Ok sorry for the delay folks been flat out working! But here's a bit of random writings.
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Peace and Merry Christmas!
Chapter Four
"Ya aint doin' me no favors Maddie" Daryl gathered up the eight year olds honey brown locks and tied them into a messy bun, she moaned again and a burst of pale watery liquid was projected onto the ground.
Her knees were shaking and she could barely stand as another wave of nausea rolled through her. A strong arm curled its way around her waist and held her steady as she heaved up what small amount of food was left in her stomach.
"I-I-I wanna go h-home" Madeline sagged lifelessly forward tears rolling down her deathly pale face.
"Ya sound'n like a dam broken record girl" The redneck snapped back tiredly. Three weeks had passed since the outbreak, Daryl had barely got a wink of sleep or a decent meal and the world didn't look like it was getting any better.
"Ya done yet?" He bent over her impatiently not affected by the overwhelming smell of vomit, he'd smelt much worse these days.
She nodded grimly and Daryl scooped her up and marched back through the small community of tents towards theirs which was off on its own a few meters up a small incline.
It was a little past midnight and there was a clear sky and full moon shinning down, enough light to see the crossroads of ropes and pegs that had already caught folk out.
"She doing Ok?" a man's voice sounded as they passed an old RV and Daryl didn't have to look up to know who it was.
"She's fine, mind ya own dam business" He was deliberately harsh sick and tired of people poking their noses where they didn't belong.
The people at the camp were always looking at him like they were expecting him to fuck something up, the woman were the worse most of them thought he was gonna jump them first chance they were alone and the rest were constantly judging the way he handled Madeline while their own little brats ran wild.
Him and Merle had come upon the group of about 15 camped up above an old quarry just out of Atlanta and figured they'd take what they needed and carry on, an easy job.
And of course it would have been easy if Merle hadn't of chummed up with some dropkick with a hefty supply of pills and booze. Now it was nearly a week past and his brother didn't look like he'd be budging.
"Just checking" the voice sounded a little hurt and Daryl felt a rare tinge of guilt,in reality the old guy wasn't quite as annoying as the rest of them and he kind of knew his way round an engine which put him a leg above most of the other useless mouths in the camp.
"Just keep ya eye on them trees old man" Daryl glanced up and tried to sound not quite so unpleasant which didn't fail completely.
He continued on his way passing the old pickup and glanced inside, Merle was lying in the cab his eyes half open doped up no doubt and snoring loudly. He pushed the door closed and continued on up the small hill, he hated to admit it but life was easier when his brother was on something.
At the top of the hill was a small dark blue dome tent that he now called home, the remains of a small fire pit were dwindling out in front of it. He lowered Madeline onto the ground and nudged her towards the tent opening.
"Git back into bed" Daryl moved off towards the drop off that overlooked the small lake at the bottom of the quarry.
"Where ya going?!" The little girl started immediately after him.
"Ta take a god damn piss ya aint gotta hold ma hand" The redneck barked over his shoulder and Maddie stopped and backtracked towards the tent.
Inside were a couple of bedrolls and sleeping bags with a duffel bag that held their worldly possessions positioned deliberately between them, hanging from the roof was a torch that let out the dullest of light and at the foot of one of the sleeping bags was a well used crossbow.
Madeline crawled to her designated spot and wiggled inside her sleeping cocoon, a few minutes later Daryl slipped through the flap and half zipped it up. He gave her a look that said shut-ya-dam-eyes-and-don't-even-think-about-waking-up-again then slipped his shirt off and unbuttoned the top button of his jeans making himself a little more comfortable. He lay back on his sleeping bag hands behind his head and closed his eyes, exhausted.
Nearly every night he'd been woken by his sisters nightmares that only seemed to be getting worse and worse as the days passed, not even the nightlight he'd hung up was working and sometimes she was near inconsolable when she woke. Daryl sighed and decided to focus on something more positive like the fact he'd managed to get her outside this time before she yakked.
"C'mon Sophia!" Madeline was perched up on a rock that was just poking through the top of the water about ten meters from shore. The older girl was standing knee deep and had been for the last two minutes trying to summon up the courage to venture out a little more.
"It's not as cold when you go under!" Carl Grimes added with an encouraging smile. He'd scrambled up onto the rock as well and managed to squeeze himself next to Maddie who was beaming from ear to ear, she'd never really had too many friends most kids were scared of her brothers or been warned off by their parents.
"It's freezing!" Sophia wrapped two long arms around her skinny frame.
"You'll get use ta it!" Maddie stood up resting a hand on Carl's shoulder for balance then when she had her composure she leaped off tucking her legs up and disappeared under the water with a splash.
