Chapter one: Tell it to the frogs
"Alexandra!" My mother's voice echoed from behind me. I turned to where she was to see her sitting, my little brother Carl in front of her and my dad's best friend and my mother's "Lover" or whatever, Shane next to them. I raised my eyebrows, I don't think they knew, that I knew what was going on between them because they didn't say anything but I knew and it really annoyed me. I had always been a daddy's girl, don't get me wrong I loved my mom more than anything but I'd always been a lot closer with my dad...that was before...he uh got shot.
I shook myself from my thoughts "Yeah mom?"
"Haircut" She nodded with a smile.
A hair what? Did she actually just say haircut? I can't believe I'm hearing this. I'm seventeen I don't need a haircut and what was the point? Who was gonna care about my hair in the messed up world we lived in? I folded my arms "But-"
"No but's..come on" My mom said demanding.
"You're cutting Carl's hair" I said frowning.
"Just get over here Lex" Shane said.
I internally screamed at the two of them. I didn't need my hair cut...I'd had it cut the day my dad got shot..I sighed and stomped over to them and sat down on the log, which eventually began to hurt my butt. Carl began to fidget.
"Baby the more you fidget the longer it takes..so don't okay?" My mom said to Carl.
"I'm trying" he huffed.
"Well try harder"
"You want me to cut your hair?" I grinned.
"No" he said quickly and I made a face at him.
"if you think this is bad, wait til you start shaving" Shane said. "It stinks...that day comes you'll be wishin for your momma's haircuts"
"Believe that when I see it" Carl said.
Shane let out a chuckle as he fiddled with his gun.
"Tell you what, you just get through this with some manly dignity" Shane said "And tomorrow, I'll teach you something special, I'll teach you how to catch frogs"
"We've caught a frog before" I said with a smile.
"I said frogs, plural and it's not to be taken lightly" Shane said. "There are ways and needs and few people know about it"
Jackass trying to be smart, my mom was just grinning like a child at him.
"I'm willing to share my secrets" Shane said and glanced at my mom again.
Carl turned to look at her and she made a gesture in defense "I'm a girl, talk to him"
"It's a one time offer bud, not to be repeated" Shane said looking at his stupid gun.
"what do we need frogs for..." Carl asked.
"You ever eat a frog's legs?" Shane asked.
"eww" Carl said.
"No, yum!" Shane said.
"I'd eat a frog" I nodded.
"You'd eat anything" Carl said.
I grinned at him "Food's food little man" I nodded. But yes my little brother was right, I probably would eat anything..especially now, I even ate the squirrels that Daryl brought back from huntin' every third day, Daryl was gone just now, just like his older brother Merle who was in Atlanta.
"You three are disgusting" My mom laughed.
Carl and I laughed and Shane grinned "When you get down to that last can of beans you're gonna be loving those frog legs, lady. I can see it now" Shane said and then began putting on a voice "Shane, do you think I could have a second helping, please? Just one?"
I laughed "He got you right to a T" I said pointing at my mom. She sent a half glare my way before smirking.
"Yeah, I doubt that"
"Don't listen to her guys" Shane said "You two and me, we'll be heroes. We'll feed these folks Cajun style Kermit legs"
"I would rather eat miss piggy" My mom said.
"Gross" I said making a face and Carl grinned.
"Yes, that came out wrong" My mom said laughing.
"Didn't know you were into that kind of stuff" Shane said with a grin.
"Shut up Shane" My mom said.
"Don't listen to her, we'll be heroes spoken of in song and legend. Shane, Carl and Lex" He said laughing. My mom made a face and laughed herself.
The two of them were making googly eyes at each other and I cocked an eyebrow, Shane saw me frowning at him and looked away. I then looked to my mom who gave me a smile. I sighed huffily and folded my arms. They could at least be a little more secretive about it, I think the fact that bothered me the most...was that my dad hadn't been dead that long and my mom was sleeping with his best friend, someone who had been like a brother to him and he'd always been like an uncle to Carl and myself.
"Shane!" A voice shouted.
"Talk to me Dale" Shane said getting up and stalking off.
It was then that I could hear it, a loud noise and everyone moved to see what was going on. At least now that everyone was distracted I didn't need to get a haircut but my mom turned to me as if reading my thought's.
"You'll get one later"
I sighed heavily and rolled my eyes at her, she gave me a look and I made a face when she turned her back.
"You keep doin' that your face will stay that way" Shane said to me nudging me.
