To Be With You | Carl Grimes [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 1: And I Know You Want To Get The Hell Out Of Here

"What?" My mother exclaimed. "Why?"

"It's not safe here." I simply said, turning right back to continue packing.

"Not safe?" She repeated in disbelief. "What are you talking about? Did you see this place? Here is anything but unsafe."

"That's what they want you to believe." I told her. "The Governor can't be trusted."

"He a good man." She said. I opened my mouth but she interrupted me. "Honey, this place is safe. I can feel it. They have food, water, shelter, walls. They keep those things out. We're safe!"

"No," I insisted. "We are not safe. Tell me, Mom. Every where we've been these past months, has any of those places ever been safe? Have we ever been safe since the world's gone to shit?"

She stayed quiet. She didn't have an answer, but what she did say was, "This place's different."

I sighed. I couldn't argue with her right now. "We're leaving today. Get ready, I'll be back soon."

Having finished packing my bag, I slid it back under the bed and left the room.

* * *

As I walked through the town of Woodbury, I kept my distance from people by staying on the sidewalks instead of the streets, where most of them were. I watched as couples held hands, some gardening, and kids playing. It almost felt like things were normal, as if the world has not changed. Except it did. And there's nothing anybody or anything can do to change that.

"Hey!" A girl with a ponytail came running up to me, skidding to a stop when she caught up with me. She looked about my age. I narrowed my eyes, wondering why she was interacting with me. "It's Brenda, right?"

I stopped walking, her actions mirroring mine. After a few seconds, I nodded, but didn't speak.

"I'm Charlotte." She gave me a smile, to which I didn't return. But she didn't take it personally; she kept on smiling. I guessed she was one of those people who was just happy all the time. "I know you came yesterday, so I wanted to welcome you. See those kids over there?"

She pointed behind her and waved at four teenagers leaning against the side of the wall. They waved back and I swear you could see their smiles from miles away.

"Mike, Katherine, Finn, and Toby." She said to me, turning back. "We always hang out in that spot there, so if you ever find yourself bored out of your mind - you'd be surprised how much you want to smash your head through a wall in a place like this - just come over and we can talk."

I still had that confusing look on my face. I wondered what I looked like from her point of view (could she even tell I'm not interested in making friends?).

"But anyway, I'll see you around, Brenda!" She smiled one more time (or has she been smiling the whole time she spoke?) and then ran over to her friends.

I was dumbfounded at how...weak they were. Were they here since the beginning? Have they ever killed a dead one? I shook my head; I didn't want to know.

I continued in the direction I was headed once I left the room and went into the cafeteria. Once inside, the old lady behind the counter smiled at me and handed me two plates of food. I nodded at her, taking the plates and turning around to go back to my mother so she could eat, but I found her already at a table, waiting for me.

I went to the table with two plastic chairs and gave her a plate. She thanked me and started to eat. Once I sat down, the feeling of the chair reminded me of the times we held barbecues in our backyard. I remember talking to my cousins while eating a hamburger, sitting in a plastic chair just like this one.