Forever Broken // Carl Grimes

Chapter 40

The Island wasn't what Lauren expected. The whole place was full of people. Each house was built from trees likely cut down there and the space was filled with farms. In the centre of the open space was a well, a couple people drawing a continuous stream of clean water. The Island was protected from sight by a line of untouched foliage that ran around the whole land mass. There were guards, and guns, and children and noone looked burdened.
There were no dead on the Island.

Noticing Lauren's speechless expression, Samara's lips turned upward.
"I've been here since the start, and so have most of these people. We all lived in a nearby town and we knew of this place so we came here, and we built the Island. It took a long time, and a lot of patience, but it's the safest place we could be."

"But," Lauren said, "Not safe enough."

Samara's face dropped slightly and she nodded ever-so-slightly but remained silent. She led Lauren to a lone shack at the end of the row of houses. She was used to people staring, and their eyes didn't faze her. Samara unlocked the padlock on the door and pushed the door open.

Lauren was the one who stepped inside first and she barely saw him before he crashed into her, his arms wrapped tightly around her as if she'd disappear infront of him. He withdrew and scanned her for any injuries, and satisfied, he wrapped his arms around her once more.

"I'm sorry I didn't protect you," He whispered so only she could hear, "I promised and I let them take you.. If it was Negan.. I-"

"Carl," She replied, her lips grazing his ear, "It wasn't, it's okay. I'm not there anymore. I'm here."

Carl only nodded but she could feel the pain behind his words. He'd come so close to loosing her forever and each day something threatened to take her from him.

"Okay," Lauren said, turning but she linked her hand with Carl's. He gave her a comforting squeeze and she felt her soul calm at his touch, "You know why we're here; so are you in?"

Samara smirked.
"Am I supposed to put the lives of my people to your cause? How do I know that you're not just using us because you can't fight."

Rick piped up,
"You know the threat," He said sternly, "Who's to say you havn't already lost someone to Negan. We want to fight him and we will win. If you want to wait and see if he finds you, which he will. Be my guest. By then it'll be too late, and you'll have dug numorous graves to bury your mistake."

"Help us," Tara said. Chloe cast her eyes to Lauren and nodded reassuringly. Michonne remained silent, as if she was reading the woman infront of her like an open book, "While we all can still fight back."

"Okay," Samara said decievingly, "I'll help you on one condition."

"Which is?" Rick asked.

"You and your people have to secure a haul of guns, food and ammo for us. We know where it is, you have to go in.. and get it."

"Where is it?" Rick asked and Samara only smiled.

"I wasn't talking to you," She quipped, "I was talking to your leader."

Samara turned to Lauren, a sideways smile on her pale face.
"We call it the Chasm."

"Just tell me where it is," Lauren responded, "And consider it done."