I Saw The Lights Go Out - Carl Grimes

Chapter Eighty One - From a Friend

"'From a Friend.' What's that supposed to mean?" Glenn questioned in a fuss.

Maggie ran a hand through her hair looking around nervously. I did too as a sneaking suspicion crept into my mind.

"We just need to stop and think for a moment. Where's Daryl again?" Carol dictated from Rick's side holding Judith. I twiddled my thumbs and stared down at the bottles with a dry mouth.

"Went hunting, why? You think it was him?" Beth answered, her southern voice high and full of confusion.

"No, this ain't him." Rick answered snatching the note off of the bottles.

On cue, Daryl walked through the foliage, he stopped in his tracks confused as we all stood before the mysterious bottles. Without a word, Rick handed the note off to Daryl who looked between it and the bottles puzzled.

"Nobody touch it." Rick ordered flatly, he fanned a serious look across the group. People shifted on their feet in anticipation. That wasn't the answer they wanted to hear.

"What else are we going to do." Tara asked innocently with her assault rifle held close to her chest. She stared down at the bottles biting her lip. It was tempting, and people were starting to fall for it.

"Not this," Rick waved a hand to the bottles. "We don't know who left it." His decision was final.

Though greed was now a common trait that took over us in this new age, fear and protection rose above all. As much as we'd like to devour this in a second, we needed to think. Realization pricked me; I believed I might know who did this.

"What about that man?" I piped up. "The one that woke me up in the field. Maybe it was him, trying to help again." I offered but Rick shook his head in a huff. I frowned just wanting to give in and trust that they were safe.

"We can't know for sure, could even be a trap. It's best not to."

Rick turned his back to the bottles most likely to ease the temptation himself. I licked my own lips staring down at the waters. They glimmered in the light peaking through the trees. Carl squeezed my hand and I tore my eyes away from the bottles.

Daryl threw the note to the ground, it fluttered and landed by Eugene's boots. Daryl struggled with his crossbow, removing it from his back and scanning the perimeter. Though I appreciated Daryl's efforts I'd assume the person who placed these waters was now hiding from a safe distance; whether to raid our goods once we dropped from poison or to simply offer a helping hand.

"If that's a trap, we already happen to be in it." Eugene made a point, his eyes didn't move from the bottles at his feet. "But I, for one, would like to think it is indeed from a friend." His tone was flat but his fingers twitched.

"What if it isn't, they put something in it?" Michonne shifted and nodded to Rick showing her agreement. I moved to do the same knowing we could gather water in other ways, we just needed to find it first, but Eugene cut me off.

Moving swiftly so that no one could stop him, Eugene lunged toward the bottles. Tara and Rosita both called out in confusion.

"Eugene-" Tara stepped forward.

"What are you doing?" Rosita commanded in a disgusted tone. But Eugene only replied with two words, his fingers already clasped around a bottle.

"Quality assurance." He sputtered quickly removing the cap and choking back the bottle of water.

My stomach dropped as I reached out to stop him. In the split second the water coated his throat Abraham's hand slammed it down out of his grasp. The water poured out onto the pavement, turning it dark around my boots as the asphalt absorbs every last cold drop. The group went quiet as water dribbled down Eugene's chin. Abraham slowly moved back from the man he once swore to protect.