Forager || Rick Grimes

s i x t e e n

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They had gotten into Natalie's BMW. Carl and Natalie at the back.

She grabbed onto Carl and brought him into her, trying to comfort him. He grabbed back onto her and stuffed his face into her body.

Rick drove away from the farm, Natalie looked from the back window as her head rested on Carl's.

She saw the barn burning and the farm growing smaller and smaller.

"Did they get out?" Natalie whimpered, "Did you see them? Izzy, Emmy or my sisters?"

"No, I didn't see them," Rick replied from the driver's seat, "but they would've got out."

"Where are we going?"

"Back to the highway. That's where everyone will be."

Natalie nodded her head and rested back on the seat. She begged internally that her family had made it out safe.

After about thirty minutes of driving, they had finally approached the highway. Rick shut the engine and climbed out.

Natalie walked out, she saw the car that had supplies on it and on the front window it said, 'Sophia, stay here, we'll come every day.'

Natalie let out a shaky breath, and tears welled up in her eyes. Her father came up behind and rested his hands on her shoulders, trying to comfort her. "Where are they?" she said turning around to face him.

"They'll be here," he said soothingly.

"We gotta go back for them!" Carl shouted.

"We need to be quiet okay," Rick said coming down and resting his hand on his son's shoulder.

"Please." Carl said looking up to him, "it's mom."

"Carl liste-"

"No," Carl said pushing him away and storming off.

Rick went to follow, "Rick," Natalie said with tears in her eyes, "get Carl somewhere safe, me and dad will wait here, for everyone, for my sisters, my daughters, your family, and everyone else."

"I know a few places," Herschel added, "we'll meet up later in one of the safe places."

"Safe? Where's safe? We're not splitting up." Rick said.

"Please, keep your boy safe. Me and Nat can hide in one of the cars. I've lost my farm, I've lost my wife, maybe my daughters and granddaughters."

Natalie snapped her head towards him, "You don't know that." Rick said when he saw Natalie's face. "They'll be here. You're a man of god - have some faith."

"Christ promised a resurrection of the dead - I just had something a little different in mind," Herschel admitted.

"We stick together, both of your daughters will come," Rick said grabbing onto Natalie's arms then letting go as he walked past to get to Carl. But pulled him aside when a walker came close.

They hid beside a car, waiting for it to walk past. "I don't know how long we can wait here," Herschel said.

"I'm not leaving without mom," Carl said.

"Are you just saying we should leave? How could you? You're daughters and granddaughters are alive." Rick said annoyed.

"You have one concern now. Just one."

"I'm not leaving dad, not without my sisters or my daughters," Natalie said sharply. Rick looked back and forth from Natalie and Herschel then finally down to Carl.