murky waters | carl grimes¹

24. monster

With Talia asleep inside the church and Tyreese there to watch after her and Judith, Carl and I decided to check outside. Rick swore he didn't trust Gabriel and I hated to agree with him, but I did. Carl on the other hand had a hard time thinking that there was anything sketchy about him. I couldn't explain how my gut was telling me otherwise, there was something about him that I didn't like and I wanted to find it. 

It was a cute little church, it looked a lot like the one my grandparents brought me and Talia to when we were little. "What are we looking for exactly?" Carl asked as he ran his hand along the wood paneling of the church. 

I shrugged my shoulders as I looked around the area, "it's like staying on watch back at the prison," I said, "we look and hope we don't find anything concerning." I missed the prison heavily, I missed having a safe spot for Talia to sleep in. Even with Tyreese watching her and Judith, my stomach twisted as soon as we left the building. 

"Like this?" he asked, he stopped in place as he felt along the wood. I stook a step closer, there were scratches along side the building. They were way too deep for it to be the walker's fingernails, these were made with a knife or another instrument alike. "Wait, it says something," Carl said he ran his fingers over the letters as he read it out loud, "you'll burn for this."

"So.. he did something... something bad," I sighed as I read it over and over again in my head. The words made my skin crawl. I knew that I didn't want him around Talia or Judith, you don't tell a priest that he'll burn in hell for just anything. Whatever he did it was bad. 

Carl watched as my eyes scanned the walls for anymore clues, "it doesn't mean he's bad but it does mean something."

"Carl, he's a priest, no one tells a priest they'll burn in hell for nothing," I said looking at him. His eyes were already on me.

"We'll tell my dad when he gets back," Carl suggested. He took a step back and I followed after him. 

"Who ever wrote this could be out there with your dad, I'm worried," I admitted. I took a step closer to him and leaned my head on his shoulder, I didn't break contact with the wall, there could be more messages. 

Carl wrapped his arm around me, "you don't need to be, he can handle anything," he said. 

I had every right to be worried about Rick and them out there- Daryl, Carol, and Bob weren't back by night fall. Just them missing made me nervous but what was worse was just a few minutes after finding out they were missing, Bob's unconscious body was set out in the front lawn of the church. His leg was cut off, a white gauze was wrapped nicely on his stub. 

It was no shock to anyone that this was Gareth's doing. 

Bob explained to us how when he woke they were eating his leg right in front of him. How Gareth tried to justify eating people and how he was going to come after all of us. Thankfully, Carol and Daryl were not with Gareth's group, Bob said that Gareth tried to get them but they drove off. 

Bob's missing leg wasn't the only thing wrong with him. He had been bitten earlier at the food bank. There was no making this better for him. 

He was dying. 

Rick sent me and Carl off to watch Talia and Judith just as things were getting heated with him and Abraham. I was thankful, I didn't want Talia to hear their shouting nor see them fight it out. 

Sometimes protecting Talia meant shielding her away from our own people. 

An agreement was made. Abraham was to take Glenn, Maggie, Tara, Rosita, and Eugene in the short bus in twelve hours to head to D.C.. Rick had twelve hours to catch Gareth and his group with their help.