I shoved him back and stuck my tongue out at him. "Whatever"
"Well I'll be damned" Dale said as we walked over by him.
"What is it?" Amy asked.
"A stolen car is my guess" Dale replied.
As Shane walked past Amy she drew him a dirty look, not that he noticed at all. She was pissed at him because he'd said her sister Andrea was as well as dead in that city with everyone else, like T-Dog, Glenn, Morales, Jacqui and Merle...god I hoped they were okay. Honestly I couldn't blame Amy for being worried and pissed about it.
That was when Glenn got out of the noisy car with a huge grin on his face and I stood by my mom and Carl, with a smile too.
"Turn that damn thing off!" Dale shouted as they walked over to him.
From then everything began to go frantic, Amy was going frantic, Shane was the same and so was everyone else. Amy was shouting about Andrea. That was when a huge big white cube van drove up.
Andrea got out of the back with Morales, T-Dog, and Jacqui and they all reunited with their families. I looked down at Carl who was now trying hard not to cry.
"Come on sweetie" My mom said as he watched everyone huddle together. I frowned and followed them.
"I know you miss your dad...Listen..everything's fine" My mom said. No everything is not fine. Carl and I are minus a dad and you're doing the funky business and having sex with Shane.
"She's right Carl" I nodded agreeing with her anyway "It's gonna be ok"
"I miss dad" He said sniffling.
"Me too" I said crouching down.
"We all do" My mom said. Really? Didn't seem that way to me.
"hey Helicopter boy! Come say hello!" Morales shouted.
Helicopter boy? Who was helicopter boy? Didn't everyone moan about having new people brought into the group...even though that hadn't happened for weeks. I turned my head to see who they were talking about and I stood to get a better look but what I saw made my heart almost died on me. No..how was it? how was he... WHAT THE FUCK?!
"Dad!" I shouted in complete surprise.
Carl and mom looked too "Dad!" Carl screamed and he began running towards him. "DAD!" we both screamed again. I sprinted after him, tears spilling over, I never thought it would be as good as this to see him again..well I never thought I would see him again. He caught Carl and I ran into him straight after, he let out sobs. I clung to his shirt and began to cry. He kissed the side of Carl's head and then kissed my forehead. Was he really here? Or was I dead now too? Shane had told us he'd died...
My mom was then behind me and my dad cradled her too, and the four of us had the most loveable family hug in like...forever...I can't remember the last time I actually hugged my dad...way before he got shot. I hadn't cried this much either since I was about Carl's age and that was because my dog, Indie died. I clung to the back of his shirt, not wanting to let go not now and not ever too scared in case he vanished in front of me.
Later that night everyone was sitting around a camp fire, Carl was lying back on my dad's legs and I was sitting beside him, cuddle into his side like a five year old child. Well..what do you want me to do? I missed him. My mom was sitting at the other side of him as everyone talked. I glanced at Shane was just sort of staring at my mom and at my dad. I felt bad for him...but at the same time why had he told us my dad was dead? Why would he do that? Was it just a whole thing so he could get my mom to himself? I wasn't sure but eventually he'd have to get over the fact that my dad was back and my mom loved him...at least...I think she did. She did didn't she? who am I kidding, of course she did, he was her husband.
"Disorinted" My dad said and I looked up at him "I guess that comes closest, disoriented, fear, confusion, all those things, but disoriented comes closest"
I let out a low sigh and stroked Carl's head, he gave me a quick grin before leaning back against my dad's legs.
"Words can be meaner things" Dale said. "Sometimes they fall short"
"I felt like I'd been ripped outta my life, put somewhere else" My dad said "For a while I thought I was trapped in some coma, a dream something I might not wake up from. Ever"
"Mom said you died" Carl breathed out slightly.
I looked down at him and then at my mom who sighed slightly.
"She had every right to believe that" My dad said "Don't you ever doubt it"
Shane was staring right at my mom and he caught me staring back at him and he looked away.
"When things started to get really bad, they told me at the hospital that they were gonna meninbact you and the other patients to Atlanta" My mom said "and it never happened"
"Well I'm not surprised after Atlanta fell" My dad said and he squeezed my shoulder slightly and I was half asleep when he did this "by the looks of it the hospital got overrun"
"Looks don't deceive" Shane said.
I could feel my eyes closing slightly but I managed to keep myself awake, I didn't want to go to sleep, not yet.
"I barely got them out" He said.
