the smell of rotting flesh and old blood filled Carl's senses as a Walker tackled him onto the corpse of the dead deer the swarm had been feasting on.

Carl's eye was locked onto the Walker as he held it back by its shoulders, trying to keep its snapping jaws away from his face.

he could see Siddiq, the man he'd come out here to help in the first place, fighting his own deal in the swarm.

another Walker fell and grabbed at Carl's shirt, pulling its open jaws closer to Carl's side. Limbs tangled around Carl, keeping him from being able to reach for his revolver.

the moment seemed to slow.

Carl's mind rushed, thinking of all the things left unsaid, all the time he hadn't spent with Judith, Michonne, Rick. With his family. His people.

only when faced with threat of mortality did Carl realize how much he truly had to lose.

the sharp sound of a silenced gunshot snapped Carl out of his lost state as the smell of gun powder resounded along with two more gunshots as the two Walkers attacking Carl fell limp.

the gaping holes in both Walkers' skulls spilled black blood onto the forest floor and Carl's flannel - already covered in blood from falling on the deer.

another gunshot and the second Walker attacking Siddiq dropped to the forest floor. Carl's eye followed the movement back to the trees, back to a girl.

she couldn't be older than him but she looked like she knew what she was doing. She brandished a sniper rifle, a bayonet strapped to the end and a revolver on her hip next to her knife.

she was evidently alone and Carl scrambled to his feet, pushing the dead Walkers off of himself, not wanting to look foolish in front of the girl who'd saved his life.

Carl got to his feet and picked up his revolver, returning it to his holster, and placing his hat firmly back on his head, his eyes locked onto the strange girl.

he was wary, of course, but also intrigued.

"Th-thank you." Carl said, his voice weaker than usual having faced the possibility of absolute demise.

why would this girl save him?