Disclaimer:
I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE WALKLING DEAD CHARACTERS! I ONLY OWN IMOGEN PELETIER! EVERYTHING ELSE BELONGS TO ROBERT KIRKMAN AND AMC. I'M AFRAID. HOPE YOU DO ENJOY. READING THIS BOOK.
Guts/Tell It To The Frogs
Theme song: What About Us by P!nk.
- Chirping of birds is heard throughout the entire camp as well as children's laughter as they're playing. The only child not playing is Imogen. She is sitting next to her mother as Carol is reading a book to her.
"Mummy, I'm just going to the toilet."
Imogen interrupts as she stands up to head to the toilet.
"Ok, sweetheart."
Carol replies with lighthearted smile on her face.
Imogen quickly walks over towards the RV and rushes into the RV's toilet. When she finishes her business, she washes her hands and walks out.
As soon as she walks RV's bathroom she sees Dale searching near the drivers seat. She notices him moving some stuff around.
"Mr Dale, are you ok?"
Imogen questions him.
"Oh! Hey, Imogen. Yes I'm fine. I'm just looking a box. You haven't seen it, have you?"
Dale quizzes the young girl.
"No, Mr Dale."
Imogen answers honestly to his question.
Carol sees her daughter coming back towards her. Imogen smiles at her mother as she sits down next her. Carol picks up the book and continues where they left off just before Imogen went to the toilet.
Lori is helping out with putting up the washing. Dale then comes back out of the RV with box and begins to work on the engine of the RV.
Amy is wondering up and down next to the RV. While Shane is teaching Carl how to do knots with a rope. Meanwhile Sophia is playing around with Eliza and Louis as they are both starting to worry about
"That hose isn't long for this world, is it?"
Dale questions Jimmy.
"No, sir."
Jimmy replies in a monotone voice.
"Where the hell are we gonna find a replacement?"
Dale questions himself.
Amy then begins to worry about the other half of the group who are still in Atlanta. Dale tells her stop worrying about it and that they'd be back before she knows it. That's when CB begins to speak again for the second time on this day.
"Hello, base camp?"
The CB speaks.
"Can anybody out there hear me?"
It speaks again.
Everyone rushes towards the CB. Sophia rushes over to her mother and sister while Eliza and Louis rush over to their mother. Amy rushes towards the RV. On the end of the CB is T-Dog a member of the group who had went on the run.
"Base camp, this is T-Dog. Can anybody hear me?"
T-Dog asks through the CB.
"Hello? Hello? Reception's bad on this end. Repeat, repeat."
Dale says through CB.
"Shane, is that you?"
T- Dog quizzes through the CB.
"Is that them?"
Lori asks Dale.
"We're in some deep shit. We're trapped in the department store."
T-Dog informs them all.
"He say they're trapped?"
Shane asks Dale.
"Geeks all over the place. Hundreds of 'em. We're surrounded."
T-Dog adds.
"T-Dog, repeat that last. Repeat."
Dale ventures down the CB.
The radio goes silent and crackles. Sophia and Imogen hold onto their mother as do Eliza and Louis who look around with frightened eyes. Lori keeps a hold of Carl as they realize that they could be loosing some people in the camp very soon.
Amy looks around with bewildering eyes. She looks like she could have a breakdown at any minute. Her sister, Andrea, is with that group.
"He said the department store?"
Lori asked Dale.
"I heard it too."
Dale replies to Lori.
"Shane?"
Lori questions him.
"No way. We do not go after them. We do not risk the rest of the group, y'all know that."
Shane insists.
"So, we're just gonna leave her there?"
Amy demands Shane.
"Look, Amy. I know that this is not easy."
Shane starts.
"She volunteered to go to help the rest of us."
Amy protests Shane.
"I know, and she knew the risks, right? See, if she's trapped, she's gone. So, we just have to deal with that. There's nothingbwe can do."
Shane expresses his thoughts.
"She's my sister, you son of a bitch."
