22 (TWD Fanfiction)

Chapter 7 - Leaving Camp

Shane-pov

Charlie's breathing evens out and I can tell she's fully asleep. All day she's just been sitting around, not even bothering to come up to the memorial. Something seems off about her today, probably just the shock from last night. But, maybe it's something different. This girl's gonna be the death of me.

I quietly step outside the tent, careful not to wake the sleeping girl. I make my way over to the campfire. Rick and Glenn are there, talking. I sit across from Rick.

"Shane." Rick nods his head in greeting.

"Charlie asleep?" Glenn asks.

"Sure is, out like a light," I tell him.

Rick sits up straighter. "Where'd you find Charlie? I sleep for a few weeks and suddenly you got yourself a kid," He laughs.

I shake my head. "Girl ain't my kid. I found her on my way to your house, she was running down the street about to get bit by a walker. Big nasty one, too. Couldn't just leave her, she was all alone." I stretch out, resting my legs on an overturned crate before finishing my story. "I get her back to my car and she tells me her parents were bit. Figured I had to take her along," I explained. "It all just happened so fast, the walkers were everywhere, people were panicking, I was panicked."

Thinking back on that day just made me more upset about everything. Lori and Carl, they were mine, if only for a few weeks. I rub my eyes. What am I saying, they're Rick's family not mine.

"You and her seem pretty close," Rick adds.

"She ain't got no one else, I figure she's my responsibility for the time being."

Glenn speaks up, "For the time being?" He repeats. "The world as far as we know has ended, the rest of her family is probably dead."

"I don't know man. She isn't mine, she's better off with someone like Jacqui." We sit in silence for a while. The night air is cool and crisp, a nice change from the burning Georgia sun.

Listening to the sound of the fire crackling and snapping I let myself relax for a moment.

"That why she's been wearing your hat?" Rick adds with a smile.

Charlotte-pov

"Did you put your bag in the back?" Shane asks.

We're all gathered by the vehicles, everything we're bringing is packed up. Jacqui and Carol made everyone breakfast that we all quickly ate. There isn't anything left to do but leave. We're going to a place called the CDC, Shane told me it's where they make medicine. Rick said that they might have a cure for Jim.

"Yes," I answer. My backpack is stuffed in the back of Shane's jeep, squished right between a box of canned food and two tents.

Carl rushes up to me smiling. "Look what I caught!" His hands are cupped together and he makes a small opening for me to see through.

A lizard, Carl caught a lizard. He couldn't have caught a frog or a butterfly, instead, he had to catch a lizard. I got nothing against lizards personally, they just creep me out. The way they can make their tails fall off and how they crawl up walls, just thinking about it makes me shudder. I'm more of a puppies, kittens, and bunnies type of girl.

I stick out my tongue in disgust. "Ewww. You can't catch frogs but you can catch that?"

"It was in my tent this morning, so it was easy to catch! Isn't it awesome?" He shoves his hands closer and I step back. The small lizard wriggles around in his grasp, trying to find its way out.

"Put it down! Put it down!" I shout.

Carl pouts. "Fine." He lowers his hands to the ground and opens them.