"Blessed be God, father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Hershel began, as everyone gathered around the pile of stones under the oak tree. "Praise be to him for the gift of our brother Otis."
"For his span of years, for his abundance of character; Otis, who gave his life to save a child's, now more than ever, our most precious asset. We thank you, God, for the peace he enjoys in your embrace. He died as he lived, in grace." Hershel took a moment to breathe after his speech, as yet another rock was placed atop the pile. He then turned to Shane. "Shane, will you speak for Otis?"
"I'm not good at it. I'm sorry." Shane said, barely audible.
"You were the last one with him. You shared his final moments." Patricia begged, "Please. I need to hear. I need to know his death had meaning."
"Okay…." He took a deep breath. "We were about done. Almost out of ammo – we were down to pistols by then. I was limping. It was bad. Ankle all swollen up. 'We've got to save the boy.' See, that's what he said. He gave me his backpack. He shoved me ahead. 'Run,' he said. He said, 'I'll take the rear. I'll cover you.' And when I looked back…" Shane paused, seeing the pained look on Patricia's face. He walked up to the wheel barrel that held the rocks everyone had collected earlier in the day. "I'd have never made it out alive. And that goes for Carl too. It was Otis. He saved us both." He looked around at the group, took in their somber faces. "If any death ever had meaning," he said softly, looking to Patricia, "it was his." And with his final words, he placed a rock of his own.
Something felt off. Perhaps it was the way he spoke, or the way he looked around at the group, gauging their reactions to his words. But, she hadn't known Shane long enough to say for sure. If it's true…if it weren't for Otis, Anna thought, Carl would be dead now. The two had gone to retrieve a respirator from the FEMA station set up at the old high school. Shane was the only one to return, carrying the respirator and the dead man's gun, which Rick had loaned him.
.
Anna wasn't entirely focused on setting up the tent. Anderson had delegated tent setup to her while he stood with Rick, Shane, and Daryl to discuss search plans with Hershel and Maggie, the woman on the horse. Anna ached to go see how Carl was for herself, to see with her own eyes that he would live, but she couldn't bring herself to face the weight of her actions, for helping him go out on the search in the first place.
Instead, Anna thought about the horses she spotted on the property. About the time she hit her teens, her parents had begun their journey into the horse world, purchasing a total of three horses and seven acres of land. She'd trained the first horse with her mother – a grueling bonding experience for all three participants. Her parents loved those horses – sometimes more than their own children; they didn't exactly talk back. Needless to say, Anna knew her way around a horse barn. The only areas she was lacking in were how to cinch up a saddle and hoof care.
"Damn it." She snapped, tossing the support sticks down. They just refused to stay in position long enough for her to slide them into the spine of the tent.
"Having trouble?" She looked up to see Glenn approach, a grin on his face.
"Don't laugh at me, Rhee." She grumbled, pushing the sticks in his direction, "Please, just help me." She couldn't keep from laughing as the pair tried and failed to put the tent together, bickering over the right way to do it.
"God, how do you not know how to put up a tent?" Glenn teased. "Did your butler always do it for you?"
She knew he was joking, enjoying the back and forth banter between the two of them, but she paused to glare at the ground.
"Evan always put up the tent." She whispered.
Glenn's face fell instantly.
"Anna, I didn't mean—" the sound of Maggie approaching caused them both to clam up and look to her.
"I hear you're fast on your feet and know how to get in and out." She stated, looking him up and down. Glenn stared open mouthed at her, simultaneously confused by her words and clearly in awe.
He's smitten. Anna thought, letting a grin slip onto her face.
"Got a pharmacy run. You in?" Maggie continued.
"Uh…." Glenn was dumbstruck, and Anna had to contain her giggles at his predicament.
Dale's approach saved Glenn from his stuttering response.
"Miss, what's the water situation here?"
"Got five wells on our land. House draws directly from number one. Number-two well is right over there. We use it for the cattle. but it's just as pure. Take what you need. There's a cart and containers in the generator shed behind the house." Maggie explained, pointing out each thing as she told them. Finally, she looked back to Glenn. "I'll go saddle your horse, then." She stated, walking off.
Glenn waited a moment before turning to Dale.
"Horse?"
Finally, Anna let out a peel of laughter.
