The static coming from the speakers of the battery powered boom box was the only sound that could be heard for several minutes. Even the forest and everything in it seemed afraid to move. The prison group stood among what was left of the camp group all their eyes fixed on the bodies they surrounded. Laina stood like a rock as she watched her twin's body slumped and awkwardly laying on the ground next to their parents. Laina still held the gun in the position in which it was fired. Even her bad hand that would twitch and jerk involuntarily stood still holding the gun. After what seemed like years Laina fell to her knees, she lifted the gun and wrapped her mouth around the barrel. Screams from the small crowd encircling her rang out. "No!" "Stop!" "Don't" were shouted out. She closed her eyes and pulled the trigger. CLICK. This is when Laina started screaming. She threw the gun away from her and cried. She pulled the three bodies of her family close together and laid on top of them.
Rick, Daryl, Tyrese, and Carol moved Frank and Liz's bodies away. An hour later Rick and Daryl softly approach the grieving woman who still lay on the remaining bodies. Carol, Maggie, Glenn, and Hershel watched. Sarah had taken Beth, Judith, and Eunice, an old woman, to her cabin for tea, they were all shook up pretty bad and the crying babies didn't ease their nerves. Michonne, Sasha, and Tyrese started digging holes behind the counselor building for Laina.
"Laina, com'on, it's time to bury them" Daryl said in a soft hoarse voice. Laina didn't acknowledge she heard him. He looked at Rick and Rick nods as they bend down to lift Laina up. As Rick touched Laina's left bicep she swung her elbow up catching him in the mouth making it bleed. Her right foot went out and caught Daryl in the upper thigh. If the blow that hit Rick wouldn't have made him jump he would be singing soprano right now. The kick still brought him as Rick backed up holding his lip. The men stumbled away from the woman.
The day wore on, and there she lay. Sometimes crying, sometimes talking to them. Daryl sat on the porch of their cabin. He was hurt. His stomach hurt more than his leg. It twisted in knots for her. He was hurting for her because he knew what it was to loose your blood. He was hurting because she hit him. Whatever it was they had started between them hadn't mattered when she tried, and succeeded, to inflict pain on him. Glenn came out of the cabin and sat next to him.
"It'll be dark in a few hours, maybe you should try to get her up again."
"Maybe we just leave her be. If she wants to stay out all night laying on corpses the bitch can do it for all I care."
"You don't mean that."
"The fuck you know about what I mean or not?"
" 'Cause I know."
"It was just fuck, nuthin' more. Don't read too much in to it." Daryl left Glenn on the porch alone walking away from having to look at her.
Dusk was approaching. Carol decided to try again. Unlike the men she circled around and went toward her bowed head.
"Laina?" Carol announced her presents as she moved closer and crouched down. Laina ignored her. Her face buried between the necks of her father and sister. Carol reached out and stroked her head.
"Laina, you need to go inside. Maybe eat something. They need to be buried… I know it hurts." Rick and Hershel watched from a distance. Carol sat with Elaina for a long time. As the sun started to set Laina began to move. Her hand fondled at her father's hip removing his keys, she took her sister's as well. On her knees she stroked Leena's face and bent down and kissed her cheek.
Laina stood up weakly and walked towards Rick and Hershel. She threw the keys at his feet.
"Do whatever you want." And walked away and disappeared into the councilor building.