Amy hisses as she storms off away from the rest of the group, mostly Shane.
Imogen and Sophia look at each other not knowing what to do. Shane asks Carol if Imogen and Sophia want to play with Carl while he figures out what's going and while Lori is helping out with Amy.
Carl, Sophia and Imogen are playing with Cars that Carl bought with him. Imogen starts to plays with a red car. Sophia is playing with a yellow car while Carl is playing with a blue car. They were racing with each other.
About half an hour into them playing, Lori called Carl over a hair cut. The girls run over towards their mother and sit next her. Imogen rushes towards her tent and grabs her hairbrush. She rushes back towards her mother.
"Mama, could you brush my hair?"
Imogen asks Carol.
"Sure, baby."
Carol responds with a small smile.
Carol begins to brush Imogen hair. Lori begins to cut Carl's hair but he moves around in her arms. Shane begins to laugh at Carl as he moves around. Dale is wonder about on the roof top of the RV, when Shane begins to speak.
"Baby, the more you fidget, the longer it takes, so don't, OK?"
Lori reasons with Carl.
"I'm trying."
Carl exclaims.
"Well, try harder."
Lori responds.
"If you think this is bad, wait till you start shaving. That stings."
Shane jokes.
"That day comes, you'll be wishing for one of your mama's haircuts."
Shane adds with a smirk.
"I'll believe that when I see it."
Carl utters with saracasm.
"Tell you what, you just get through this with some manly dignity, and tomorrow I'll teach you something special. Including you two girls."
Shane sugguests with a smile as you looks towards Sophia and Imogen.
"I will teach all three of you how to catch frogs."
Shane responds.
The girls and Carl gasp in amazement and happiness. This will keep all three kids busy tomorrow after their tiredsome day of learning and playing. Imogen sits still as Carol continues with brushing her hair.
"Now, little madam. How would you like your hair today?"
Carol asks in a funny voice.
"In pigtails please."
Imogen responds with a giggle.
"Immy, what happened to your cheek?"
Sophia asks her.
"I feel over a stick and it hit me in the face."
Imogen replies making an excuse for her fathers bruising her face.
"Its a one time offer, you three, not to be repeated."
Shane insists with a smile on his face as he talked to the three.
"Why do we need frogs, plural?"
Carl asks Shane with a look as if to say the hell you on about frogs for.
"You ever eat frog legs?"
He questions all three of the children with a curious look.
"Mommy, what's frog legs?"
Imogen asks her mother.
"Frog legs are what the French eat, baby. They taste horrible at first but once you've had them a few times they're nice."
Carol responds with a giggle.
"Mummy, why do-"
Imogen is cut off by a loud siren.
Everyone quickly scrambles to the feet and make their way over to Dale for the second time that day. Dale holds is binoculars up and looks through them. Imogen holds onto her mother as the siren comes closer.
As the car comes to a stop, Glenn gets out with a hugeass smile on his face. Imogen runs over and hugs him. Glenn lifts Imogen up and holds her as everyone begins to ask question.
"Sorry. Got a cool car."
Glenn says as everything quitens down.
After he say that a truck makes its way towards the camp. Imogen looks closer to see if she can see whose in the truck. But she couldn't see. Glenn puts her down and Imogen runs to her mother who holds her close.
Sophia holds her sisters hand as they wait to see who has returned and who hasn't returned. T-Dog, Jacqui, Andrea and Morales get out of the truck. The one person who doesn't is Merle.
"How'd y'all get out of there anyway?"
Shane questions the group which have just came back.
"New guy, he got us out."
Glenn replies to Shane's question.
"New guy?"
Shane quizzes the group.
"Yeah, crazy vato just got into town. Hey, Helicopter boy, come say hello."
Morales yells at the new guy.
The new guy gets out of the truck and slowly makes his way towards the group. Everyone looks towards him. There is a gasp heard from little Carl as looks towards the new guy. He takes off running towards the new guy and yells:
"Dad!"