"You don't know how grateful I am to ya Shane" My dad said, you're not gonna be soon "can't begin to express it"
"There go those words, falling short again" Dale said.
I saw Ed Peltier, Carol's husband and Sophia's dad move and put more logs in the fire.
"Hey Ed" Shane said. "You rethink that log"
"It's cold man" Ed replied.
"Cold don't change the rules, We keep our fires low, amber so we can't be seen from a distance" Shane replied snarkly.
"I said it's cold" Ed snapped back "Why don't you mind your own business for once"
The guy was a dick, I didn't like him. I don't think Carol or even Sophia liked him to be honest. I liked Carol and Sophia, Carl seemed to have a little crush on Sophia and I'm pretty sure she had one back...which was too cute.
Shane made a face and got up, heading over to Ed, I didn't really like where this was going. Shane wasn't really in a good state of mind in all honesty, and if something was said wrongly or a face was pulled Shane would explode. He whispered some things and we all sat in silence and Carol moved pulling the log from the fire and she sat back down next to Sophia.
Shane spoke to them for another minute and then made his way back over to us he sat down again and sighed.
"Have you given any thought about Daryl Dixon?" Dale said and I looked over at him when he mentioned Daryl "He's not gonna be happy to hear his brother was left behind" He was right. Dad was so not gonna be in Daryl's good books...I mean Daryl was badass with that crossbow and the sleeveless shirts and the...better stop rambling in my head now.
"I'll tell him" T-Dog said "I dropped the key, it's on me"
I felt bad for T-Dog, he and Merle would never see eye to eye due to the whole racism thing but that didn't mean that T would see him dead, he was too much of a good guy to do that.
"I did it" My dad said and I looked up at him "That means it's on me"
"It's not a competition" Glenn said "and I don't mean to bring racism into it but, maybe it's better he hears it from a white guy"
"I did what I did" T said "Hell if I'm gonna hide from it"
"We could lie" Amy said and I grinned at her, she had the same thoughts as me, I loved this girl we got on like a house on fire. Well she was only like four or five years older than me.
"Or tell the truth" Andrea said. "Merle was outta control something had to be done or he would've gotten us killed, your husband did what was necessary, there's nobody to blame but Merle"
"And that's what we tell Daryl?" Dale asked "I don't think there's a rational discussion to be had from that do you? word to the wise, we're gonna hae our hands full when he gets back from this hunt"
"I was scared, and I ran, I'm not ashamed of it" T said.
"We were all scared" Andrea said "We all ran, what's your point?"
"I stopped long enough to chain that door, stair case is narrow, maybe if twenty of 'em geeks pressed against it at one time it wouldn't break, not that chain, not that padlock" T said "my point is, Dixon's alive, he's still up there, handcuffed to that roof, that's on us" He said getting up and stalking off.
After another while we went into the tent, I was lying beside Carl and my dad was over the top of us.
"We missed you" Carl said. "We thought you.." Carl couldn't finish.
"I found you" My dad said.
"I love you dad" Carl said.
He smiled at him "I love you Carl, and you Lexi"
"I love you too" I said with a smile, my eyes fluttering. "Don't ever leave us again"
"I won't" he replied.
"Promise" Carl said.
"I promise"
He kissed Carl's head and then kissed my cheek and I shut my eyes, Carl suddenly hugged me under the coves and I grinned like a child. I had always loved sharing a bed with Carl, he was just so small and cute. I listened to them for a minute.
"I found you all" my dad's voice said.
"yeah" my mom replied. I bit back the urge to sigh.
"I knew I would"
"how did you know, muppet?" She asked. I wanted to laugh, it had always been my dad's word for Carl and me when we were younger.
"No I knew" Dad said "Walking into our home, finding a empty house, finding you three gone"
"I'm so sorry" My mom said.
"I knew you were alive"
"How?" My mom's voice cracked.
"Photo's were gone, all the family albums" my dad said.
I could hear movement and then laughter.
"I told you so" my dad said.
"Now you're getting cocky huh?" My mom asked in a hushed whisper.
Okay, so now was definitely the time for me to go to sleep and eventually I did.
When I woke up it was just my dad and me in the tent, I sat up and rubbed my eyes and saw movement. My mom peaked her head in and showed me clean clothes and motioned for me to come out. I nodded and quietly made my way out the tent.
