I'll Be Here, Always ~A Carl Grimes Love Story/Fan Fiction~

Chapter 17

    I woke up, and started to walk once again. Something caught my eye, and it looked like the group. I ran over, and saw Carl talking to a girl. She looked about thirteen, two years younger than us. I slowly walked closer to the group, and Carl turned. He jogged over, and I hugged him. He hugged me, and then we let go. "Are you okay?" he asked me. I nodded. "I'm fine. Trooper didn't make it though," I answered. He pat my shoulder, and we walked to the group.
        Carl and I walked in the woods just off of the road, since Rick wanted us to hunt. "Who's that new girl?" I asked him curiously. "Oh, Riley. Just a heads up, she as a small temper. She gets mad easily and argues a lot," he answered. I looked over. "Sounds like we won't get along," I said. "I know, Abby, but please try?" he asked me. I sighed and nodded. "I don't like her, but it's just, I don't want you to get in trouble." I kicked a twig as we kept walking.
        I looked up from the fire, seeing Riley. "So, you're Abby?" she asked. I nodded, and she sat across the fire. Carl sat next to me. I looked down at my hands, remembering the cuts. I looked back up, and Riley threw a rock past my head. She smirked when she noticed I saw, and I looked away. Nobody else saw, so I was on my own. She threw another one, but I dodged. "Stop!" I yelled. She looked over. I threw a rock at her, hitting her chest. Angrily, she stood, and tackled me down. I squirmed, as she punched me in the face. I punched her back, making her nose bleed. Daryl pried her off, and I slowly stood. "Cut it out you too!" Rick yelled. I spit blood out of my mouth, and leaned against a tree.
        Carl sat next to me. "You okay?" he asked, as he grabbed a hold on my hands and opened them. "I noticed the cuts." I nodded, and got my hands out of his grip. I looked over at Riley, whom Aaron was taking care of. I squinted angrily. Carl looked to where I was looking. He turned back to me. "Don't," he said. "I wasn't planning on doing anything," I assured him. He nodded, patted my shoulder, and sat on the side of the tree. I sighed, and fell into a deep sleep.
        I woke up, to see that I was tied to a tree. I looked around, and Riley walked over. "You're awake," she whispered. I squinted, and she cut the ropes off. I quickly grabbed my knife out of my boot, and pinned her to a tree. I put the knife to her throat, and her eyes widened a bit. She threw me off, forcing me to land on my back. She threw the knife out of my reach. I squirmed, and my finger tips touched my knife, as Riley held hers to my neck. I got a hold of it, threw her off, and cut into her wrist. It wasn't deep at all, but it got her off. She screamed in pain as she held her bloody wrist.
        Daryl, Aaron, Rick, and Carl ran over. They went straight over to Riley, since she was bleeding. I folded my knife up, and put it in my boot. I started to walk away. "Abby, get back here!" Rick yelled, as he grabbed a hold of my wrist. Carl slightly stepped forward. "Why did you do this?" he demanded. I ripped my wrist out of his grip. "I did what I had to do," I answered. I walked back to the road, grabbed my sword, and kept walking. Carl jogged to catch up to me, and stepped in front of me. "You okay?" he asked, seeing my nose slightly bleeding. I wiped the blood away. "Yeah, i'm fine," I answered. He nodded. "You can't just walk away from the group," he said. I sighed, and we started to walk back together.
        Daryl sat in between Riley and I, making sure that we didn't fight. I looked at the fire. Riley held her wrist. I slightly rolled my eyes, stood, and walked away from the fire. I leaned up against a tree, and slowly took out my knife. I sat next to the tree, and started to cut into it. There was really nothing to do anymore. I made a peace sign, then random lines. Carl come over and sat next to me. "Bored?" he asked. I nodded. "Yeah. There's nothing to do out here," I said. "I know. It gets boring really quick," he admitted. I sighed and sat up against the tree, covering the marks.
        I looked down at the ground from the tree branch I was sitting in. I leaned against the tree. I looked down at Riley, seeing her talking to Rick. I could tell that she was planning an attack and trying to impress him so I would get in trouble. I sighed and looked straight ahead. I slowly closed my eyes, falling into a deep sleep.
        I woke up, and slowly lifted myself off of the branch. I slowly stood, and adjusted my sword. Suddenly the branch gave in, and I found myself on the ground. Carl looked over, and came over. He chuckled a bit. "You okay?" he asked while laughing. I giggled and slightly blushed. "Yeah, i'm fine," I answered. I looked down at the branch, and realized how thin it was.
        The group walked for miles, when we finally decided to take a break and look for a place to sleep and food. Daryl had me go with him, since he clearly didn't trust me around Riley. Everyone thought I started everything, and only believed her. Only Carl believed me. I sighed as I kept my sword up. We walked until we found a river. Daryl bent down to look for any sign of fish. I saw his arm moving around wildly, and he pulled out a pretty large tuna. We nodded, and went back to the group.
        I sat back as everyone else ate. I'm not a huge fan of fish. Riley glanced over, and I squinted. I faced the opposite way, looking at the woods as they started to turn pitch black. I sighed slightly and lowered my head. I put my head in my hands, holding in the tears that I could fell ready to come. A glance of my bloody hands came across my eyes, and I studied the cuts. I rubbed my finger over them, and ignored the stinging sensation going through out my arm. I felt a presence behind me, and turned to see Carl. He sat next to me, and brushed hair out of my face. He looked at my hands. "You'll be okay," he whispered, as he pulled me into a hug. I hugged him back. We let go, and I rested my head on his shoulder. I fell into a deep sleep.
        I woke up, to see Carl still there. He was asleep. I slowly sat up. I put my gun holster around my waist, and my sword in the pouch.  I walked over to the road, and Riley walked over. "Weakling," she whispered as she walked by. I turned around, and she turned to face me. Angry, I charged at her, knocking her onto her back. I held her wrists down, my right hand ready to grab my knife. I was in the perfect place for a kill. She threw me off, and held her knife to my leg. I squinted angrily, threw her off, and climbed up the closest tree.
        She followed my up the tree, and we sat on the same branch. I punched Riley, and she slapped me across the face. I caught my balance, and heard Carl down below. "Abby! Riley! Stop! The branch is going to give in!" he yelled. I squinted at Riley. I went to push her, but she was too quick, and pushed me down. I landed on my back, and she jumped down off of the branch. Carl stood in front of me, so Riley wouldn't be able to get me. I groaned and slowly stood. "Move, Carl," Riley commanded. Carl shook his head.
        I saw Riley getting ready to stab him, and jumped in front of him. I pushed her down before she could, and she threw her knife angrily. I looked back at Carl. He shook his head, but I was still ready to attack.