Forever Unfinished // Carl Grimes

Chapter 24

"My name is Ethan and we are The Survivors."

Lauren resisted the urge to roll her eyes  at his amateur dramatics as she looked around the crowd of people that were not-so-subtly studying them both.

"I figured," Lauren retorted sarcastically, causing a few snickers to erupt from within the group of black-cladded Survivors.

"Follow me," Ethan mumbelled, walking towards the doors of Greenview. The crowd parted for him and both Lauren and Carl reluctantly fell into step behind him, the gazes of each person burning into the back of their heads.

Ethan walked them through the doors of the hotel, where he then turned left and stopped next to the reception desk where an armed man stood sorting through medicine and cans of food. Ethan pressed down on the silver bell to get his attention.

"Where are the commanders?" Ethan asked the bald-headed man, who was staring at Carl and Lauren through narrowed eyes.

"The armory sir," He replied, taking his eyes off the newcomers to answer Ethan, "All except Sam, she's out."

"Damn woman never stays in the one place," Ethan murmured, continuing to his left down a short corridor. He went straight for the nearest double door, which was along yet another wide corridor, but this hallway only had three doors, two along the left wall and one large double door at the very end of the hall.

An empty vase sat atop a small red table on either side of the table. Lauren found herself wondering what this place was like in its day.

Ethan pushed open one of the doors and held it so Lauren and Carl could pass in. Lauren's eyes widened at the size of the room and the amount of weapons and various other armours it contained. Guns lined the walls, bulletproof vests hung the opposite side. Tables containing things like grenades and ammunition sat below the weapons on the walls. Along the back wall of the room, targets were hung up.

Directly infront of them there were two men, Ethan's commanders.

"Diggy, Trevor," Ethan greeted and both men looked up. One offering a smile while the other grunted.

"Who 'er the kids," One of the men said, the less friendly one. Lauren studied him. He was strong, from his forties to fifties. He had greying brown hair and short grey stubble, holding himself with the authority. A deep scar ran from his right cheek down to his jaw.

"Trevor," He gestured towards the man that just spoke, "Picked them up in the forest. They show promise so I brought them back."

"What did I say about picking up strays, Ethan." He coughed, stepping forward to have a better look. Lauren noticed the limp he had as he walked.

"These are different, Trev," Ethan said, shoving Lauren a step forward towards Trevor, she glared at him and curled up her lip in distaste.

"This one nearly killed me," Ethan said, pointing to Lauren. "She would have too if she wasn't injured."

"How did you know I was injured?" Lauren asked, not recalling telling Ethan anything about her recent injuries.

"You hold your shoulder without thinking," Ethan said, "That and your top is stained with blood."

Lauren shivered at the thought of Ethan studying her to figure that out. She looked over to the other man that had stayed silent so far, he smiled at her and she felt slightly more at ease.

"This one is quiet," Trevor pointed to Carl who shifted uncomfotably from foot to foot. "Have you got a tongue, son?"

"Just tell us what you want," Carl said through gritted teeth, "And we'll be on our way."