"Come on, you get changed and then you go a walk with Carl, Sophia and Jacqui, keep an eye on your brother"
"Okay" I nodded just before she was about to walk off I stopped her "Mom"
"What is it Lexi?" She asked.
"Are you..." I couldn't find the words "You know what" I smiled "Never mind"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, positive" I nodded and she gave my forehead a quick kiss before moving off towards the quarry. I moved behind a tree and quickly got changed, and handing my clothes to my mom who had obviously came back up to get them. She gave me a warm smile before heading away again.
I quickly made my way over to Carl and Sophia who were talking normally.
"Well hello there" I said kneeling in front of them.
Carl looked up at me and gave me a grin and Sophia smiled back at me too.
"We going kids?" Jacqui asked.
"Yeah!" Carl and Sophia said at the same time and they got up, I followed them and walked beside Jacqui, Carl and Sophia walking just a little bit in front of us.
"What was it like?" I asked looking over at her.
"What?"
"Atlanta?" I asked.
"I'm not gonna lie to you child" She said with a frown "But it was horrible, overrun with walker's"
"Oh" I said "how did you find my dad?"
"He made his way in, got attacked by them and then shut himself in a tank" She said.
I rolled my eyes "Locked himself in a tank?"
"Yeah, Glenn gave him the courage to get him out"
"I'll need to thank Glenn for that later" I laughed.
She laughed too "He's a brave man, very, very brave" She said nodding.
"He's been through quite a lot" I nodded.
"That's what I mean" She said "He was shot, like your mother told me, then he woke up from a coma and missed the start of the apocalypse"
"Yes he did" I nodded. "He could always sleep for hours" I joked.
"You know, I had never met a teenager like you" She said.
"What do you mean?" I grinned.
"Well, every teenager I met usually were high or drunk..but of course then the world fell" She said "but you are very mature for your age"
"Comes naturally" I said with a grin.
"Obviously it does, you can be childish though I won't lie"
I laughed "I get that a lot"
Jacqui laughed again and we walked back around about the place and then came across a, walker munching on a deer. Jacqui let out a scream and Carl cried out for mom.
"Carl?! Lexi!" Her voice came back.
"DAD!" Carl yelled "MOM!"
"MOM!" Sophia cried.
I couldn't really tear my gaze away from the undead thing in front of me, but I turned anyway shoving Carl, Sophia and Jacqui in front just in case it got up. We all began moving faster away from it.
"BABY!" My mom's voice shouted "LEXI!"
We came face to face with them eventually and my mom pulled Carl into her and I watched as my Dad, Glenn, Jim, Shane, Morales and Dale vanished behind the trees. I went to go too but my mom grabbed my arm.
"You stay here" She said.
"But mom-" I tried.
"Alexandra I mean it" She said sternly.
I sighed and nodded and they all began walking, but when my mom's back was turned I turned and ran to where the walker had been, standing near Amy and Andrea. They were all beating the shit out of the walker..hadn't you to hit it in the head? I'd seen enough zombie movies to know this and honestly why didn't we use the word Zombie?
Dale finally decapitated it when everyone else had gotten it on the ground and I looked to Amy and Andrea who were staring in disgust.
"This is the first one we've had up here" Dale said "They never come this far up the mountain"
"Runnin' out of food in the city that's what" Jim said.
Nobody said anything and then the bushes began rustling behind them and my eyes widened, god I hope it wasn't another one of those walker's. But it wasn't and out walked Daryl and I grinned, god why was he so good looking, he was even better looking covered in grime and dirt...why am I such a freak? I mentally kicked myself, he's at least half my age he wouldn't even look at me like that. I rolled my eyes.
"Sum'bitch!" He snarled beginning to kick it "That's my deer! Look it. all gnawed on by this filthy, disease bearin, motherless poxy bastard"
"Calm down son, that ain't helpin" Dale said.
"What do you know about it old man?" Daryl spat "You take that stupid hat and go back to on the golden pond" He sighed slightly "Been trackin' this deer for miles, gonna drag it back to camp, was gonna cook s up some venison, think we can cut round this..chewed up part right here?"
"I would not risk that" Shane said.
"That's a damn shame" He huffed "Got some squirrel, that'll have to do"
He glanced at Andrea, then Amy, then at me and I looked away, feeling the blush creep up my neck and devour my face. Suddenly the walker's head began to move and I bit back a gag.
"Oh god" Amy said from in front of me.
"Come on people...what the hell?" Daryl asked. I cringed when he shot it and killed the thing "It's gotta be the brain don't ya'll know nothin'?"
