{ SALEM }

Everything is vanished, disappeared, the only thing left that I can see is black, darkness. I feel my heart pounding as it tries to get blood in my body, my eyes struggling to open.

When my eyelids are finally able to rise, I see Maggie hovered over me, mumbling words and fiddling with needles and bandages.

I can't speak and my vision is very blurry, and soon, before I can feel it, I fell asleep again.

*****

This time when I woke, loud gunshots echo in my ears. Screams.

I watch as Maggie, beside me, struggles to reach me. Her hand calls out for my grasp, but I can't take it. I try so hard. But I just can't.

***

This time, I look to my left and see Maggie's arm, and her arm only, still reaching for me. No body. No head. No nothing except her frail fingers and a bloody gore scene. I hear Glenn scream.

And then I sleep greets me.

*****

I'm sure I'm dying by now, just like everyone around me. My eyes flutter open and I watch as Glenn comes running towards me, aching to lift me, and then a gunshot sound and his body twists. He falls to the ground with no sounds.

I try to get to my feet, but it's no use. I see men coming after me, one of them, being my father. I taste blood in my mouth as he lifts me, and my body shifts as I charge out of his arms and onto the cement.

I hear a crack.

"D.... Dad! Stop!" I cry, tears streaming down my cheeks and mixing with red liquid. "P.. please don't take me... I'm happy here."

I can't tell what my dad is doing, until I hear another gunshot. Blood rushes into my eyes, and they fill with red. I hear myself screaming, and pain rushing through my body.

And everything is black once more.

For eternity.

A bright light brings me closer, and I allow it. I have no use to live any longer.

My father will kill me, and Carl's probably already dead. So I have no purpose.

And the light consumes me.

*****

{CARL}

"Salem?" I hear myself mutter as my eyes flutter open. The word is full of gunshots, and the last thing I remember is walking up to Salem, her eyes filled with frustration. And then the world fell from beneath me.

I breathe steadily, unsure of what happened. I can see blood rushing down my leg, a large gash overpowering my leg. I know I can't put pressure on it, so I told it gently and pat it.

"Salem?" I cry over all the gun noises.

I hear Negan shouting, and that's when I realize: He's got to have Salem. He's taking her back. This is not what Salem wanted, and I have to do something.

So I make sure I have a firm grasp on the ground, and pull myself up to where I stand. My leg doesn't hold for long, and I fall over, slamming against the dirt. But that doesn't discourage me. I stand again, this time, with no pressure on my left leg.
I hold onto things that get in my way, and eventually find Salem, blood rushing down her forehead, in Negan's arms.

Her eyes are shut and covered in blood, and her arms swings down below Negan's grasp as he tugs her along, running out of the Hilltop.

My heart rate speeds up. I have the urge to take off, but I can't face Negan. Not with an injured leg. But I can't let him take Salem. So, with a firm push, I force myself to leap forward, and go tumbling to the ground.

"Carl... Carl...." I hear a soft, familiar voice mutter. It's groggy, but so gentle like taffy. Salem.

When I look ahead of me, and to the sides, she's nowhere to be seen. "Salem?" I call out. "Salem, I'm here, where are you?"

The mumbling of her voice gets louder, as she screams my name pathetically. Her stutters grow into shouts, cries, pleads. And I hear her screaming one last time before the world closes around me.

***

"Carl, wake up."

What?

"You're safe now."

Who is that?

"Please, wake up." Dad.

"Dad?" I sputter as my eyes shoot open. My arms open and wrap around his neck. He sighs into my shoulder and unholds the grasp.

I get a good look at his face. It's bruised, blood pouring out of his lip and nose. I want to ask him what's wrong, but it's not the time.

I stand off the ground he's set me on, and rise to my feet. It doesn't last for long. I go tumbling down on my dad, who catches me.

"Carl, please sit down. You need to restore your energy." My dad says firmly, but I continue to attempt to stand.

"Carl, are you listening?" Dad demands harshly. "You cannot walk on that leg, and I'm not letting you try."

"He took Salem," I mumble, in his arms, my hands clasped into fists.

"What?"

"Negan took Salem." I say again, this time harsher. My body is weak, and I know he's right about restoring energy, but I can't right now. I have to find Salem, and get her back in my grasp.

My dad's eyes are sympathetic as I try to stand again, this time, my feet hold me unsteadily. I stand straight, holding my dad's shoulders. He takes my hands and stands as well, coming up from his kneel.

"Carl, I can't loose you." He says, it's more of a whimper, and I take that as a sign that not many of us our left.

"How many?" I inquire, shoving the questions in his face.

"Seven." He mumbles.

"Seven were killed?" I sputter uncontrollably, my heart raging with disgust and fear. "Who?"

"Sasha," he whispers. "Tara.. and some more people.. uh.."

"Enid." I stutter. "What about Enid?"

His eyes close tightly, and he shakes his head.

Enid.

She's dead.