All That's Left (The Walking Dead FanFiction)

Chapter 2

“Laurie! Natalie! Everyone!” Rick calls with a smile on his face.

We stand a few feet from the porch, the Georgia sun against our backs. I get nervous as I wait to meet everyone. I’ve never been good with people. My honesty has always caused them to stray away from me. And I just don’t like meeting new people.

Natalie-at least I assume this woman is Natalie, could be Laurie- emerges from the doorway. A flowy skirt hugs her thick hips and her almond colored hair is pushed back from her face. She looks to be in her mid-forties. When she notices me her eyes go wide and she rushes towards me.

“Carrie?” she asks in disbelief. Her eyes are frantic as she sprints to me.

I hesitantly step back. Carrie? I have no idea who she’s talking about. I want to check over my shoulder, make sure no one is behind me. When she gets close enough, her face falls and I know she was referring to me.

“Oh, I’m sorry Sweetheart. You look just like my sister-in-law,” she apologizes. “She had eyes like yours-dark blue just like yours- same nose, practically the same face.” She keeps rambling and I tune her out until she takes a brief pause, still staring at me intently. “I’m Natalie.” She extends her hand.

 “Macy,” I say, accepting her handshake.

Just as Rick is about to explain where he found me, Natalie’s expression changes abruptly. Her eyes sadden and the edges of her mouth turn.

She shakes her head. Rick stops talking.

“We’re going to have to introduce you to Daryl and Sam. I don’t even know if Sam will remember. Daryl will lose it after all the progress he’s made,” I know she’s talking to me yet she looks at Rick.

And then it’s like he gets it, because his expression begins to match hers.

“Is there something wrong?” I venture, hoping they’ll fill me in. Just by the looks on their faces I know I shouldn’t be here. There’s going to be some problem because of me being here. I should have never accepted Rick’s offer. I don’t deserve to be here. I lied and I stole. I’m already going to be making a dent in their supplies and now I’m causing some type of emotional trauma while having only met one person. When did I become such a shitty human being?

But I have to stay. I need to stay. I don’t care about all the shit I’ve done. I’m not going to go back out there just to die. I promised Jayson.

“Where is Daryl?” Rick asks Natalie while his eyes begin searching the farm.

Somebody needs to answer my question. I’m just about to ask it again when the sound of the screen door catches my attention. A man who looks to be in his early thirties begins descending the porch steps. I recognize him as Crossbow. My pulse quickens. There’s such a meanness to his face that it makes me anxious. He constantly looks like he’s going kill someone.

“What’s go-“ his voice suddenly stops once he sees me.

His pale eyes ignite when his gaze meets mine. He rushes to me so quickly I don’t have any time to react.

“Carrie?” he murmurs in disbelief.

Immediately, he reaches out his hand and gingerly touches the line of my jaw with his fingertips. I want to say something. I’m too stunned to say anything. His eyes are alive, drawing me in. The way that he looks at me makes me speechless. Nobody’s ever looked at me like that. I’m so confused that I just stand there, allowing him to keep his hand on my face even though I don’t even know his name.

It takes him a few moments until he finally realizes I’m not her. I’m not whoever he wanted me to be. His face falls and his eyes become dead. I watch the life drain from his body and witness him slowly crumple before me. My chest physically hurts from seeing the sadness flood back into his pale eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much sadness in one person.