He walked past and my dad seen me and gave a frown. "Come on" He said and moved in front of me, grabbing my arm. I knew instantly that mom was gonna be pissed at me...but oh well.
"Merle!" Daryl shouted and my face fell, oh dear. "Merle!" He shouted again "Get your ass out here, I got us some squirrel! Stew it up"
"Hey Daryl" Shane said "Slow up a bit gotta talk to you"
"ABout what?" Daryl asked stopping.
I stood beside my dad who was tense and ready for the blow coming from Daryl, because we all knew that he'd blow up when he found out.
"About Merle" Shane said "there was uh, a problem in Atlanta"
"he dead?" Daryl asked.
"not sure" Shane replied.
"He either is or he ain't!" Daryl spat.
"There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it" My dad said moving forward. My eyes widened.
"Who the hell are you?" Daryl asked.
"Rick Grimes"
"Rick Grimes?!" Daryl demanded making a face "You got somethin' you wanna tell me?"
"Your brother was a danger to us all" my dad said "So I handcuffed him on the roof, hooked him to a piece of metal, he's still there"
"Let me process this" Daryl spat, his voice filled with anger which began to raise "You handcuffed my brother to a roof? And you left him there?!"
"Yeah" My dad replied, sighing slightly.
Daryl glared heatedly at him trying to think of something to say or do and finally he flung the squirrels at my dad who dodged them easily, if I hadn't moved when I did, when my dad moved up to tell Daryl about Merle, i would'a been hit with them.
He then flung himself at him but Shane was quicker and he knocked Daryl off his feet, I spotted T coming back with logs of wood for the fire later on and he dropped them. Daryl got up, now holding a knife, and I gasped when he tried swinging it at my dad.
"Watch the knife" A voice said.
Shane managed to get Daryl into a chokehold, trying to keep him away from my dad.
"You best let me go!" Daryl spat struggling in Shane's grip.
"Nah, I think it's best if I don't" Shane replied.
"Chokehold's illegal!" Daryl spat again.
"Yeah well you can file a complaint" Shane said getting him onto the ground. Daryl just kept struggling against him "Come on man we can keep this all day"
My dad knelt forward "I'd like to have a calm discussion on the topic" A calm discussion? This was the good cop exterior. He was always the good cop. Shane was the bad cop, didn't care who got hurt. "Think we can manage that?" Daryl just breathed heavily in response "Think we can manage that?" Well he's not gonna answer if he's in that chokehold, he'll...oh right choke.
Shane eventually shoved Daryl onto the ground "What I did was not on a whim" My dad said "Your brother doesn't work or play well with others, he was a danger to us all"
"It's not Rick's fault" T said moving forward more "I had the key, I dropped it"
"You couldn't pick it up?!" Daryl growled.
"I dropped it down a drain" T said.
Daryl snorted "I chained the door, so no geeks could get at him"
"That's gotta count for something" My dad said.
Daryl didn't really know what to say and then he shook his head "Hell with all of ya'll!" He said and his voice cracked when he spoke again "Just tell me where he is, so I can go get 'im"
"He'll show you" My mom said motioning towards my dad "Isn't that right?"
I glared at the back of his head? He told me he wouldn't leave again! He promised!
"I'm going back" my dad replied nodding. My mom hung her head and walked into the RV. Did he really have a death wish? He must have he just got back and he's leaving again and this time he might not come back!
When everything sort of went back to normal and everyone was quiet he turned and caught me glaring. He just gave me a don't-start-look. I folded my arms and he walked off towards the tent and I followed him.
"You promised you wouldn't leave again" I said.
"I know that" he said and he turned to face me "I know"
"Then why are you leaving?"
"I can't just leave him up there" he said and he moved forward, I moved a step back. "Come on now Lexi, don't be that way"
"We thought you were dead" I said "For nearly two months now..you've been dead and then you come back just to leave again?"
"I have to"
"Why?"
"Because if he dies, that's on me"
"It's not your fault" I said with a stern look on my face which made him smile, he was quicker this time and he embraced me in a hug and I had to choke back the tears. "I don't want you to go.."
"I know" he sighed into my hair.
"Don't go daddy please" I begged.
"I have to Lexi, I have to"
I sighed and he rubbed the tears that had fallen when he moved back.
"Don't worry, I'll be coming back" he said. "I'll be coming back"
"But.."
