Forever Unfinished // Carl Grimes

Chapter 35

"Shit."

Lauren rolled off the couch and onto the floor, pulling on her boots and packing their scattered belongings into the two backpacks. Carl did the same, quietly yet swiftly. He slid his grey hoodie up his arms and placed his sheriffs hat atop his head. Neither of them even needed to say anything, they each had the same objective.

"We need to find where they are going and then we'll be able to make some sort of plan."

Lauren stood up and took a couple of steps before stopping dead in her tracks, Carl almost bumping into her. She turned suddenly and pressed her lips to his.

"Thank you for yesterday," She said quickly, "And we'll have more days like that, but right now we have to help your family."

Carl couldn't help but wish that their lives would be less full of danger. He hated that she would be put in harms way, one strategically placed bullet away from death. He was in love with her, he was protective of her. But Lauren was headstrong, and independent, if Carl refused to let her do something she would do it just to prove she could. He couldn't wrap her in bubblewrap, although he wished sometimes he could. He could only hope that fate stayed on their side.

"Just promise me you'll stay safe."

Lauren's gaze softened and she nodded.

"I promise."

Carl nodded and pressed a finger to his lips, he hesitantly approached the door and pushed it open just slightly. He knelt down and peered out the small gap he had created. Lauren knelt down next to him, her knees letting out an audible crack as she bent down, she flinched at the sound and placed a hand on Carl's shoulder.

"The clinic store has less than I thought," A voice yelled, "I thought there was more left. Maybe one of the guys cleaned it out last week."

"Brent, let's just go," Another yelled back, "There's nothing here and I'm hungry, they are cookin' a deer back at the yard."

A brief silence ensued and Lauren tensed, hoping they haden't noticed the open door.

"Alright man," One sighed, "Let's go."

Engines revved and the sound of motorbikes filled the void of silence, as they began to drive away. Carl pushed open the door and crept outside, not yet standing up. He peered down the street, watching as the four motorbikes disappeared down the road.

"We don't have much to go on but they are following a straight road that goes for about three miles," Carl said, examining the map he pulled out from the side of his backpack, "There aren't any exits apart from some back roads. They are driving motorbikes so I doubt it's long distance. Best bet is to follow this road and hope they stopped along the way."

"They mentioned a yard," Lauren said thoughtfully, "So it's not a house. There is likely to be a lot of them and they had the manpower to take a dozen people.. Is there any factories nearby?"

"Not for miles," Carl sighed, "I don't see anything on the map but hopefully we'll find them."

"It seems like we're just going on speculation," Lauren frowned.

"We don't have any other choice," Carl sighed again, "It's the only lead we have and it's definitely them. I just hope we haven't lost anyone."