CHAPTER FIVE,
a letter from carl
to aiden.
After burying Carl Aiden left Alexandria on foot. In one hand was the letter Carl gave her and the other was his knife that he wanted her to have.
She walked through the woods with tears streaming down her face. She heard snarling behind her and turned and saw at least six walkers behind her. She stopped and pushed the letter in her back pocket. She pulled out her Bowie knife, double yielding.
She bared her teeth as she approached the walkers. She stabbed one then turned and stabbed another. The six were dead before she knew it.
The two knives dropped from her hands and she let out a blood curdling scream. She hit her knees in a fit of sobs. She hugged her arms around her stomach.
She hadn't had the heart to read the letter but in her breakdown she pulled it out. She blinked and wiped her tears.
She opened it up and read.
Aiden,
Your letter and Xavier's were the hardest to write. I didn't know what to say to you. Aiden you're my sister. I wouldn't want anyone else to take your place. I don't want you to cry or be sad. I want— no, I need you to realize this is what was meant to happen. I know you're gonna blame yourself. But you couldn't have stopped me from going to look for Siddiq.
I know, Mom told you to take care of us. To take care of me and Judy and Dad. But you didn't know what would happen. Besides, you have your own family now, too. You gotta take care of yourself and Elliot.
Memories have left over the years. Memories were made over the years. Eighteen years you've been with me. When Shane died and you left I was heartbroken. I cried almost every night worried about you. I thought you were dead. But then we found you in the little cabin and I wasn't that happy in a long time, since Dad found us actually. And then you've been with us ever since. You didn't let your hatred for my dad get in the way (most of the time). You pushed it aside and dealt with it.
I know you, Aiden. I know how your brain works. It works in violent, hateful ways. Ways that not even Shane could imagine. But your mind also works in wonderful ways. Ways that brought you and Daryl together. And now you have Elliot. Elliot Glenn Dixon. I still can't believe you named Little Man the name I came up with. Don't forget the other name incase you have another kid and it's a girl, Beth Rishae Dixon. And if it's a boy, Carl.
After Mom died, you were by my side. You were kidnapped and beaten. Almost killed. And even after that, you were still putting me and everyone else above you. Aiden, you were who I wanted to be like.
The amount of times you've risked your life for me is an amount I could never reach. You are the most amazing person I know. Just a couple weeks ago, when Negan was about to kill me, you said you would kill yourself if he killed me. You put a gun to your head and pulled the trigger. If that Savior hadn't hit your hand you would've died. I would've had to watch you die. I want you to know that if you had I would've never been the same person.
Don't give up, Aid. In all of my years I've never seen you give up. Not when you were shot as a cop or even when Shane died. You've lost so, so much and you've never given up. That's why I wanted to be just like you. Because you're you.
Please don't do anything reckless— don't do something that'll get you killed. You're angry, I know that. But please, please don't get yourself killed.
Aiden, I want you to live. You're gonna live. You're strong, you know what you're doing. You've always been my role model, Aid. I couldn't imagine anyone else being by my side. I love you.
You're my inspiration, Aid. Now it's time to be someone else's.
- Carl.
Aiden clutched the letter in her hand as she sobbed. She heard footsteps and looked behind her. Her scream and sobs had attracted more walkers. She folded the letter back up and shoved it back into her pocket. She picked up her knife and Carl's before running in the direction of the Hilltop.
His name bounced around in her head— Carl, Carl, Carl.
»
Aiden walked into the Hilltop. She was pale, dirty, blood covered her hands, sweat and dried tears covered her face.
Enid crashed into Aiden. Aiden wrapped her arms around the younger girl. Her lips quivered as she tried to hold back her tears for the girl. Enid had become Aiden's little sister, she just lost her nephew. She wouldn't lose Enid too.
Daryl, Maggie, Xavier, Payton, Carol, Ezekiel, Jesus, Tara, Rosita, and Jerry all approached the two. Enid let go of her and Daryl stared at his wife before pulling her into him. Her shaking hands gripped his leather vest. He kissed her head and spoke, "Elliot and Jude are both asleep." She nodded.
"Yeah, okay." She whispered. Her voice hoarse from sobbing and screaming. After Daryl let her go. She eyed the Saviors that stood around or sat in the cage.
"Maggie..." Aiden mumbled, "what the he-"
"Yeah, we have 'em for a reason." Maggie stated.
"Whatever it is, it's ridiculous." Aiden mumbled, "now, where's my son?"
They led her to Barrington House and into a room where the two children laid. Elliot was wide awake unlike Daryl said and stared at his mom with his blue eyes.
"Hey, baby." She said and picked him up. Judith stared to squirm and peeked open one eye. Aiden smiled at the baby girl. Judith opened both of her eyes and grinned at Aiden.
»
Rick and Michonne had both made it to the Hilltop but it wasn't long before Rick and a couple others left.
Aiden stood with Michonne, Rosita, Maggie, and Enid was Rosita pulled back into the Hilltop after going to get crates they had seen outside the walls.
"I don't know what the hell it is." Rosita said and handed Maggie a piece of paper.
"'If you fill the crates with food or phonograph records, I will gladly exchange them for a key to your future'?" Maggie read off the note.
"It lists coordinates for our meeting spot." Rosita informed. Maggie handed the note to Michonne and her and Aiden both looked at it.
"This isn't the Saviors." Michonne stated and she was probably right. "They'd blow through the gates, make a big show. This isn't that."
"I wouldn't put nothin' past 'em." Maggie stepped in.
"Well, if it is a trap, it's kind of obvious." Rosita spoke.
"Which is what could make it a trap." Maggie said.
"What if... what if it's someone who actually wants to help?" Aiden asked.
"If someone is trying to help us and we miss out, we miss out. If somebody's trying to kill us, we die." Maggie said in return.
"Not if we're careful." Aiden replied. To which Enid said, "being careful is staying here."
"I'll go. I'll see what's up." Michonne said and Aiden nodded in agreement, "I'll go, too."
"Yow two go, I go." Rosita said to the two women.
"Rick wants us here." Enid said to Michonne and Aiden.
"Rick isn't here, is he?" Aiden piped.
"I know. But the last time we took a chance like this, it changed everything. Rick didn't agree with me then. He may not understand me now." Michonne stated.
"He won't," Maggie said.
"But eventually, he will. He will." Michonne said and started to walk off before Maggie spoke.
"Jesus and the other have been scavenging and we're still starving. Maybe this person does have something that can help."
"Then I'm coming with you." Enid said to Maggie.
"Okay," Maggie said and looked at the women, "I'll grab the records, cade this is real." She checked here magazine and looked at Enid, "you get extra clips, case this isn't."
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word count: 1,378
episode: the key
here's another edited chapter guys!! i'm going to try to do this one slower (but i probably won't) so once i finished it'll be july 26th and the walking dead season ten will be on netflix.
carl's letter to aiden was the saddest but cutest thing ever i stg. i will forever love those two more than life itself.
she's grieving. she's a heartbroken woman in a broken down world.
aiden made it to hilltop. and we meet people next chapter 👀🤭.