"No but's alright? It'll be fine. I'll be gone a few hours, and then I'll be back"
"Promise"
"I promise" he said.
Just before they were leaving my dad and Shane were talking about Merle and I listened in.
"Well look, I-I don't, okay Rick, so could you just , could you just throw me a bone here man? Could you just tell me why? Why you would risk your life for a douchebag like Merle Dixon?" Shane asked.
"hey, choose your words more carefully next time!" Daryl growled at him, pointing the arrow.
"Oh no, I did" Shane nodded "Douchebag is what I meant" and then he turned to my dad again "Merle Dixon: guy wouldn't give you a glass of water if you were dyin' of thirst"
"What he would or wouldn't do doesn't intrest me. I can't let a man die of thirst and exposure. We left him like an animalcule in a trap, that's no way for anything to die, let alone a human being" My dad said.
"So you and Daryl, thats your...big plan?" My mom asked.
Rick turned and looked past me, I turned to see who it was he was looking at turned out to be Glenn.
"Aww, come on" Glenn huffed.
"You know the way. You been there before, in and out, no problem, you said so yourself. It's not fair of me to ask, I know that but I'd feel a lot better with you along. I know she would too"
"Well that's great" Shane said "So now you're gonna risk three men?"
"Four" T said speaking up.
"My day just keeps getting better and better" Daryl huffed.
T sighed and looked over at him "You see...anybody else steppin up to save your brother's cracker ass?"
"Why you?" Daryl asked.
"You wouldn't even begin to understand" T said "You don't speak my language"
"Four men?" Shane asked "You're puttin all of us at risk just know that Rick, We need everybody here, we need all the able bodies we got, you saw that walker, it was here, in the camp"
I did not find it amusing the way Shane was talking to my dad and I don't really think my mom did either but she agreed with him.
"To me it seems like what you need here is more guns" My dad said.
"That's right" Glenn nodded "The guns"
"What guns?" Shane asked.
"six shotguns, rifles, over a dozen handguns" My dad said. "I cleaned out the cage back home before I left, but I dropped them back in Atlanta when I got swarmed, 700 amo, rounds assorted" he said.
"You went through hell to try and find us, and now you've just gonna...gonna turn around and leave?!" My mom asked her voice edged with tears.
"Dad...I...I don't want you to go" Carl said.
Shane, my mom, dad and Carl looked to me.
"Don't look at me, he knows I don't want him to go" I said folding my arms and glaring at the floor, kicking the dirt with my worn out leather boots.
"To hell with the guns, Shane is right. Merle Dixon?" My mom asked "Isn't worth any of your lives not even with guns thrown in, Tell me, make me understand"
"I owe a debt" My dad said "I owe it to a man and his little boy. If they hadn't found me, taken me in I would've died. It's because of them that I made it back to you at all. they were gonna follow me to Atlanta, and they'll walk right into the same trap I did if I don't warn 'em"
"What's stopping you?" My mom asked.
"The walkie talkie, in the bag I dropped, he's got the other one, said we'd connect when he got closer"
"Is it our walkies?" Shane asked sitting down.
"Yeah.." my dad sighed.
"Use the CB" Andrea began "What's wrong with that?"
"CB's fine" Shane said "Don't match the connection, walkie's are a pile of crap go back to the seventies wouldn't even go with the ones in our cars"
"I need those guns" My dad said and he was silent for a minute "Okay?"
She frowned, but my mom nodded anyway.
They were gone and I was sitting with the women helping them wash clothes, I watched as the two of them laughed and tried catching the frogs, and Shane was telling Carl to get them.
"I do miss my mytag" Carol said sighing slightly talking about her washing machine.
I looked over at her and grinned "I miss my coffee maker, with that dual drip filter and built in grinder, honey" Jacqui said.
"I miss my Benz, my sat nav" Andrea said.
"I miss my computer, texting"
"I miss my house...my tv" I huffed. "My books...movies"
Andrea sighed with a laugh "I miss my vibrator"
"Oooohh" I cooed trying to bite back my laughter.
"Oh my god" Amy laughed.
Everyone looked over at her and then Carol looked behind her at Ed and then turned back "me too" Then we all burst out laughing, hysterical laughter.
"What's so funny?" Ed's voice asked.
"Just swapping war stories Ed" Andrea said.
I turned to look at him as he walked down and he stared at us all like we were shit, why did Carol put up with that? The man was a complete ass.
"Problem Ed?" Andrea asked.
