Safe Haven

Chapter 11

They had driven about 10 miles when the RV came to a stop. Dale stepped outside. Eve looked out the window and saw him talking to Rick, Shane and Andrea. Daryl had parked his bike and was heading towards the RV. The next thing she knew Dale had climbed to the top of the RV and Rick, Shane and Daryl were walking away. Eve stood up and grabbed her bow when Andrea came onto the RV.

"We need to stay here, the guys are going to scout around the perimeter to make sure this area is safe for us to set up camp." Andrea stated

"Well I can help" Eve replied and grabbed her thigh strap of arrows and slung her bow crossways over her shoulder.

Andrea blocked her from leaving the RV and lifted up the front of her shirt to show a gun in her waistband. "I can help too but right now the way we help is to stay here so sit down."

Eve bit her tongue. I really want to punch you in the face, Eve thought to herself. Eve's patience for all the hostility towards her from the group was beginning to wear thin.

You haven't even been with this group for 24 hours, Eve thought to herself. Get a grip and get your panties out of a bunch, Eve knew she needed to pick her battles wisely and this was not one of them. Eve took off her bow and sat back down. She had a staring contest with Andrea that lasted about 5 minutes. Eve closed her eyes and propped her feet up to wait.

"Daryl told me what you did…" Carol said as her voice trailed off.

Eve looked towards Carol and saw she was still staring out the window.

"What?" Eve said, slightly puzzled that Carol was even speaking to her.

Carol turned and looked at Eve. Tears were welling up in Carol's eyes. "Daryl, he told me what you did, that you went looking for Sophia for him after he cracked his ribs. You were right in making him rest for a few days. Daryl would run himself into the ground if you let him. But you didn't have to look for Sophia and….." Carol was unable to finish her sentence and placed her hand over her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks. She turned back towards the window.

Eve stared at Carol for a moment. She even became a little teary eyed herself. Not just for what Carol said, but the way she said it. It was genuine. She hadn't expected Carol to even speak to her. She hadn't realized that Daryl had even spoken to her. She wondered what else Daryl had told her. Did Daryl tell her she kissed him? Eve felt the blood rush to her cheeks and knew she was blushing. She was glad that no one was paying any attention to her to see.

"They've been gone too long" Andrea said as she stood up and headed outside the RV.

Eve got up and followed her out. Andrea was talking to Lori and stopped when she saw Eve had come out behind her.

"You need to go back inside" Andrea barked

"You need to relax. I'm just stretching my legs." Eve replied

"This is no time for a leisurely stroll, we don't even know if this area is safe so get back on the RV"

Lori had placed her hand on Andrea's shoulder, you could tell she was trying to calm Andrea down.

"Or what" Eve remarked back to her "You going to flash your piece at me again?" Eve began to think if Andrea kept running her mouth she may very well receive a punch in the face.

"Andrea? Did you do that?" Lori remarked and looked at Andrea in shock.

Andrea looked back at Lori "It wasn't like that" and turned back to Eve.

"I don't know who you think you are but let me remind you that you've come into OUR camp and…"

Shane walked up cutting her off "Ladies, Ladies, what seems to be the problem?"

Shane walked over and put his arm around Andrea's waist and looked back at Eve. Lori ran over to Rick and he put his arm around her.

"This area looks good for now" Rick remarked

"Where's Daryl?" Eve asked

"He's looking for Sophia again" Shane replied and shot her a look wondering why she was so immediately concerned for Daryl. Then he looked at Andrea and she told him she wanted to talk to him in private. They walked back to Shane's car and were whispering back and forth. They shot glances over to Eve a few times. Eve thought to herself, could they make it more painfully obvious they are talking about me? Eve looked back at Rick and before she could say anything he began to speak.

"Why don't you help everyone with setting up camp. Afterwards if you want you can take a turn on lookout on top of the RV." Rick stated

Eve was beginning to think she had made a mistake coming along with these people. Eve walked over to Glen and offered to help him build a fire pit.

"I've got it, I've done this plenty of times, I don't need your help" Glen barked at her.

Eve didn't respond to Glen she just threw up her hands, turned and began to walk away. Lori approached.

"Don't take it personally, he is just upset. He was very fond of Maggie and leaving her behind at Hershel's is just difficult for him. It's difficult for both of them." Lori stated.

Eve looked over her shoulder at Glen. He was mumbling something under his breath as he worked. She looked back at Lori "We're only ten miles away. It's not like he'll never see her again."

"It's hard to understand, but you don't know Hershel. I don't think it's that simple. Come on, you can help set up the tents." Lori motioned for Eve to follow her.

About an hour had passed and camp was in order. Everyone started to relax a little which Eve was thankful for. There was no question tensions were high. She went on the RV and got her bow and some arrows from the side pocket in her backpack. She put her arm guard on her left inner arm. She had a bad habit of hyper extending her elbow and with archery, the two were a bad combination without the arm guard. She stepped off the RV carrying her bow and passed by Rick. Before he could say anything she spoke.

"I'm going to hunt for food." Eve began walking towards the woods.

"I don't want you going alone, take Andrea with you" Rick replied

Eve stopped dead in her tracks, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Seriously? Me out in the woods with Andrea? Does he want me to kill her? Eve turned around and saw the look on Andrea's face which was probably the same thrilled looked she had on her own.

"No I'm good, I've been on my own plenty. I'm going alone." Eve turned around and continued to walk from the group. She figured there would be no argument from Andrea either. Luckily for her she didn't hear anything else from Rick.

As Rick watched her walk off, Andrea and Shane came up beside him.

"I'm not sure what I think her" Shane remarked. He then began to smirk and stated "Hell, she does seem to like Daryl, that should be a warning sign right there."

Both Rick and Shane were trying to keep from laughing.

"Well, we all have our faults." Rick began to laugh before he could even finish his statement.

Andrea rolled her eyes at both of them in frustration. "Well I don't like her and I don't trust her" added Andrea

The smile on Rick's face quickly faded and he became serious. "Why? because she took care of Daryl when he was injured, because she looked for Sophia, a child she has no vested interest in, because she's done nothing but try to pitch in since she got to camp? Now she's going out to try to find us all food. Not to mention she's a medic and if you haven't noticed we're lacking in that department currently."

It was one thing for them to joke but another thing for Andrea to be encouraging more division. They had enough of that already. Before she could even respond Rick walked off in disgust.