[ chapter thirteen - three questions ]
pre season six episode ten

2 months after ..

"YOU TWO GONNA BE OKAY?" Rick's deep voice spoke at the gates of Alexandria, shaky hand resting by his hip, worried for the two children standing in front of him. Trusting a fourteen year old and fifteen year old to go on a run by themselves was a big step, especially with what had happened recently. Carl had gotten better at training, his eye being no big of a deal for him—fighting wise, the boy was still wildly insecure of the big scar that marked the injury from one of his old friends. Abi was chosen to go along with him, whilst the girl was confused on why she was chosen, Carl understood.

The past few months had been hard on the girl and the adults around her believed she wasn't getting out enough. Of course, this wasn't true—but the teenagers didn't feel like blabbing about how they had gone outside the walls without permission just so Abi got credit for some outdoors time.

"We'll be fine, dad." Carl reassured the man, an excited look still on his face. Abi stood beside the car, eyebrows furrowed as she pondered on something.

"Who's driving?" The Grimes boys turned to Abi, Carl's face now morphing in question as Rick took a deep breath. Both teenagers stared at the man, same question in their eyes as they stood next to the rusty, black car. Rick searched his pocket, pulling out a key with his right hand, a black keychain connected to it.

Fiddling with it for a moment, the man looked back to the teenagers, hand reached out towards the blonde. Carl was almost glad he wasn't driving, the closest the boy had been to it was sitting in the driver's seat of a police car when he was little.

However, the girl next to him wasn't so glad. She stared at Rick's open hand for a second, questioning wether to take the key or not. "Why me?" Her eyes shifted from the key in his hand to his face, her own face tense.

"You're older," Rick started, "And as much as Carl's training's been getting better, he's never driven a car before."

"Neither have I!" Abi defended herself, though she wasn't telling the truth. She had no proper experience in driving, no driver's license, never a lesson. But, when she was twelve, Jimmy had left his car open and vacant for the curious girl to wonder inside. Her body slumped down in order to reach the brakes, hands on the wheel as she started it up, racing down the farm, trying her best not to hit anything apart from the long grass trail ahead of her. All car doors were still open as she gripped onto the wheel, no clue on how to slow down or stop. Maggie, Beth and Jimmy had chased after her for a while, yelling at her instructions on how to stop the vehicle before the girl finally figured it out. Hershel had never found out about that day.

He'd never get to find out.

Abi pushed that thought away and quickly picked up the key from Rick's palm, studying it in her hands for a while. It was extremely chipped, the black fabric attached to it peeling away, revealing the light brown underneath it. The two connected through the loop on top of the key, allowing Abi to seeing it around her pointer finger as Rick explained the rules he had put in place. Not just for them, but for anybody that went on a run.

"And if you see any living human, you leave right away. Your lives matter more then if you come back with food," Rick stated, pointing his finger sternly as he finished off his words. Once again, Abi and Carl nodded as they entered their sides of the car.

"Hopefully, I don't get us killed on the way there," Abi whispered to herself, eyes a little wide in fear as she started the car, putting her foot on the pedal, preparing herself to push down on it.

The gates of Alexandria opened and Abi's foot pushed down slowly, readying them for what they could face.

✵~✵

ABI STARED DOWN at the tin of peaches in her hand. The label had peeled half off, leaving only a faded green background left on the tin. Luckily, it hadn't been opened, allowing the girl to place it in the almost empty basket attached to her right arm. Her light green flannel blew back a little due to the open door of the store, shivering slightly as all she had underneath was a loose black tank top. Two other things sat in the basket, a can opener she had found on the floor as well as a rare packet of chips she had found, the expiry date being a few months back.

Her eyes searched the bottom counter, still in the same crouched position as she begged for anything else—the place looked like it could've been somewhat raided in the beginning, people being frantic and scared so they left behind some things. All she could find was a melted sticky lollipop attached to the back of the counter, and dirt that had evolved.

"Did you get anything else?" Carl asked from behind the girl, causing Abi to jump a little from the random voice, landing right on her butt as she stared over her right shoulder. The boy stifled a laugh as he crossed his arms, a smirk on his face.

"Just some peaches," Abi stated, holding onto a shelf as she pushed herself to stand. "This place has definitely been picked at already."

"I saw a clothing store, just down the road. Might be some stuff for Judith," Carl added. The boy walked over to the right to pick up his basket, a small stack of magazines and comics as well as a couple cans of food lying there. Abi dusted herself off, securing the red basket she held as well as checking that her gun is safely attached to her belt on her left side. On the other side sat the machete she now owned, Rosita's lessons had paid off, Abi trusting herself more with the weapon than she did her pocket knife—which sat on her nightstand, always. The small red weapon that had meant so much to Abi, now known as the thing that had taken two lives.

