I Saw The Lights Go Out - Carl Grimes

Chapter Thirty Seven - No Place to Run

"Keep going!" Rick scrambled behind me pushing my back, urging me to continue to run. I did as I was told, snapping back into the horrors of reality and running trough an open door following the others into a building.

Michonne pushed through another door that Daryl ran through a second before her. We streamed in behind her before all slowing to a stop. Before us was a large, dimly lit warehouse filled with lit candles across the floor. Everyone stepped slowly around the candle lit room in confusion.

Hundreds and hundreds of lit candles littered the floor all precisely placed. Lanterns hung low from the ceiling, and shelves were stocked full with more candles in the middle of the room. Tall decorative candle sticks stood completely drenched in wax, scattered about.

"What the hell is this place?" Daryl took the words right out of my dry mouth. I wet my lips and began to manoeuvre between the candles careful not to knock any over.

"These people, I don't think they're trying to kill us." Michonne said quickly, out of breath.

"I noticed that too, not one of us is hurt." I agreed with her looking around the ominous and glowing room.

My boot then tipped over a candle and I crouched quickly to grab it and place it back not wanting the flame to grow. White wax spread across the floor seeing into the bases of the other candles. I stood back up and crept over to Carl who held his hat shakily in his hands.

The candles spaced out wider the farther into the room we walk walked. They created a ring around the centre of the room encompassing something. Inside the circle dozens of names were written on the floor in white paint, each with a candle and a trinket above it. My mind wandered, hoping that it was a tribute to their people and not a fucking sacrificial circle.

"Yeah, they were aiming at our feet." Rick mumbled out staring at the walls.

I followed his gaze and found written in black bold letters against the white brick was a reminder.

"Never again. Never trust. We first, always."

I glanced at Carl on my right confused and worried. He looked to me with the same expression, lips parted and cheeks flush. I transferred my gun to my left hand before brushing loose strands of hair that had fallen out of my pony tail away from my face.

"There." Rick pointed to an open door on the other side.

Carl and I moved through the centre of the room, stepping around candles and random belongings. Suddenly, a figure stepped out behind the ajar door only to slam it shut. Noah cursed and turned our way worried. My heart sunk further. They were everywhere.

"There." Daryl spotted another door to our side. We begin to sprint toward it scared it would only be locked, too.

"Go!" Rick yelled urging us to head through it. Carl grabbed my hand pulling me to run faster and I squeezed it tight letting him know I was still there.

As Daryl pushed through the door I noticed the letter "A" written beside it. I knew I'd seen that before somewhere else, but nevertheless, we all scrambled through the rusted door.

Once on the other side the sound of gunshots immediately fill the silence, barely missing us. Instinct and fear kicked in and we run along the side of the building with heads down while crates and planks of wood blew up debris from the bullets. I shielded my eyes past them as Carl dragged me to the right.

My chest was burning. I tried my best to pace my breathing but it was no use. Carl's hand slipped from mine as we jumped off a small ledge toward the tracks and the chain link fence in the distance. My aching leg buckled beneath me and I let out a groan.