THICK SKULL , twd [ 1 ]

34. 112 ounces of pudding

     

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WHEN NELLIE FINALLY SWUNG her legs from under the blanket, her body was more sore than the day prior. As soon as she stood up, she was hit in the face with the events. The death of Hershel Greene, the near death of Sadie Finch, the possible gruesome death of Judith and the lack of presence from her mother.

          Her head pounds, grabbing a warm water bottle and chugging it. "Carl?" Nellie's hoarse voice calls out, eyes falling on the bowl of cereal the boy left. Her guts twist at the thought of eating and she grimaces, leaving the room.

          "Dad, wake up! Wake up!" Carl speaks loudly and in clear distress. Nellie speeds up, pausing with her lips parted when she sees Carl shaking an unconscious Rick on the couch they left him on. "Wake up! Wake up!" Carl screams in the man's face but he doesn't even flinch. Now Nellie's guts twist for another reason; the possible death of Rick Grimes.

                Carl is screaming at his father to wake up, shaking him violently. "Carl!" Nellie rushes over, grabbing him by the shoulders. The Grimes boy lets him her hold him, body almost weak. Their breathing is heavy, no words are said, no noises until there's a sudden thud at the door and the dreaded noise of a walker's snarl. It's the front door right by the couch.

              Nellie pulls Carl behind her, "Give me your gun."

                "Where's your cleaver?" Carl sasses. Nellie glares down at the boy, "Gun. Now." The walker is becoming more insistent, shaking the door even harder at the sound of their hushed voices. Carl clenches his jaw and without a word, runs from Nellie and towards the backyard.

                   "Wha—fucking kid," Nellie hisses, glancing at Rick and then rushing to grab her cleaver. She exits the backdoor, mumbling curse words the whole way through until she sees Carl. Stubborn. All these Grimes, blood or not, are stubborn.

            Nellie sneaks up behind Carl, spotting the two walkers trying to get it. The boy feels her presence, looking up slightly at her, "I got this."

              "Yeah? That's fine. I'll be here to make sure," Nellie spares him a fake smile. Carl scoffs, both bringing their attention back to the walkers. Arguing with him clearly gets nowhere so Nellie decides to just keep an eye on him. He wants to be grown? Fine. But not without her eyes on him.

              Carl sneaks up behind the walkers, looking around before calling out, "Hey, you!" The walkers spin around, seeing a meal for each of them. "Fresh meat right here. Come and get it," Carl tells them. Nellie groans, "Fresh meat?"

           "You act like they understand us and don't just hear babbling," Carl adds as the walkers stumble over to them. The two teens walk backwards, keeping their eyes on the hungry monsters. "Let's take a walk. Keep up," Carl comments. Nellie can't help but let out a small chuckle at his words, spinning her cleaver around in the air. They track them all the way to the street, encouraging them like they're children in need of instruction.