Eyes Wide Open [TWD]

°•six•°

-5 years ago-

I run down the street as quickly as I can. I pull my blanket closer to me in the December air, wearing only shorts and a T-shirt under it. Tears stream down my face at a constant pace and I run up the familiar steps.

I push the window open and place my foot on the meter below it, jumping up and into the window. I land on the small padding of blankets and sit up.

"Jade?" Carl whispers.

He reaches over and turns on the small lamp. I see his face in his bed, his eyes squinting from the light with his blanket pulled to his chest.

"M- my parents are fighting again," I cry softly.

He scoots over and holds the blanket out for me. I drop mine and climb in beside him.

"Are you okay?" He whispers and I turn the lamp off.

"My dad called mom a bad word," I hiccup, "She slapped him.. That'sthe second time she's done that."

"It's okay. It's gonna be okay," Carl whispers and yawns.

He grabs my right hand. I snuggle into the blanket and let myself fall to sleep, our interlocked hands between us.

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-Present Day-

I sit on the couch, crying into a pillow. We made it to a farm, the man who shot Carl was Otis. He got us here and there's a man named Hershel. He said he's gonna help Carl. The memory is screwed into my brain as I rock back and forth.

They only got one piece of the bullet out of Carl. Hershel said there's more than five. I didn't pay attention to just how many he said.

Dad and Rick are still in the room with him and I'm left alone with Otis, the man that shot Carl, and a woman, Maggie.

Maggie shuffles on the couch.

"Sweetie, um, would... Would you like some better clothes?" She asks moving her brown hair out of her face.

I shakily look down, my shirt covered in blood from when Carl freaked out the first time. I slowly shake my head and continue watching the door to Carl's room.

Dad and Rick walk out the door and I jump. Maggie turns to them and Otis looks up.

"He's stable for now," dad says as Rick sits beside the door.

"Lori has to be here, Shane- She has to know," Rick says.

"Okay, I get that. I'm gonna handle it But you've gotta handle your end," Dad says.

"My- my end?" Rick asks.

"Your end is being here, for your son.
Even if he didn't need your blood to survive, there is no way I'd ever let you walk out that door. Man, I-I'd break your legs if you tried. I mean, you know that, right? If something happened to him and you weren't here If-if he slipped away while you were gone, you would never forgive yourself for that, and neither would Lori, man," dad explains.

"You're right," Rick nods.

"When was I ever wrong?" Dad laughs.

I could think of a few times..

"You know, when- When you were in that hospital, the one you were never supposed to leave, man You should've seen Lori. She was like-," He moves closer to Rick.

"The strength of that woman You can't imagine it. See-see, that's what you gotta have now. I mean, Carl, he needs that from you. So, you wire yourself tight, my friend," dad says. He takes Rick's face in his hands, putting their foreheads together.