Forever Broken // Carl Grimes

Chapter 14

Welcome to the room of people
Who have rooms of people that they loved one day
Docked away
Just because we check the guns at the door
Doesn't mean our brains will change from hand grenades
You're lovin' on the psychopath sitting next to you
You're lovin' on the murderer sitting next to you
You'll think, how'd I get here, sitting next to you?

~•~

He could see the headlights, the roaring sound of tyres on gravel filling the night. He could hear the whistling, the manic laughter, the suspence. He could feel the tension in the air, so thick he could cut it with a knife. He knew something was about to happen, something big. He would be caught in the middle of it if he didn't move. But he didn't want to move. He wanted to know who those people were, the good ones and the bad. He wanted to watch, learn and listen.

So he sat, his back pressed tightly to the tree. His feet dangling off a branch meters from the ground. And he waited.

~•~

The Saviors.

Lauren felt the air leave her lungs. She had made a huge mistake, the epitome of all mistakes she had ever made. She should never have risked so much to take them down. She should have thought more, not let her ego surpass her mind. She was going to pay for her stupidity, and she knew what her price would be.

They didn't move, didn't advance. They just stood there. A dozen of them in total, their cars parked behind them as some kind of blockade. She could see Dwight, a sadistic smile plastered across his scarred face.

Lauren's hands clenched tightly together, the image of Rachel's limp body hitting the ground flashing before her eyes. She could still see Jo's last movement as he grasped to get closer to the girl he loved. It was forever burned into her memories. She wouldn't forget it. She wouldn't let Dwight live while they died.

"Lauren no," Carl had stood up, gently taking the crossbow from her hand. She snapped back into reality, not even aware she had picked it back up. She nodded, inhaling a deep breath.

"Turn this van around," She ordered, her eyes still holding Carl's gaze, "Now."

He had caged her in his arms, holding himself upright as the van screeched into reverse and skidded into a full 'U' turn. He willed her to keep her composure.

"You're going to give them everything you've got," He whispered so only she could hear him, "No holding back anymore. You are going to kill anyone than stands between you and your freedom. We stand behind you, we listen to you. You're our leader. Lead us."

Lauren simply nodded, suddenly at a loss of words. She pressed her lips to his, a promise that she would never fail him. She loved him more than anyone could ever understand. She stepped out of his arms, picking up her weapons. She stepped up to the front of the van, her hands resting on the backs of the front seats as she peered out the windows.

They had made it only under a mile from the Saviors when Lauren called for Rick to stop the van.

"There's more of them," She said cooly, her eyes locked on the next dozen Saviors blocking their path. "They're closing in on us. Fuck. Reverse."

Rick complied, the van moving backward. He turned, planting his foot firmly on the accelerator.

"What are we going to do now?" He asked and Lauren pursed her lips, her heart hammering dispite her cool exterior. She checked the wing mirror. They had lost sight of the Saviors, but no doubt both groups were closing in on them.