen, I am all for that, truly I am, it's Rick who is so blood thirsty. He's like a fucking itch that just wont go away. He's doing this for his god damn dignity or ego or something. This world has changed Rick for the worst."

"I know. He was a good person at first but now? He-"

"Needs to go."

"Negan," She scoffed, "I can't do that, Rick is family, He has been there, just let me talk to him, please. I want to stop all of this shitty fighting, for this baby's sake and for Carl's sake."

"I'll give you a whole week, if that doesn't work then I'm gonna have to take action before my people try to overrule me." "Thank you."

"Don't thank me quite yet."

Tessa drove to Alexandria, she saw the walkers her blood began to boil. She back up towards the entrance and laid on the horn, She heard the growls grow. Only stepping on the gas pedal a tiny bit causing the car to go slowly, her hand still on the horn.

The walkers hit against the brow car, their hands hitting the back window, leaving bloody hand prints. What was she gonna do with them? Kill them all with a knife and a pistol that had maybe one clip? Or maybe just drive far enough from Alexandria and speed away from the herd?

She continued to drive slowly, her heart racing, listening to the growls intensify, the walkers were starving. She looked through the glove box, finding a bunch of old music CD's. She popped in a random CD into the port, turning the volume all the way up. She didn't recognize the song at all. She sighed out, staring at the road ahead of her, with a blank, cold stare. She barely heard the walkers' hands hitting against the windshield.

She was at least twenty miles away from Alexandria now, she felt her foot step down on the gas pedal, the car jerked, going faster. She turned the radio down. Not hearing the walkers anymore. It wasn't much but it would do for now.

She pulled up to the Hilltop gates, people pointing their weapons at her, she stepped out of the vehicle, her arms to her sides, the bag attached to her back, "Can someone open the gate?" I asked.

The gate opened, Maggie stood at the other side, her arms crossed, "Where the hell were you?!" "Alexandria." The gates closed behind Tessa. "You know how careless and stupid that was?"

"I had to see, it was overrun." "What do you mean was?" "I drove them far away, I almost ran out of gas. There is probably a couple do-"

"Tessa!" Maggie yelled, "What the hell were you thinking?" "I wasn't, I guess. I'm fine, just tired." She walked away from Maggie, "Tessa, this isn't over!" "For now, it is." She continued walking towards the house. Opening her door, closing it. She turned around to see a crib. Tessa dropped the bookbag, quietly.

She peered over the crib to see Judith sleeping. She half grinned, taking off her boots and walking towards the single bed. The bed creaked as she sat on it, laying back, turning her back from the crib. She looked at the wall. Her fingers caressed the ring on the chain, like always. Her eyes fluttered shut.

"Sweet dreams Carl." She whispered to herself.