Sweet and Salty ~ Carl Grimes

Amen - 065

The group walked, and they walked, and they walked... While Brooks hobbled, and she hobbled, and she hobbled. The amount of times her father and Daryl had offered to carry her was insane. At one point, she quite literally yelled 'fuck off' to Merle, because he'd offered too many times. It hurt his feelings, but she was in too much pain to notice... Even if she did, she probably wouldn't have even cared, she hadn't thought about him too much in the past couple years. Brooks couldn't remember him letting her bite down on his wrist to the bone, just to make sure she didn't hurt her tongue.

Nearly everyone was watching Brooks wearily, with her outburst last night leaving a nasty taste in their mouths. Most of them acted as if it was them Brooks pointed the gun at, but it wasn't, it was Tara... And, Tara was one of the only people who didn't judge Brooks for it. Daryl, Merle, Michonne, Sophia, Cam, Tara, Rick and Carl out of the whole group were the only ones who didn't judge Brooks for the way she reacted to Tara's news. Maggie understood, but was still weary about the thirteen year old carrying weapons; Maggie hadn't seen Brooks' gun, but she knew she had one - even though it was unloaded, there was a couple conversations (while Brooks was asleep) on whether the girl should be allowed to carry.

Brooks wanted to walk herself, but found that this was practically impossible. Carl wouldn't let anyone else help her though, he argued since he was closest in height with her, that he was the most sensible option. So, her left arm was around his shoulders, with his left hand holding hers, while his right arm went around her waist, holding her tightly. They managed to avoid putting any pressure or weight on her weak left leg.

Despite Brooks and Carl's... Situation. They still managed to be at the front of the group with Daryl. Sophia was grinning, because she knew it was because everyone wanted to keep an eye on them. They'd been literally attached at the hip ever since Terminus, and people were getting a little suspicious of how close they were. Of course though, as true main characters - they didn't see this.

Suddenly, there was a loud scream. A man's scream. "Help!" He yelled out, fearfully. Everybody froze. Even Judith stopped sucking her thumb in Cam's arms to look up at the sound. Brooks held onto Carl that little bit tighter as they looked towards where the sound came from, in the woods. "Help, anybody!" The man screamed again. "Help!"

"Come on." Brooks said to Carl, and they began following the sound.

Rick put his hand on Carl's shoulder, the same time that Daryl but his hand on Brooks'. Rick was the first to speak on it. "It could be a trap. The survivors from Terminus."

"Or it could be somebody who really needs help!" Carl argued.

"Carl, your dad said no." Daryl stated.

Brooks scoffed. "We ain't just leavin' 'im to die!" Her voice raised, angrily. Brooks may have been ready to kill anyone necessary now, but like hell would she leave an innocent person to die. "If it's one of 'em, I'll kill 'em myself." Brooks shrugged off Carl as she snatched Daryl's gun from his belt, and began hobbling over there herself. Brooks still had Hershel's gun and Marliya's knife, but the gun wasn't loaded - simply tucked into her shorts underneath Carl's jacket, beside her knife. Carl quickly caught up with her, and helped her again, while members from the group ran ahead. Merle and Carol leading, with Abraham and Rosita closely behind. Everyone else trailed along, but all quickly took over Brooks and Carl.

Daryl and Rick exchanged looks, before Rick ran to the front of his people, and Daryl stayed back with the kids who were attempting to catch up. When they did finally get there, after one gun shot and many slicing of knives, they saw a man... A priest, on top of a rock. He had dark skin, and no hair, and was still in the full priest getup. 

Brooks looked to the dead walkers that surrounded the bottom of the tall rock he'd been hiding on, before she looked up to Carl. "Am I goin' crazy, or's that a priest?"