The freckled faced boy leaned forward waiting for her to resurface but when she didn't appear he felt the familiar ball of panic in his chest. Madeline was the first girl he ever knew who liked catching frogs and playing in the dirt, she didn't cry when she got hurt and never backed down from a dare. She was the first girl he knew who could gut a squirrel get blood all over her and not even bat an eyelash or climb to the top of the tallest tree in a heartbeat. She didn't play with dolls or freak out about spiders and if he could have anyone in the world for a sibling it would be Madeline...of course Daryl and Merle wouldn't be included cause they were just plain old scary.
"Maddie!" Carl stood and just as he did something (or more someone) pushed him from behind and he tumbled ungracefully into the lake resurfacing with a lungful of water and to the high pitched giggles of a very happy looking eight year old who was now perched back where he was standing.
"Very funny" Carl splashed water at her and she stuck her tongue out and flung herself over his head just missing him by millimeters.
"Race ya!" she yelled over her shoulder and started paddling madly towards Sophia who had retreated back up onto the safety of land knowing better.
Carl managed to catch his younger competitor just as she scrambled up onto the stoney shore and they crossed the invisible finish line neck and neck.
"I win!" Maddie announced loudly and Carl was quick to contest, in the end the decision went to Sophia who decided that Madeline had won by a hair which Carl was unsurprised by, in the end the girls were always ganging up on him.
"You kids get dry now last thing we need is a round of flu" Lori even though a fair way away could see the goose bumps on the kids skin, her Carol and Andrea had drawn the short straw and were scrubbing laundry.
"Yes Ma'am" the three children answered in unison and both woman shared a smile that only mothers knew.
Sophia quickly dried her legs and handed the towel to Madeline noticing the little girls lack of one "here use mine" Maddie thanked her and wrapped it round her shoulders, the sun was blaring down as usual but suddenly the cold from the swim had caught up with her and she shivered.
"Can we go back up to camp?" Carl called over to his Mom and Carol who shared a look of uncertainty. It was a direct path about 60 metres up an old zigzagging road which was visible from where they sat, but it was still 60 meters with no adult supervision.
"We're nearly finished here" Carol was hesitant to let her daughter out of her sight and with good reason. Not only was there an unraveling apocalypse but there was also her husband Ed to contend with, and lately he'd been getting worse and worse.
The kids grumbled but didn't bother arguing.
Carl dried himself off and fished his tee off the ground quickly pulled it on then tied the towel around his waist. "You OK Maddie?" He noticed his friend was still shivering, she quickly nodded and tried to slip behind Sophia before the Adults noticed but didn't quite make it.
"Sweetie come here" Lori was up and motioning her over with that look that she knew pissed her brother off.
She felt a blush creep into her cheeks they were going to fuss over her right in front of Sophia and Carl...
"Did you bring anything dry to put on?" the tall skinny lady knelt down and tugged the towel away much to her annoyance. She only had a few changes of clothing and this was the last outfit that was somewhat clean.
"No Ma'am" she glanced down at her hands uncomfortable with all the eyes looking at her.
"Come on then you can wear this for now, I'll hang them clothes out to dry" Lori pulled off her own t-shirt underneath she had on a singlet top which would work just fine. She grabbed the bottom of Madeline's soaked top but the small girl quickly stepped back and glanced quickly towards Carl who was none the wiser.
"Sorry hun" the brunette lady realized her mistake gave Maddie an apologetic smile then gestured for her son to turn round.
"Ok he aint looking" she winked but the eight year old checked herself anyway just to make sure then reluctantly peeled her clothes off and quickly dried herself off with the towel.
"You aint nothin' but skin'n bones young lady" Carol commented with a worried grimace her own daughter was bean pole skinny but if she stood next to Madeline she'd probably look well fed.
Lori slipped the tee over Maddies head it came down just below her knees like a low cut dress and she had to tie a few knots around the shoulders to keep it from falling completely off.
"That's hard to believe Little Dixon there nearly ate that whole deer the other night" Andrea spoke up sensing the child's self consciousness and the tension eased a little.
"I guess you're still growing aren't you?" Lori tucked a lock of Maddies hair which had strayed from her ponytail behind her ear and the eight year old finally glanced up shyly from under her long eyelashes.
"OK honey we're done fussing you can go now" she smiled warmly. Her and Rick had always planned to try for a second baby and she'd always secretly dreamed of a baby girl to complete their family.
"Thanks for the shirt Misses Grimes" Madeline quickly mumbled which earned her some brownie points with the woman and fled back to her friends glad to get away but also glad to be out of the wet freezing cold clothes, feeling much warmer now.
"Can I turn round now?" Carl complained hearing footsteps approach and suddenly something struck him in the back of his knees and he nearly collapsed.
"Shut up dork" Maddie glared up at him and Carl had to fight the grin that was threatening to break out when he noticed her new attire, she did have a pretty good swing as well...