Lori and Carl run towards him. Imogen looks at her friend with a small smile on her face. Everyone looks at the family reunion with giant smiles on their faces.
Once night time comes, everyone goes and sits together near the camp all for except Sophia, Imogen, Carol and Ed. They seat away from the rest of the group. They were eating some food. Imogen is sitting close to her mother and sister away from her father.
"Disoriented. I guess that comes closest. Disoriented. Fear, confusion, all those things, but disoriented comes closest."
Rick Grimes words float throughout the campsite.
"Words can be meagre things. Sometimes they fall short."
Dale mutters.
"I felt like I'd been ripped out of my life and put somewhere else. For a while I thought I was trapped in some coma dream, something I mught not wake up from, ever."
Rick informs the group around him.
"Mom said you died."
Carl informs his dad quietly.
"She had every reason to believe that. Don't you ever doubt it."
Rick tells his son.
"When things started to get really bad, they told me at the hospital, that thdy were gonna Medevac you and the other patients to Atlanta and it never happened."
Lori stutters to her husband.
"I'm not surprised after Atlanta fell."
Rick wonders.
"Yeah."
Lori mutters.
"And from the look of that hospital, it got overrun."
Rick confesses.
"Yeah, looks don't deceive. I barely got them out, you know?"
Shane mutters.
"I can't tell you how grateful I am to you, Shane."
Rick comforts his best friend with them words.
"I can't begin to express it."
Rick adds.
As this conversation continues, Ed gets up and places another log into the fire. Shane looks up and sees that Ed has made the fire bigger. He sighs and looks at the man.
"Hey, Ed, you want to rethink that log?"
Shane quizzes the man.
"Its cold, man."
Ed complains at Shane.
"The cold don't change the rules, does it?"
Shane ventures at Ed.
"Keep our fires low, just embers, so we can't be seen from a distance, right?"
Shane adds.
"I said, its cold. You should mind your own business for once."
Ed snaps at Shane.
Shane gets up and walks over to the family. Imogen and Sophia are clinging to each other with fear and Carol is just sitting there staring at Ed with pleading eyes. Ed glares at the other man as he makes his way over.
"Ed, sure you want to have this conversation, man?"
Shan questioned the man once more.
"Go on, pull that thing out. Go on!"
Ed demands at Carol.
"Christ!"
Shane mutters as he notices how Sophia and Imogen cower in fright.
He stamps on log to make sure its put out right. He then makes his way over towards the girls and their mother. Imogen looks at the man with fear in her eyes.
"Hey, Carol, Sophia, Imogen, how are y'all those evening?"
He asks the trio.
"Fine! We're just fine."
Carol responds to his question while glaring at her husband.
"Ok."
Shane mutters.
"I'm sorry about the fire."
Carol apologizes to Shane.
"No, no, no, no apology needed."
Shane insists at the older woman.
"Y'all have a good night, Ok?"
Shane adds.
"Ok."
Carol replies hugging Imogen closer as soon as Shane left.
Ed smirks at Carol when Shane leaves. Carol just hugs Imogen closer. Imogen lets out a yawn as does Sophia.
"Right, you two. Lets get to bed."
Carol announces as she lifts Imogen up onto her hip.
"Ok, mom."
Sophia says she gets up as well.
Ed follows behind his wife. Sophia helps her mom get Imogen into the sleeping bag. Then Sophia gets into her sleeping bag. The two of them fall asleep straight away. Carol and Ed quietly argue amongst each other then Ed slaps Carol. Again. Carol falls asleep silently crying.
"Mama, its time to get up."
Imogen rushes as she shakes awake her mother.
"I'm awake, sweetie."
Carol says with a sleepy smile.
Imogen rushes out of the tent back to her sister and Carl. Eliza and Louis then join the three other children with deciding who is gonna be the person to tag someone. They then decided it would Carl.
Once Carol comes out of her tent, she avoids Ed who glares in her direction. Carol went out her way to clean and iron Rick's clothes as a thank you. Imogen and Sophia run over to their mother so do Carl, Eliza and Louis.
