Just Survive Somehow
I saw Enid just casually walk in, looking up at us. I let out a breath and my shoulders slumped.
"Bloody hell, Enid! Don't you knock?!" I asked, speeding behind her and looking out the door for any of the people before shutting it and locking it.
"Oops." She said nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders.
"Why are you here?" Carl asked softly, turning around and picking up another gun.
"I came to say goodbye." She said. Carl placed a gun in her hands and we walked back over to the spot on the floor.
"Help us keep watch." He said.
"Wh-- I'm not staying!" She protested.
"You're not going back out there alone. Sit." I ordered, leaning against the wall. She sighed before sitting against Carl's back, the same way I did.
"Don't tell me goodbye." Carl said. Enid sighed, looking at me, then at the ground.
"Fine. I won't."
+++
"Carl, come here." I mumbled, walking away from the two of them.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"I have this really bad feeling. Somethings not right." I whispered. He looked at ,e in confusion.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"I don't know, I just have this really bad feeling in my stomach and I'm worried something really really bad happened out there. I don't think everything's okay with the rest of our group." I explained, trying to control my breathing.
"Melissa--"
"Carl, the last time I felt like this the governor got T-Dog and your mom killed." I spat, remembering the day the Governor dropped off a truckload of walkers, where T got bit and Lori went into labour, and we thought we lost Carol.
I looked at Carl's saddened face and I sighed, feeling guilty.
"Look, babe, everything's gonna be okay, alright? Let's go back." He said. I nodded and grabbed his hand as we walked back to where Enid is, except she wasn't there.
"Enid?!" Carl shouted. I walked over to the door and went to open it, when I stepped on something. I looked down and saw a piece of paper with writing on it.
Just Survive Somehow.
_______________
I woke up the next morning on the couch, half on top and half off Carl. I gently pressed a kiss on his chest before rolling off of him, standing up and putting on my boots. I walked into the kitchen and saw cookies laid out on the counter. Carol probably came in late last night.
I grabbed one and walked upstairs to check on Judith, who was still sleeping soundly. I smiled at her and walked into Carl's room and grabbed one of his sweaters before walking back downstairs and quietly walking out the door, making sure I had my knife on me.
I saw people dragging bodies away to the graveyard, and others crying over some. I ran my hands through my wavy hair as I walked over to the watch tower, where the truck crashed. I looked around before walking up the ladder. When I got up to the new watch point, I was able to see all the burnt and demolished parts of Alexandria. Things that took years to accomplish and create, gone.
"It took Reg years to create this. To put the walls up. And now they're just gone." I jumped slightly and turned around to face Deanna, before turning back and looking out.
"It's hard to believe how horrible people are." I said, crossing my arms lazily.
"Has this happened to you guys before?" She asked. I nodded.
"More than once. It's terrifying." I told her, turns around to face her, my back leaning against the edge of the small platform.
"You guys don't seem afraid." She said, not looking up at me.
"Twelve year old me would act afraid. But that was five years ago. I learnt not to show how afraid I was. But I think we can all agree that being afraid sucks." I sighed. I looked past Deanna at the gates, seeing a horde. My eyes went wide.
"Open the gates!" I heard faintly. "Open the gates now!"
"Rick?!" I screamed, running down the ladder and over to the gates. I heard Rick still yelling to open the gates.
"Hold on!" I yelled, opening the gates as quickly as possible. I opened the gates and took my knife out, wat hi rick push past walkers to get in. I stabbed a walker through its eyes, making sure I didn't get blood on carls white sweater, before the two of us slammed the gates shut, as Maggie, michonne, and a few others arrived.
"Rick, where's everyone else?" I asked. "I thought you guys were redirecting the herd. Why are they here and why isn't dad back. You guys were all together when you left--"
"I'll tell you later. We need a town meeting. Melissa, go back home." Rick said. I went to argue, when Rick gave me a look that told me he wasn't arguing. I nodded and said hey to Maggie, before beginning to walk home.
The walk home was quiet. Everybody wanted to stay in their homes.
I could hear the walkers outside of the gates already. Hopefully someone will be able to alert dad, Glenn and the group of it when they get back.
I walked inside the house to see Carl still asleep on the couch. I walked over to him and sat on the edge of the couch, moving my hand up to his forehead, brushing his ever growing hair from his face. He stirred but stayed asleep. I smiled.
"Carl." I said in a soft voice. He slowly opened his eyes and placed his hands on my waist.
"Hey." He mumbled, his voice groggy.
