Volume 23: Whispers Into Screams

Volume 23: Whispers Into Screams is the twenty-third volume of Image Comics' The Walking Dead that includes issues 133-138.

Plot
Carl Grimes wakes up at this bedroom inside the Barrington House at Hilltop. After not being able to find any free bathrooms, he returns to his room and reads the letter from Anna:

"Dear Carl,  I really like being friends with you. I think you're really special. I know everyone else in the community thinks so, too. You are Carl Grimes (!!!!!!!!!) and you've done so much and people look up to you, even some of the adults. I just feel blessed to be able to call you my friend.

''I need to apologize to you for what I did when everyone was at my house the other night. I was feeling really silly and everyone was being totally crazy and I got excited and lifted my shirt and did what I did. I think even though everyone was there, I was really doing that for you. I know you notice me, but I don't think you really notice me the way I want you to. I could tell you thought I was acting weird. I can't believe I made Carl Grimes (!!!!!!!) uncomfortable. But I'm sorry I did that. I don't want you to think that's something I do a lot. It's not. I'm not like that. I really like you... more than just friends and I want you to like me, too. I think you are handsome.''

''When I found out you were I was heartbroken. I don't want that to be the last time you see me... or what you remember me by. I hope you will be coming back for the fair so that I can see you then. I'm going to miss you.''

 Please write back.

Love,

Anna

He finishes reading and smiles, and puts the letter in a drawer.

In Alexandria, Andrea continues to tell Magna and her entire group about the events that occurred before their arrival, specifically the events of the herd, and how Carl got shot in the face but survived thanks to a now-deceased surgeon that resided in the safe-zone. When asked about Carl being her son, Andrea responds that he is her apocalyptic-my-boyfriend-hasn't-actually-proposed-yet marriage, and that she has washed his underwear - a teenager's underwear, and that makes them a family.

Kelly asks about the guy in the basement and how things worked out after the war, Rick's leadership and what happened to The Saviors - they are still active and are led by Dwight, and are part of the network of communities.

Paul Monroe knocks on the door, asking Andrea if everything is alright, she replies it is, and that they're just getting to know each other a little. Paul then announces that he and a group will take the horses and return the following day, and then leaves. Andrea asks with a smile if they want some coffee.

At his house, Eugene is sitting on a couch after a bad night of sleep. Rosita tells him she's sorry and he asks if it isn't his. She replies that she didn't love him and he didn't love her, and that it was stupid. It is revealed that Rosita cheated on Eugene and is pregnant with this person's baby, although Eugene agrees to raise the baby as his own child, and that no one will know.

Back at the Hilltop, Rick and Carl bid each other goodbye, and Carl asks if he could deliver a letter to Anna, and Rick jokingly says he'll only do that if he is told what is the letter's content. Rick then leaves The Hilltop.

Elsewhere, Dante is confronted by a disguised survivor. He pleads with the survivor, not to shoot him, and that he didn't know the "zombies" were real people. The survivor says he'll ask questions, and Dante will be the one answering nicely, and asks him to keep his voice down, as it'll alert the other zombies - the real zombies.

Dante realizes he's surrounded by a group of disguised zombies. The survivor says that he entered their land, killed their kind, and now they will explore his land, learn about his people. That they will know them, and that they will fear them.

Somewhere on the road, Paul Monroe and a group of survivors meet up with a road guard and is briefed on the roamer situation. After finding out a patrolman has gone silent, they rush to his last location. Unbeknownst to them, they are being followed by a "herd" of disguised survivors.

Back at The Hilltop, Carl is working with Earl, and makes his very first spear. At the end of the day, all dirty from his work, Carl walks back to the Barrington House and is greeted by Sophia, who notes that he "smells like shit". After showering, Carl and Sophia go eat together.

Maggie and Brianna are walking with baby Hershel, and watch Carl and Sophia. Brianna notes that a Grimes/Greene union would sure make people talk, and Maggie tells her not to get ahead of herself.

Paul Monroe and his group continue to search for the missing patrolman, when they are about to go back, one of the disguised roamers stabs one of the riders in the back. Paul tries to back away with the others, but they are swarmed by "living" roamers, who brutally stab all survivors to death, except for Paul, who is now surrounded by the living "zombies".