"Mummy, can we go and play now?"
Imogen asks her mother.
"Of course you can. But remember if you see anything to scream and shout for you."
Sophia and Imogen say in union.
Both girls run off and join the other three. They all begin running around but stayed near the camp. About 15 minutes later its Sophia's turn to tag someone when she hears her sister scream. She rushes over as do the the other children. They all begin scream as well.
"Mama! Papa! Dad! Mom! Mommy!"
Could be heard from the children.
Carol, Rick, Lori, Glenn, Amy, Andrea, Shane, Jim and Dale all begin to run towards the sound. Imogen runs into her mothers arm as well as Sophia. Imogen sobs in her mother's arms as she thinks about what she just saw.
"Nothing bit you or scratched you?"
Carol asks both girls.
"No, mama."
Both girls answer with sniffles.
Lori and Carol lead the group back to the RV. Carol carries Imogen all the way back as he won't stop crying. Carol places her at the back RV where Imogen begins to calm down. Sophia sits beside her sister as Carol and Lori head back outside the RV as the rest show with Daryl Dixon in front of them.
"Daryl, just slow up a bit, I need to talk to you."
Shane advised Daryl.
"About what?"
Daryl quizzes Shane.
"About Merle. There was a - there was a problem in Atlanta."
Shane announces.
"He dead?"
Daryl questions Shane.
"We're not sure."
Shane replies.
"He either is or he ain't!"
Daryl snaps.
"No easy way to say this, so, I'll just say it."
Rick says walking up to Daryl.
"Who are you?"
Daryl asks Rick.
"Rick Grimes."
He responds.
"Rick Grimes, you got something you want to tell me?"
Daryl questions Rick.
"Your brother was a danger to us all, So I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there."
Rick informs Daryl.
"Hold on. Let me process this. You're saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof And you left him there?!"
Daryl exclaims.
Daryl then lunges at Shane and Rick. Both men throw Daryl onto the floor. Daryl grabs a knife from his pocket. Shane places Daryl into a headlock while Rick grabs the knife and throws it onto the ground.
"Choke hold's illegal."
Daryl exclaims as he brought down to the floor.
"You can file a complaint."
Shane expresses as he keeps a hold on Daryl.
"Come on, man, we'll keep this up all day."
Shane adds.
"I'd like to have a calm discussion on this topic."
Rick instructs Daryl.
"Do you think we can manage that? Do you think we can manage that?"
Rick repeats the question.
"Yeah!"
Daryl replies timidly.
Daryl then begins to calm down. Imogen stands in front Eliza but behind Carl. Carl places his arms in front of Imogen and Louis to stop them from going any near the scene.
"What I did was not on a whim. Your brother does not work and play well with others."
Rick informs Daryl of his thoughts on his brother, Merle.
"It's not Rick's fault. I had the key. I dropped it."
T-Dog comments.
"You couldn't pick it up?"
Daryl questions T-Dog.
"Well, I dropped it in a drain."
T-Dog stammers.
Daryl scoffs as he picks himself up off the floor. Lori looks inside the RV and sees all the kids in the door way. Imogen looks at Lori with curious eyes.
Everyone moves their attention back to Daryl as moves to the middle of the camp, he notices everyone looking at him.
"If it's supposed to make me feel better, it don't."
Daryl scoffs.
"Look, I chained the door to the roof So the geeks couldn't get at him - With a padlock."
T-Dog suggests.
"It's gotta count for something."
Rick tries to convince Daryl.
"Hell with all y'all! Just tell me where he is So's I can go get him."
Daryl instructs the group.
"He'll show you. Isn't that right?"
Lori asks her husband.
"I'm going back."
Rick announces to the whole group.
Lori looks down and walks into the RV. She notices all the kids have settled around the table and begin to play a game of Monopoly. Since Imogen is young, she can't play as she doesn't understand the rules.
When everything has calmed down, all kids including Imogen went and took part in getting all the dirty laundry. Imogen sighs as she hears Shane arguing with Rick over going back to Atlanta.
