"Here ya go. Cold as the Rockys" Daryl said, handing Effy her beer. She had just finished re-buttoning her jeans when he appeared at her side with two bottles and two lawn chairs.
"Why thank you sir." She took a big swig before settling down in the offered chair.
"Uhh" Daryl said, lowering his own bottle, "I think you forgot something." He held up the remains of her torn underwear. Feeling her face start to redden, Effy quickly snatched them away and threw them over the edge. She looked back to see Daryl holding back his obvious amusement.
"Not like they done any good anymore, you tore 'um up pretty good."
He lounged back in the chair next to her. All those who had remained at the fire were gone by the time their romp was over. If she had been sober and had not just had good sex, se would have worried that someone heard or saw. But none of that seems too terribly important at the moment. Her knees might have been bloody and her jean rubbing unpleasantly against her without any underwear, but everything seemed pretty okay. Daryl wore a smug look of satisfaction on his face while they sat. They swapped stories for a while, about their childhoods, weird jobs they had had, horror stories of ex-lovers.
"You're shittin' m?!" he said after almost choking on his beer. Effy just shook her head.
"God's honest truth! He could not get off unless I wore his Phillies hat…. Said it was good luck or some stupid shit like that."
"So you actually wore it? Like every time?"
"Every fuckin' time. I was just a kid, how was I supposed to know!"
"I stand corrected then, you win." He clinked her bottle and they both took a healthy drink.
The horizon was starting to brighten when they heard it. Daryl had been explaining how he had been with his brother, Merle, but they had gotten separated. The older Dixon brother hadn't sounded like a very fun guy to be around, Effy thought to herself. The distinct ringing echoed threw the camp.
"What the hell is that?" Daryl asked, turning in his chair to see where the ring had come from. Effy couldn't quite place it when it dawned on her: the cow bell around the camp!
"Somethings coming!" she panicked and jumped to her feet. Daryl looked confused.
"What do you mean some.."
"The bell! The come bells we strung up!" she yelled at him as she tore off towards her tent. No one had been on watch that night and she assumed everyone was still sleeping off the night before. Effy ripped the door of her tent open and grabbed for the hatchet she kept. Daryl appeared behind her.
"What can I use?" he asked calmly.
She pointed to the red tent next to hers. "Jed's tent, there's a bat on the other side." He was running before she had even finished her answer. Effy inhaled deeply, willing herself to calm down. Should she wake everyone, it could be a hoard wondered up here? But what if it was just an animal? She contemplated the options while jogging over to the tree line. Daryl rejoined her, bat in hand, as she rounded the perch. The darkness of the early morning did nothing but hinder their view of the treeline. Nothing seemed to be moving , nor were anymore sounds being made.
"Maybe it was the wind." Daryl whispered.
"Ain't never been strong enough to move 'um before." Effy turned her head to say something else, but was startled when he suddenly went tense.
"There" he pointed off to their right. "Something big moved." Effy looked to wher he pointed, but saw nothing.
"You sure?" she asked, straining her eyes to see what he had seen. He pressed his finger to his lips in a shhh motion and silently began walking towards the invisible invader. Effy followed suit. He put a hand up suddenly, causing her to stop. She saw it now, something human shaped, staggering out of the woods. It was walking clumsily right to where they were now crouched down. Daryl turned back to her and mouthed 'you ready'. Effy, knife in hand, shook her head yes. The figure emrged into the clearing seconds before Daryl jumped, ready to bash in the head. Cissina jumped back about 5 feet before screaming and melting into the ground. Effy was frozen for a few seconds, not really sure what was happening. Daryl looked back at her in horror, having come inches away from her head with his bat. Effy ran over and dropped to her knees in front of the small girl.
"Ciss! What were you doing!? We thought you were a fuckin' walker!" But all she did was sit in the dirt, sobbing into her knees. Effy turned back to were Daryl stood, looking like he saw a ghost. "Can you go get Miss V, please. She's in that little green tent over there." Without answering, he turned and walked off towards the camp. Trying to calm her down, Effy put an arm over her shoulders.
"Your okay. You just scared us is all. Ciss, please look at me."
At that moment, Effy noticed something strange. The back bright yellow shirt Cissina had no was covered in mud and slightly torn. Blood seeped out from where scraped skin was showing.
"Good Lord Ciss. What happened to you?" Miss V showed up with Daryl and Jed in toe at that moment. The anger in her brothers face disappeared when he saw the concern on hers.
"Cissina. Baby can you hear me?" Miss V asked loudly. 'I think she might be in shock." She remacked and turned to Jed. "Will you carry her to my tent please suger?" Jed nodded silently and scopped the small weeping girl up into his arms. She look like a doll being carried away. Miss V turned to follow them, before Effy caught her arm.
"She's bleeding. Don't know why."
"I'll take care of it honey."
Effy stood up, still a little bit shocked, and completely sober. Daryl looked from the camp back to her. The worry was plan on his face.
"Something bad happened" Effy said, turning back to face the dark woods.