The Walking Dead: What Rests Ahead

Chapter 21:

(Yes, it's been a month or so.....I'M SORRY DON'T KILL ME PLEASE. Also, this fanfic has 713 views?!?! Where did you all come from holy cow? Thank you guys for reading! Ilysm)

"Dad was going where the Terminus survivers were holed up. I can't remember exactly where Bob said, but it has to be close." Carl said quietly, as if thinking out loud. I mirrored his footsteps a few feet behind him. He didn't acknowledge my decision to stay. It was like our little dispute never happened. The whole scenario felt like something out of a movie- not quite real. Maybe if I pretended nothing happened, it'd just disappear.

The forest was eerily quiet now. The sun had rested its head for the night and the stars illuminated our small path. We weaved in and out of the trees, stepping over fallen ones, which was odd because I was only used to stepping over dead people. This world has ruined me... I thought silently.

The leaves under my black boots crunched with each stride. Above me, I could tell where the moon hung and a chill went up my spine.

"Maybe...maybe if we get there quickly, we can go back and save the people in the church." Carl murmured optimistically. I could see the tension in his shoulders, though, and how tightly he held Judith.

"Yeah. Maybe," I mumbled softly, praying that it was true. I highly doubted it, though. They're dead.

Hours passed. The school the Terminans were hiding in should've been here a LONG time ago. "Carl, we're lost." I called.

"No, we aren't!" He denied.

We seldom talked; Carl was too determined and I was frightened I'd mess up whatever fragile friendship we were clinging onto.

After what felt like ages, the trees became less cluttered. In the distance, I could pinpoint a building. A school. Like Bob mentioned!

"Carl-" I started, excitement peering through my voice.

"I see it too," he said quietly. "But keep it down. We don't know what's going on over there. For all we know, there's a hoard of angry cannibals with nothing better to do."

I nodded. My blonde hair fell in my face and I shoved it behind my ear with a solid swoop. I'd never cared much for my physical appearance. Heck, I cared even less now. But old habits die hard and a twinge of embarrassment crossed my mind. The old me would be hate the new me. I knew what I must look like right now. Dirt smeared on my face, my clothes ripped slightly, my hair beyond greasy and wild, my eyes darkened by all the horrors I'd seen. How on earth am I the same person?

As we walked closer, I shrugged these thoughts away and focused. The school lay a few feet away. Carl and I crotched down and hid behind a bush, Judith cradled in his weary, tanned hands. I raised my axe in anticipation. For a strange reason, I kind of wanted to come across those monsters. I'd make them regret all their mistakes. That was for sure.

"Are we really going to bring the baby into a cannibal's nest?" I whispered to Carl, holding the axe tighter.

He never took his eyes off the old building. "What else are we supposed to do? We can't leave her here."

An idea popped into my head. I sighed. Why do I always have to be the hero?

"Stay here," I grumble and start to rise.

He yanks on my arm, pulling me down. "What the heck do think you're doing?!" He whispered intensely.

"Just- stay here with Judith. I'll go check it out."

For the first time, a strange look cast over his face. Concern.

I chuckled. "Carl, I'll be fine. I've been taking care of myself for a long time. Besides, most likely your dad handled this hours ago."

Carl's face squinched up as if he were about to protest, but he glanced at Judith again and sighed. "Just....be careful." He exhaled, defeated.

I rolled my eyes and crept toward the building. I wanted to call back sarcastically, "No, I actually WANT to be killed by angry cannibals," but I stopped myself. I don't want to seem like more of a jerk than I already am.

As I approached the dilapidated school, I could distinctly make out a pit where a fire should be. I walked up to it slowly, careful not to make too much noise. The fire was dim, the embers producing a faded orange glow. I crouched down next to it and poked it with a branch that lay under my foot. It's been out for a while.

Standing up, my knees popped and I gazed at my surroundings. It wasn't a bad hide out. The school looked sound enough and with the trees around it, you were completely hidden from your enemy's view. Maybe, if this all doesn't work out, I can live here. I glanced back up at the school. God, I hated schools. Before the end, I'd been a good student, got good grades, didn't try to kill anyone. Memories flooding my brain, I thought if I squinted this looked like MY old school. It's funny how I used to dread places like this and now I'm wishing I could go back.

Well, there's nothing here. I should probably get back to Carl-

A sight stopped me in my tracks. Directly in front of me, a footprint lay encased in the muddy earth. And another. And another. And another. Curiously, I followed them, scanning the ground with my eyes.

The footsteps appeared to lead to the building. I wandered over to the school's window and tapped on it slightly, leaving my hand upon it. "Anyone home?" I joked softly, trying to shake the nervous feeling in my stomach. Silence fell over the woods. Nothing. I knew it was all okay. God, I'm so paranoid nowadays-

Suddenly, a loud bang resonated through me as someone pounded on the window. Not someone. Something. Walkers, piled on top of each other, slammed into the glass forcefully. Surprised, I backed away. Their decaying faces smeared against the window pane, staining it with blood and rot. My heartbeat leaped as a crack began to spread across the window.

It was as if time stopped momentarily. My breath froze in my lungs, my axe raised in precaution, the crack stilled. The endless moaning of the dead ceased for a second and everything felt numb and painted in shades of red.

Then, the glass broke.