"Sophia, do you think some bad will happen Carl's daddy?"
Imogen asks innocently.
"No. Why?"
Sophia questions her sister.
"I was just wondering."
Imogen lies to her sister.
"I know, you're lying, Immy. What's really wrong?"
Sophia interrogates her sister.
"I wish Carl's daddy was our daddy. He seems nicer and less nasty and rude."
Imogen confesses.
"Immy, did he hit you?"
Sophia demands.
"No."
Imogen answers quickly.
"Immy!"
Sophia pushes her sister to answer.
"Yeah! He hit me. I don't know what I did to make him mad at me."
Imogen confesses once again.
Sophia sighs and looks at her sister. Sophia grabs her and brings her in for a hug. Their moment is interrputed by Carol hurrying them up. Sophia and Imogen walk out the tent with the dirty washing which has being hanging around.
Amy and Andrea took the baskets away from the young girls. Shane shouts the two girls over as well as Carl. All of them wander down to the quarry. Imogen sits on the rock next to Shane as the older children were in the water.
"We're not getting anything."
Carl and Sophia say in unison.
"Yeah. Being all wily, staying submerged. Little suckers, they know something's up. That's what's going on. We're just gonna have to do this the old fashioned way."
Shane explains to Sophia and Carl.
Shane grabs a bucket and walks into the water. All three kids look at him as if he has three heads. Shane walks back over to the kids and picks up Imogen.
"Hey, Carol."
Shane calls towards the women.
"Yeah."
She yells back.
"Is Imogen allowed to get soaking for this experiment?"
Shane asks Carol.
"Of course. She said she wants to help catch frogs. So she can get wet."
Carpl replies.
"Thanks."
Shane says as he throws Imogen carefully into the quarries water.
Sophia and Imogen begin to giggle away when Imogen reappears back to surface. She moves her hair away from her face and glares at her sister and friend.
"Now! Me and Imogen are gonna scare these bad boys closer to you two see, all right?"
Shane instructs the two older ones.
"Yeah!"
The three kids reply.
"Hells yeah. Give me all your mean faces. Yes, people. Are you ready? Here we go, kids."
Shane quizzes them all.
Shane and Imogen begin to splash around the place. Carl, Imogen and Sophia begin to giggle as they get water over them all. Shane notices how Sophia and Imogen have came out their shells.
As soon as the two older kids lift the fishing net up, there isn't anything in it. All the kids sigh in disappointment.
Shane looks round and sees the disappointment in each childs face. Just before the fun could start again, Lori interrupt them all.
"Hey, Carl, what did I tell you about not leaving Dale's sight?"
Lori asks.
"But Shane said we could catch frogs."
Carl tries to explain to his mother.
"It doesn't matter what Shane says. It matters what I sa. Go back to camp. You too, girls."
Lori tells the kids.
"Immy, you go put some new and warm clothes on."
Lori advises the younger one of trio.
"Ok, Lori."
Imogen replies as Sophia holds a hand out to her younger sibling.
As the three take off, they could hear Shane and Lori arguing. Then they could hear footsteps behind them. Lori follows behind them when she hears shouting and screaming behind her.
As she turns around she notices Ed slapping Carol. Lori quickly ushers the kids up to the camp. Sophia takes her sister to the tent and grabs some dry clothes. Lori helps to get Imogen dry and helps to put dry clothes her.
"Now, do you want to play with Sophia and Carl or would you like to me to read you a book?"
Lori asks Imogen.
"Could you read me a story please?"
Imogen replies politely.
"Of course. What book are you and your mama reading?"
Lori asks her.
"Alice in Wonderland."
Imogen answers as she grabs the book from her bag.
"Lets read it then. It might take my mind off some stuff as well as you, sweetie."
Lori assures herself and Imogen.
¬
Xxx
What did guys think of this chapter. Anyways, tell me if you think that Imogen should tell Lori or someone else in the group about Ed hitting her.