"Nothing that concerns you!" He snapped "You wanna put some back into the work..this ain't no comedy club"
Andrea scoffed and went back to cleaning the clothes.I looked over to see my mom approach Carl and Shane, scolding them about something. She shooed Carl away and then turned back to Shane and I strained to hear what it was she was saying but I caught some of it.
"You stay away from me, you stay away from my son and my daughter! You don't talk to them, you don't look at them. From now on my family is off limits to you" My mom growled at him.
"He's my best friend...you think I'm not happy about that?" he asked.
"How dare you! My husband is back! He is alive! You are the one who told me that he died!" She stormed away from him and Shane was left standing, looking distraught. My mom got Carl and the two of them were walking past.
"You come back up soon" She said to me.
I nodded "Sure"
She walked off and I saw Shane watching the two of them and I sighed looking down. Ed was still standing, which was pissing everyone off.
"Ed tell you what" Andrea said getting up "You don't like how your laundry is done, then you are more than welcome to pitch in and do it yourself" She said "Here" and she threw his wet shirt at him.
"Andrea don't" Amy said quickly.
"Do my job missy" Ed replied.
"What is your job Ed?" Andrea asked "sitting on your ass smoking cigarettes all day?"
"Well it sure ain't listening to some uppity smart mouthed bitch" he snapped "tell you what...come on"
Carol moved and Andrea stopped her "I don't think she needs to go anywhere with you"
"I say it's nothing to do with you" Ed spat back "you heard me, come on"
Andrea tried to stop Carol "Please Andrea"
"Carol just-" Andrea said.
"Come on now" He said "Don't think I won't knock you on your ass because you're some college educated coose, come on now or you're gonna regret it later"
"So she can show back up to camp with fresh bruises again?" I snapped. "Cause we've all seen 'em"
"You stay out of it little missy!" He snapped pointing his finger at me, in anger, I knew I shouldn't have but I slapped his finger away. "Come on now!"
"Leave her alone" Andrea said.
"I'm done promoting bull here, now I am done talking...come on!" He snapped at her while glaring at me.
"Please just.." Carol tried but nobody was for having any of it.
"No Carol" Andrea said "I'll te-"
"No I'll tell you what!" Ed shouted "I'll tell you what!"
He slapped Carol and she fell back, everyone began screaming at him and I gasped and moved forward shoving him, completley without thinking.
"You can't put your hands on her!" I snarled.
"You don't touch me!" He growled back and he lifted his hand at me and struck, i didn't feel much to begin with but then it began to sting. The dick had hit me...he hit me!
"COME HERE!" A voice growled when Amy helped me up.
Carol looked over to me in apology and I put my hand up telling her not to.
"Let go of me!" Ed screamed and he was far enough away from us that I realised it was Shane who had a hold of him.
He began punching him repeatedly in the face and Carol was begging him not too.
"Shane stop!" Everyone shouted.
Amy had her arms wrapped around me as I watched in shock as Shane just kept pummeling him. This was him ventilating his anger. He stopped and pulled Ed's face close to his.
"You put your hands on your wife, your little girl or anyone in this camp again I will not stop talk next time do you hear me?" Shane demanded "Do you hear me?"
"Yes"
"I will beat you to death Ed!" he growled and stood, kicking him.
Andrea finally let go of Carol when Shane walked away and Carol ran over to him, telling him how sorry she was. Shane looked over at me "You come with me!"
Amy let go of me and I quickly moved in front of him, he stopped us half way up the hill "let me see"
I faced him and he growled looking back down the hill "It's fine, I'm okay, I shouldn't have provoked him"
"You were doing' what you thought was right, you stay back from him you hear"
I nodded quickly "Yeah"
"Good, go back up there, tell your mom what happened, I'll deal with him"
"Don't you done enough" i said nodding.
"Not nearly enough Lex alright just go back up"
He turned and went the opposite direction from men and I walked back up to camp. God why wasn't my dad here? I wanted my dad. I walked up and my mom noticed me straight away. I think the shock of someone actually hitting me...hit me. I ran to her, and she cuddled me.
"What happened?"
I shook my head "Ed...he hit Carol...and he..."
"Did he hit you?" My mom asked my eyes wide.
I nodded and she frowned, pushing me back and gripping my face, she stared at me for a minute "Oh baby" she cooed and pulled back into her. I sobbed slightly but I just wanted my family back together again and I wanted it now.
But now all we had to do was wait...