Our Shadows (Carl Grimes/The Walking Dead)

Chapter 12: Everyone Has A Secret

The morning sunlight peered through the window. I stretched my arms and legs, rubbing my eyes. I haven't had a decent sleep in days and I felt wide awake for the first time in weeks. I sat up on the bed and turned my head to see Carl still asleep. I wanted him to be awake but he did just get shot yesterday so sleep was more important. I kissed his forehead before I stepped out of the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind me. I went to the bathroom and found out the faucet in the shower still had running water. I took a five minute shower, careful to not waste it all and went down stairs. It was nice to be clean once in a while. Even though I'm living in an apocalypse, body odour still disgusts me.

As I was to step outside, I heard voices arguing in the kitchen. I couldn't stop myself from east dropping and I'm glad I didn't. "I can't believe you Maggie" I could tell it was Glenn's voice. He sounded extremely stressed.

"Please Glenn, what ever you saw in there... It's not what it looks like" she pleaded him.

"Why didn't you tell me, Maggie!?"

"Because I knew you would act like this! Even if I wanted to do something about it, I can't" Maggie sighed.

"What do you mean you can't do anything?"

"It's my dad. I'll figure something out but in the mean time you have to swear not to tell anyone"

After a moment of silence, Glenn sighed. "Alright but I don't know how long I can keep quiet about this. This isn't just some game" Footsteps tread towards me. I ran outside before those footsteps could catch me snooping. What was Maggie hiding that freaked out Glenn?

Looking around for Daryl didn't seem so hard but then I realized he wasn't here. I decided to ask Andrea if she's seen him around. "Hey Andrea, have you seen Daryl any where?"

"He took Hershel's horse to look for Sophia, why?" She asked, sitting on top of the RV with a rifle by her side.

"Well I was going to ask him if he could take me out for shooting practice" I said.

"Why not ask Shane or Rick?" She suggested. I looked back to find Rick talking to Lori rather sadly. Why is it every time I see people having conversations, it never turns out to be about anything good. I wouldn't want to be caught up in the heat between Carl's parents. Neither was I for the idea about training with Rick, especially when I know he's been living to everyone about the truth about how Otis died.

I looked back at Lori, "Nah, it looks like they're busy anyway. Plus I also want to borrow his cross bow"

"Good luck with that sweetheart" she laughed. Her expression turned confused when she looked off into the distance. I climbed to the top of the RV and followed her gaze to see a small figure limping towards the farm. "Walker!" She shouted and immediately trained the gun on the walker. Everyone stopped what they were doing, frightened.

I starred at the walker, wait a second. "Wait, it's Daryl-", Andrea pulled the trigger.

"Crap" she said, realizing I was right. Everyone ran to where Daryl was lying.

Shane knelt down to Daryl, checking his pulse. "He's okay, Andrea just clipped his shoulder." Carol was the only person to let out a sigh if relief.

"Dang it, Andrea, why you going off shooting Daryl" T-Dog snapped.

"He looked like a walker" she defended herself.

"Well maybe I should take you off watch for a while, just until you straighten yourself up" Dale said. Andrea looked him dead in the eye, anger in her expression.

"Woah, woah, woah, hold up folks. No one is doing anything to Andrea. She hadn't killed him which to me is horrible aim. It's obvious Andrea needs some practice so her afternoon will be with me in shooting practice" Shane offered. Everyone was quiet, not sure what to say after Shane's little explosion.