Jesus is surprised by the attacking swarm of talking dead but manages to fight off the Whisperers and takes one of them prisoner. Darius, though severely injured, is saved by Paul.

Back at the Hilltop, Gregory confronts Maggie about the disappearance of Dante's group who have been gone for two days. He insists they send out more parties to search for them but Maggie declines. She informs him that they still don't know what's going on and until they know more, she won't risk anyone. Gregory is upset by this and states that she is being irresponsible and states that he'll step in if he needs to and go out himself to search for Dante and his men. Maggie obliges and tells him to go ahead. She then asks if he can even ride a horse before storming off.

Carl and Sophia are eating together outside reminiscing about how the undead look sad when they are attacked by two boys. One of them slams a brick in the back of Carl's head and grab Sophia. As Carl runs off, the bullies call him a coward and then start beating Sophia. Just then, one of the bullies is struck in the back of the head by Carl with a shovel, who then proceeds to viciously beat one of them before turning to the other, who begins to beg for his life before being struck down by Carl in the same manner. Sophia looks on in shock as Carl repeatedly beats the kid with the shovel.

Jesus soon arrives at the Hilltop and sends Darius to see Carson. Maggie looks on in disbelief at his prisoner when Carl and Sophia call out to Maggie. An injured Carl helps a severely beaten up Sophia stand up, and he says they got attacked by two boys, and that he thinks he killed them.

Sophia passes out after revealing what happened. Maggie carries her out to the hospital, leaving Jesus alone to deal with the prisoner.

Sophia is being treated by Alex as Maggie and her fellow citizens get into a serious discussion about the situation with the parents of the boys who Carl beat up standing up to their leader. Carl claims self defense, explaining to them that the boys were trying to kill Sophia and he had to stop them, but the parents do not agree. Maggie takes Carl away from the hospital.

Elsewhere, Jesus questions the Whisperer, 16-year-old Lydia, who reveals that her group tries to cooperate with walkers and that they do not kill them. Lydia informs Jesus they have to work with them or they will be killed.

Maggie takes Carl into a cell, and tells him they won't kill anymore as Rick figured out after the war. She leaves to inform Jesus that Darius will survive, and takes him away from Lydia. Lydia greets Carl with a large grin on her face.

While discussing how to handle Carl, Gregory informs the bullies' parents that there is a solution, and that it involves killing Maggie.

Gregory tells the bullies' parents that the best solution would be to kill Maggie and have himself be the leader again, saying that their kids were nearly killed and Carl will be at dinner like nothing happened. The parents refuse Gregory's plan.

At the medical office, Marco explains to Maggie and Jesus that he had left Ken to die, and that he'd heard at least three Whisperers. Jesus deducts that it's the same group of people he had encountered, but it was odd that the group was so far away from where he'd been attacked. He then lets Marco know that the people were wearing suits of walker skin, and that he was is not crazy.

Meanwhile, in the holding cells, Lydia asks Carl what he did to get imprisoned, or if he's just there to spy on her. Carl fills her in on the attack with Sophia and her bullies, and Lydia chimes back that the group makes less and less sense for throwing Carl in jail for defending their leader's daughter. Carl tries to defend his point by explaining to Lydia that his group is above killing now, and Carl reassures her that she will be forgiven. Lydia reveals that she was on her first outing and started to attack Jesus and his men because the rest of her group was attacking. He tells her that it was a misunderstanding and that maybe if she can tell Maggie more about the Whisperers, they can work things out. Lydia says that she wants to believe Carl, but she's too afraid.

Sophia wakes up with Maggie by her side and asks if her bullies are dead. When Maggie says no, Sophia insists that her doors be locked. Maggie asks Sophia to tell her what happened, and after she hears Sophia's story, she walks past the bullies' room where they are sleeping and says that she can't wait until they wake up, and calls them "monsters".

Deaths

 * Joshua
 * Two unnamed Alexandria Safe-Zone residents
 * Several unnamed Whisperers.