"Don't worry, buddy." She said, standing and clapping him on the back, "all you have to do is stay upright. The horse will do the rest."
Dale left to find T-Dog and Glenn wandered off to help the others with more setup, while Anderson approached Anna, looking at the sorry excuse for progress that was their tent.
"You are terrible at camping."
"Thanks." She responded overly sweet. "So," she started, leaning in as if discussing a conspiracy, "what's the plan? When does another search party go out?"
Anderson briefly narrowed his eyes at Anna before kneeling down to start working on the tent.
"Tomorrow – Daryl is going out on his own today."
"Why alone? That's stupid – someone should go with him." She cast her eyes around for the man in question, hoping he'd allow her to tag along again.
"Not you." Anderson asserted firmly.
Anna took a sharp inhale through her nose and refused to look back at him.
"We are not getting into that, again." She bit out. "Besides, I went with him last night and was perfectly fine."
"Repeat that." Just as Anderson stood, Daryl walked past. Anna perked up at the thought of still being able to join him. Before she could call out to Daryl, Anderson cut her off.
"Dixon." His voice was heavy with ire. "You took Anna searching? At night?"
Daryl stopped in his tracks, narrowing his eyes at the man.
"Yeah, so?"
The two glared at each other, Anna looking between them, unsure of what to say to ease the tension.
"Anderson, what is the problem? Daryl is perfectly capable of watching my back, and it's not like I haven't dealt with a walker alone before." She winced when Anderson turned his hard gaze on her.
"Repeat that." He stated again. "You dealt with a walker alone?" He was seething now, and Anna felt her heart pounding in her ears. "Did this happen while you were with him?"
"What's it matter – she's alright." Daryl drawled, calling the attention back to him.
"What matters," Anderson began, slowly turning back to Daryl, "is that you stay away from her."
"Anderson!" Anna snapped, astonished. She couldn't fathom why he was behaving like this, what was going through his mind.
"Whatever." Anna's heart dropped at how flippant Daryl seemed about the situation, turning on his heel and striding off as if none of the exchange mattered to him.
.
.
Daryl had put Anna in danger and Anderson could not have that. How could he just let her face a walker on her own? He was fuming as he and Anna finished putting the tent together, and he could tell she was enraged. She took great pleasure in beating the stakes into the ground to keep the tent from blowing away.
"I'm doing this for you." He tried.
"For me? Oh, bite me!" She snapped. Anna looked as though she was ready to storm off, before she leveled him with a steady glare. "I am an adult, and I am capable of defending myself. You do not get to decide who I can and cannot be around – regardless of whatever ridiculous promise you made."
Anderson stared back at her.
"I apologize for not wanting you around someone who lets you fight walkers alone." He retorted.
"What the hell are you talking about? I wasn't with Daryl. It happened when you and Evan left me alone at camp."
"Is everything alright here?" The two of them snapped their attention to Shane, standing between them with his arms crossed over his chest.
Anna looked from Shane to Anderson and back, taking long slow breaths.
"Yeah. Peachy." And with that, she finally stormed off, headed in the direction of Dale and T-Dog. "I'm going to help Dale with the water."
.
.
Daryl walked past the farmhouse, crossbow slung over his shoulder. He felt his irritation bubble up even more at the thought of Anderson accusing him of something he hadn't done – letting Anna fight a walker alone? I ain't stupid.
With Anderson's sudden change in behavior toward him, Daryl was starting to remember how little he belonged in this group. If Merle were still here, he'd at least have someone like him – Hell, if Merle was still here, they'd have been long gone by now. But, Merle was gone, and Daryl was alone.
"Daryl." He paused in his walk to see Rick walking towards him. Officer friendly. He thought to himself. What does he want? "You okay on your own?"
Daryl felt himself bristle at the question.
"I'm better on my own." He sneered. "I'll be back before dark." He said as he continued to walk off.
"Hey!" Rick called. "We got a base. We can get this search properly organized now."
"You got a point or are we just chatting?" Daryl snapped, walking back to Rick a few paces.
"My point is it lets you off the hook." Rick replied evenly. "You don't owe us anything."
Daryl turned away at that. Tired of people assuming shit 'bout me. "My other plans fell through." He grumbled, walking off and ending the conversation.
