Forever Unfinished // Carl Grimes

Chapter 20

Carl shot again, his next bullet lodging itself into the left leg of a blonde haired boy. He cried out in pain and fell to the ground, a second bullet sounded and the blonde-haired boy stop writhing, this time, Declan held the smoking weapon.

"He's on the roof!" One of Bennett's lackeys yelled and Carl slipped back down the tiles. He could hear gunshots echoing into the day, mostly from Declan who held his position.

"How many are left?" Carl yelled to Declan once he firmly planted his feet on the ground.

"I think there's two," Declan said, reloading his shiny silver pistol. "You go round the other side, we can flank em'."

Carl nodded and ran across the back of the house. He curled around the corner and kept his back to the wall as he moved. He couldn't see anyone around that side of the house. He had reached the corner of the house when he saw someone firing towards were Declan was standing. The offender immediatly fell to the ground and Declan appeared from around the corner. He gave Carl a gesture of confusion as to where Bennett was hiding.

Carl didn't get a chance to warn Declan before one of the Blades swung a large plank of wood towards his head. Declan fell to the ground and the teenage-girl grabbed his pistol, ready to finish the job. Before she was able to stand up straight, Carl had fired two rounds and she fell to the ground, blood pouring from two seperate holes in her chest.

Carl bounded across the gap between the sides of the house and knelt down next to Declan. He checked his pulse and visibly relaxed when he felt a steady beat. There was little blood and his breathing was steady so she likely didn't hit him hard enough to cause any serious damage. He shot one bullet at the head of the teenage girl before she could turn.

Carl stood up and looked around the deserted garden, Bennett nowhere to be seen. He held his gun high, his hands shaking and his palms sweaty but he was ready. He was going to finish this for Lauren.

"Come out you coward!" Carl yelled, his voice unwavering. "Finish this!"

Carl was stood in open area, on the grass next to Declan's unconscious body. He watched for Bennett or any undead but for minutes he saw or heard nothing.

When Bennett finally emerged from the trees, he had his gun aimed directly at Carl. He was less than twenty feet from Carl, a dark look plastered on his face. His gun was held with one hand, his left arm limp from the bullet wound that Ayana gave him.

"Is it worth it?" Carl asked him, both of their weapons aimed at eachother. "All these deaths for people that won't bother you again."

"I don't let people get away," Bennett replied, his voice cold and low. "If I start something, I finish it."

"I didn't see you doing much," Carl retorted, "All you did was hide behind your group. But now look at them, you have nothing left to protect you."

"Where's Lauren?" Bennett ignored Carl. "I always knew she would bite the dust. Or is she just hiding?"

Carl didn't answer and Bennett laughed.

"Only one of us is leaving here," Bennett said, his finger hovering dangerously over the trigger of his gun. "And I'm hell bent on it being you."

Carl pulled the trigger, only to hear a metallic click. His stomach lurched and he felt the colour drain from his face. He knew it was too late to try and reload, his life was in the palm of Bennett's hand.

Bennett laughed, a loud bellowing laugh that chilled Carl right to the bone. He kept his lips pressed tightly together, his heart beat faster than he ever believed it could. His stomach turned and his breathing quickened.

"Well that was a fail," He laughed again. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Bennett slowly cocked his handgun, lifting it and squinting his eye to better his aim. Each movement was exaggerated to torture Carl, let him know that his life was no longer his. Bennett's smirk was going to be the last thing Carl could see.

"Any last words?" Bennett said, drawing out the length of excruciating time Carl had to endure before he pulled the trigger. Bennett was toying with his life and Carl hated that he had the power to.

"Yeah," Carl spat. "Go to hell."

A loud gunshot echoed through the evening, the sound washed over Carl, making his heart skip a beat and his stomach lurch. He expected to hit the ground, but it wasn't him that fell.

Bennett tipped forward, landing on the ground with a sickening thud. Blood pooled around his head and Carl let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding.

Lauren stood behind Bennett with her gun held up and her breathing fast. She dropped her gun and it clattered almost soundlessly to the ground.

Carl's eyes locked with Lauren's just as her legs gave out beneath her and she fell limply onto the grass beneath her feet.

~•~

He dead, he dead, that a-hole is finally dead. Took him long enough to bite the dust.

That was close for Carl
*sigh of relief*

The next chapter will be pretty long
*celebratory dance*

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