"Your dads back." I said. He nodded and began sitting up.
"And yours?"
"No. Not yet. They all got separated or something. I don't know. There's gotta be over a hundred walkers outside of those walls. That's what I saw, anyways. He's at a meeting, should be back soon." I told him. He nodded and saw my outfit.
"You look better in my clothes than I do." He smiled. I chuckled, looking down at the white hoodie and blue jeans.
"You're cute." I said, leaning in for a kiss when Judith began crying from upstairs. I smiled and let out a huff.
"I'll get her." Carl said. I shook my head.
"I'm fine, get something to eat." I said before jogging up the stairs. I went into Judith's room and picked her up.
"Well aren't you a cranky baby today." I said as I bounced her up and down on my hip. I heard the front door open and close, meaning Carl left. A few moments later, I heard the door open and close once again. I walked downstairs and saw Rick walking towards me. Judith began giggling at the sight of her father. I smiled at Rick and he took Judith, kissing her forehead.
"What happened out there?" I asked.
"We were redirecting the herd. We all separated, Glenn and Nicholas went off. They said they'd send us a signal when they were okay. They never sent us the signal." He sighed. Worry grew inside me. What if they're dead?
"What about dad?" I asked.
"We heard the alarms going off. Daryl, Sasha and Abraham are taking to herded twenty miles out. I left the rest. Almost all of them are dead." He explained. "But Glenn is coming back. So is Nicholas, and Sasha, and Abraham, they're gonna come back. Michonne did." He reassured me. I nodded and took a breath.
"Yeah, yeah you're right." I gulped. Rick smiled.
"When am I not?" He smirked. I chuckled.
"I'm gonna go find Carl." I said. Rick nodded and walked into the kitchen with Judith. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed another cookie from Rick before smirking and turning around, walking out the door.
I walked around Alexandria, seeing Maggie sitting by a small pond, sharpening a knife. I walked over to her and sat down on the grass in front of her.
"He's gonna come back. You know that." I said, crossing my legs in front of me. She nodded, not looking up. I tilted my head.
"You're going out to look for him." I guessed. She nodded, earning a sigh from me.
"Maggie, you can't." I argued. "You saw how many walkers were out there! You'll die before you get three feet away from the gates if you go alone!" I said, pointing to the gates a few feet beside us. People were writing the names of everyone we've lost. I saw Glenn and Nicholas' names and I sighed.
I walked over to them and picked up a rag and began wiping at Glenn's name.
"What are you--"
"They're alive. My dad, Glenn, Nicholas, Sasha, Abraham, they're all alive." I glared at the woman who wrote Glenn's name. She nodded quickly and turned away to continue writing.
I turned back around and noticed Maggie wasn't there anymore. I sighed. I dropped the rag and ran over to the one of the places I knew she'd be.
I walked inside of the room that held all the weapons and sure enough, I saw Maggie. I walked over to her and picked up a gun.
"You're not going alone." I heard Aaron say from beside me. I looked over at him.
"You guys can't stop me." She said. I scoffed.
"Who said I was stopping you?"
"You guys can't! You heard Rick, you'll both die out there." Aaron argued.
"My husband's out there, Aaron. I'm going. Alone." She said, looking over at me.
"My dad's out there, Maggie. You even said, they should be back by now. Something's wrong." I argued.
"What about Carl? If he finds out he won't let you leave, or he'll just come along." Maggie said.
"He doesn't need to know. I'm seventeen, he can't tell me what I can and can't do.." I said. She sighed.
"Melissa--"
"I'm going. I'll go alone if I have to, but I need to find them. Enid's gone out there, too. I have to try." I said, picking up a bigger gun and putting the strap over my shoulder.
I reached over and grabbed a backpack, stuffing guns, knives, first-aid kits, and walked away. I walked inside the house and grabbed some water, thinking about what I was getting myself into.
Dads gonna be pissed when he finds out, I thought. So will Carl, but I'm more worried about dad.
I had to figure out a way to get out of here. I started to walk over to the gate, when I heard someone talk.
"Where are you going?" I turned around and saw Ron. I sighed.
"Does it matter?" I asked.
"You have a gun. Why?" He asked.
"I'm looking for my dad, okay? You're not gonna try and stop me."
"I'll tell Rick. Then he'll go out and search for you, then someone else, and so,some else, and eventually someone will die. And that'll be on you." He said.
"Go ahead, tell Rick. Once you do I'll be far away from here. Do my a favour, worry about yourself, not me." I said, turning around and walking over to the front gates.
Here goes nothing.