Chapter 40 Different

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by twdgrimes16

by twdgrimes16

Ashely's POV:

I don't know what it is, but Carl has been acting a lot different lately. After the attack that happened a week ago he hasn't left my side. Not that I mind, but he's kind of worrying me. Everyone is acting different too. After all of that happened Rick barley even leaves the guard tower. We are all so stressed but there is nothing to do about it. Right now I was actually by myself for once. I was in my cell reading a book from the library. For the first time in along time I heard laughter coming from another cell, and it sounded like Carl. I curiously got out of bed and walked towards it. I peaked my head into the cell and saw Carl talking to my mom, that was strange. I wonder what they are talking about. I know I shouldn't , but I decided to listen to their conversation.

"Thank you very much ma'am."

"No problem Carl it's my pleasure, and call me Mary." Why is he thanking her? What did I miss? "I'm very glad my little girl found you. You're a very nice young man for her."

"Thank you Mary, I'll be heading back now." Oh no he's coming. I ran back into my cell so he wouldn't know I was spying on them. Thankfully I got back in time so he didn't notice.

"Hey how are you doing?"

"I'm okay, where did you go?" He paused for a second.

"Oh um just had to ask my dad something that's all." He's lying.

"Oh okay. But can I talk to you?"

"Yeah sure anything for you."

"I was just wondering why you've been so different lately. It seems like you've gotten more protective or something."

"Is it a problem for me to want to protect my girlfriend?!" He asked getting angry.

"No! I was just wondering!"

"Well don't! All I'm doing is protecting you! Why would you ask me a question like that?"

"CARL STOP! You're acting different and you're scaring me!" He grabbed my arms with a hard force, exactly what my rapist did. He knows that too, which made it even worse. I eventually got out of his grip and started to back away until my back hit the wall. I sat down against it and scooted away from him into the corner. I looked up at him and he had a look of sorrow in his eyes. He slowly started to walk towards me making me scared. "PLEASE NOT AGAIN!" He stopped dead in his tracks and backed away.

"Ashley I don't know what came over me, I'm so sorry." It sounded like he was, crying? I slowly got up and walked towards him.

"Carl?" He looked up at me with tear filled eyes.

"Get away! I don't want to hurt you again!"

"You won't! Just tell me what's going on."

"I just wanted to protect you from everything. I couldn't do it before so I tried to this past week. But I'm the one who hurt you the most, I know that man grabbed you like I just did. I'm just as bad as him!" That took me by surprise. Why is he doing this to himself.

"Carl, you're nothing like him. You didn't mean to hurt me! That asshole did! I know you're under a lot of pressure lately, so just take a deep breath and calm down." He did as told and finally calmed down.

"I'm sorry though, so sorry."

"I know you are. I know." I pulled him into a hug, and he hugged back. We sat there in silence like that for about 5 minutes. This whole time he was trying so hard to protect me from everything, but he can't handle all of that pressure. No 15 year old should.

"We need help out here!" It was Rick. Carl and I both ran with our knives in our hand, preparing for the worst. Luckily it wasn't people, but it was a lot of walkers. They were getting ready to push down the gate. I don't think I've even seen so many of them at once. There was at least 150. Everyone ran to the gate and stabbed them, hoping to slow the rest of them down. They were thankfully starting to spread out, making it easier to kill them. We all took separate spots and got down to business. Please let us be able to take care of this without anyone getting hurt. Everyone had a good pace on things. After 10 minutes we were left with about 20. In about 3 minutes we were done with zero walkers left. I wiped my hands on my blood stained jeans and walked towards everyone else.

"Where did all of them come from? We usually have no more then 50!" Daryl said.

"Maybe they were already all together in a heard." Rick said.

"Or they were lead here, look at those fresh tire tracks!" Carl yelled. I looked to where he was pointing and he was right. But how did no one see them. I thought Rick was on watch.

"I didn't even see them! I look away for 5 seconds and all of this happens!" Rick yelled. Everyone's stress level just increased by 500. "But we know one thing for sure, there is more. And they are not messing around. All I can say is be prepared for the worst, because that might be coming soon." He was right. The worst is coming.

~Later that night.~

Carl's POV:

Pressure, that's all I felt. I know Ashley told me to calm down and not to worry about her. But she is my girlfriend, of course I'll do anything to protect her. We promised that we would both survive this, together. But if we both can't survive, I will make sure she does. I talked to Ashley's mom today about something, but I don't want Ashley to know yet. I want it to be a surprise, and I'm very glad her mom thinks I'm a good man to Ashley. I've been trying my best, but today was something I can't believe I did. I physically hurt her. She says "it's okay" and "you didn't mean to" but I still can't help but to feel guilty. We were in bed right now, but she was already asleep. I looked down at her and smiled. She's still wearing the necklace I gave her awhile ago, I don't think I've ever seen her take it off. After all of these months, she's been mine. I plan on keeping it that way forever. Her birthday is in about 2 weeks. Everyone here is trying to plan something special for her. We all feel bad about everything she has gone through the past couple of months, especially me. I can't wait to see her smile and just be happy. I promise I wont be different anymore.

"I have looked into your eyes with my eyes. I have put my heart near your heart."

A/N: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 30K READS! I ALSO HAVE A SURPRISE. THIS BOOK WILL HAVE ABOUT 70 CHAPTERS. AND IM GOING TO WRITE ANOTHER BOOK! BUT I NEED YOUR HELP! I DONT KNOW IF I SHOULD WRITE A CHANDLER RIGGS OR AN IMAGINES BOOK THAT HAS CHANDLER RIGGS/ CARL GRIMES SHORT IMAGINES! PLEAASE HELP ME DECIDE! :)