The two teens exited the building, a small ding sounding as Carl pushed the door open, Abi walking through the already open one. Their car sat across the road, disguising itself as one of the old, vacant ones in order for them to have the upper hand in a fight. As they turned left, a bright 'CLOSED' sign caught Abi's eye, it was different colours, all bright to be seen if it was the middle of the night.

Underneath the large letters was a note, stuck with blue tack. Carl was a little ahead, talking to himself as he hadn't noticed the Greene girl missing beside him. Quickly, Abi ripped the note of the sign, jogging to catch up with Carl. She stuffed it into her back pocket, she could read it later.

"-Weird in general, but whenever we're outside she seems to—are you okay?" Carl eyed the girl beside him as she tried to catch her breath after chasing the boy who walked unusually fast. She had no clue what he had been talking about, barely any idea of the few words she had heard after catching up.

"I'm fine," her Georgian accent seemed stronger as she caught her breath, spotting the clothing store to their right. This ones sign was fallen, facing downwards as she couldn't make out the name of the tall white box. It was slim, the second floor having once been a small apartment for somebody.

The inside looked messy, but most things hadn't been taken. Darkness hid most of what was inside the shop, but standing on a display was some mannequins wearing clothes that would definitely get them killed when face to face with a walker.

"I'll look for the baby section," Abi announced before heading towards the double door in front of them, pushing it open with her right hand as Carl followed behind her. Her eyes searched for some kind of light switch, hoping something somewhere would brighten up the place. There was a very small amount of windows in the building. Carl had found one, flipping it down then back up: nothing.

"Flashlights it is," Carl groaned, taking the tool out of his bag as Abi mirrored him. "I'll see if there's anything else we're willing to take back."

The teenagers parted, Carl going for the mannequins in the middle that had the counter in a circle around them, clothes that were once neatly folded ripped, messy, even wet. Abi took to the sides of the weirdly large building, kneeling on the floor to check if she had found the baby clothes. Her eyes widened, lips forming a circle as she stared at what she had found.

Lingerie.

Detailed, uncomfortable pyjamas hanging on the bottom section of the two, coming in all different sorts of colours. Quickly, the awkward teenager shot right back up, walking further down the store in order to forget what she had just seen. She had never been giving the 'birds and the bees' talk but she knew what that was—most people did. It wasn't always sexual or a bad thing, but Hershel Greene always treated it like it was. Gosh, if he found out the outfits Maggie had worn behind his back he would've lost his shi-.

Abi's eyes fell upon the baby clothes that sat at the very back of the store, most damaged or missing. It was a thin counter, the clothes stacked in front as if they were comics at a shop. One of the undamaged ones were near the front of the slots, a little bear onesie that looked just the perfect size for Judith. The blonde moved her hands forward, hastily grabbing it as she placed it in her basket. Beside it was a blue dress, made for two year olds. Abi didn't know Judith's on the dot age but she could assume it was somewhat around there.

She picked out the blue fabric, smiling at the little flower intricacies detailed onto the waist area. The skirt bottom was ruffled slightly, a thicker line of fabric outlining the end of the dress. It looked the right size for Judith, Abi happily placing it in her basket.

On the bottom of the counter were socks, two pairs not apart of the piles on the floor—or the disgusting irreparable clothes—allowing Abi to pick them out.

"You found anything?" Carl's voice broke the silence the teens had sat in for a few minutes, Abi realising that had probably been the longest she had gone in silence without entering the horrible abyss of her mind.

"Yeah, you?" The girl replied, wondering what Carl had found on his search. No answer. Face scrunching in confusion, Abi stood, walking over to where she ad left Carl, flashlight secure in her hand. She still couldn't hear Carl, her mind racing as she wondered what could've happened in the split second between their sentences. The store was large but it wasn't that big, she'd have to find him soon.

A small noise could be heard from her right, the young girl whipping round, hand gripping even tighter onto her flashlight as she worried for her friend. There was nothing there. Slowly, she placed the basket onto the floor, rising as she pulled her gun out of her belt swiftly. Another noise, one she could only recognise as footsteps was on her left, Abi wincing as she turned to face the darkness. Still nothing. The small light from the glass door was shining through, Abi's breath racing as she saw the door slightly ajar from where they had left it.

"Carl, this really isn't funny-" her voice was cut off as a hand flew round her mouth, Abi kicked her legs as she tried to escape the grip from the stranger.

"Shh," the voice ordered, the blonde soon relaxing as she recognised the voice as Carl—the hand around her mouth falling as she turned to him, eyes still wide and breathing still heavy.

"Dude," Abi whispered, only to once again be cut off as Carl put a finger to his lips, begging her to be quiet. Her face grew concerned, seeing the light from his flashlight gone, making her turn hers off. She could feel her heartbeat in her ears as Carl pulled her closer to the back, hopefully finding a door they could run out of—the front was too risky.

Instantaneously, Abi saw Carl's hat get knocked of his head, a bag taking it's place, covering his face as the boy was knocked to the ground. Barely a second later, an elbow headed straight for Abi's stomach before she could aim her gun at the person, leaving her to blindly shoot whatever was near.

Winded, she stumbled back slightly, hearing the gunshot ring through the air as well as a loud grunt. Using all his strength, Carl ripped the plastic back of his face, scrambling for his gun as he aimed it at the person laying on the ground near him. He steadied himself with his right arm, the left holding the gun as it was easier to aim in sight. Abi did the same thing standing, aiming directly at the other person's head.

A young woman laid on the ground, hair pulled into a ponytail as her tan skin glistened from the flashlight facing beside her. Face screwed up in pain, she held her left forearm, exactly where Abi had sightlessly shot her. She wore a navy tank top, drenched in sweat, just as her forehead was. She looked strong, explaining how easy it was for the woman to knock both teenagers backwards—even send Carl to the floor.

"Ain't this nice?" The woman joked, still holding her bleeding arm. Abi wanted to help her, but after what just happened she wasn't very willing.

"What's your name?" Carl asked, beginning his interrogation of the almost dying woman as the teenager's stances didn't falter.

"Listen, kiddo, I'll give you any information you want if you just give me something to stop the bleeding." She pleaded, her arm now in a deathly grip as she begged for something to stop the pain. Abi's eyes focused in on the blood beginning to ooze out from her wound, dripping down her arm as well as onto the floor. She had caused that, but the woman had also hurt her and Carl.

"Your name." Abi demanded, now clutching her gun with two hands as the flashlight she held earlier was sent to the floor when she was pushed back. Carl watched her in his peripheral vision, slightly taken aback by the anger and straight forwardness in her voice. The last time he'd seen her this annoyed had been at the prison, when Patrick continuously called her Abigail. He stopped eventually, mainly because she had yelled at him so loud Carl would've sworn he saw Hershel near a heart attack.

"Clara," the woman choked out. "Happy? Now give me something, please."

Hesitantly, Carl removed his flannel, leaving him in a green shirt as he chucked it to the woman. Clara instantly wrapped it around her arm, tightening it as hard as she could whilst also trying not to move so much, in order not to alarm the two teenagers.

"How old are you?" Carl questioned, preparing himself to ask the next three questions.

"Well, young sir, that isn't really a question you ask a lady." Clara said, a wide smile on her face as she know kneeled a little ahead of the two, holding her flashlight in her hand in order to see the both of them and for them to see her.

"How many walkers have you killed?"

"No fucking clue."

"People?"

"Eight."

"Why?" Abi cut in, a little shocked at the large number of human murders.

"You do what you can to find your people." Clara answered. "I've been looking for my sister since the start of all this. Joined groups, some better than others. I'm here with one of them right now," the woman's voice grew into a whisper, "They don't take too kindly to strangers."

"We can handle them."

✵~✵

author notes —
SORRY FOR ANY GRAMMAR AND/OR SPELLING MISTAKES

(11th April, 2024)
Sorry if you got a notification about an update—I realised my timeline for this was a little wonky. For clarification, it has been two months SINCE episode 9 season 6, not since the last chapter. Meaning it's been just less than a month since chapter twelve.

this chapter was cut short because I really wanted to post something and couldn't fit this storyline into one chapter. But you finally get to meet my girl Clara, i say this about most of my oc's but she's such an interesting character when you learn more about her and her backstory so i'm so excited to continue to write her.

Also, i'm mot very good at writing original chapters nor tense scenes so my apologies. (blame the education system). this chapter and plot is something i've been wanting to write for a while because it introduces a whole other plot line our of negan and the saviours but i won't get to into that.

It's not shown a lot here but Abi is becoming less soft and after season 6, you'll really start to see it. Her want to help Clara is still there but she knows to fight against it, she's happy to fight against it.

I will be updating the first part of this book to add Clara into the cast list but her full name will not be announced until chapter 15 — she will also be added to my meet my oc's book :)

Anyways,
Byee </3