Welcome back everyone! I hope y'all had a great labor day weekend. Or at least those of you who live in America. (Is labor day celebrated anywhere else?)
Speaking of which if I have any readers from other countries I would be very interested in hearing your perspective on a story that deals so heavily with American history. Does it feel strange to you? How much of the American civil war is taught where you're from? I'm very curious!
I want to thank my one guest reviewer who urged me to update. I've always wanted to have the type of story people liked so much they would harass me for more. And guess what? The update is here! Enjoy!
"What the-? Where's his body?" Rick asked staring at the remains on the floor.
"He ain't dead." said Daryl. He pushed passed Rick and walked over to the bed in the corner. Bending down on one knee Daryl reached his hand under the bed stand and grabbed something. He stepped backwards and pulled out a dead body. Its stomach was opened up and its face was in ribbons. A swath of blood followed the body out from under the bed. Glenn vomited.
"He looks dead to me." said Rick.
"This ain't him." Daryl responded.
"How do you know?" Rick gestured to the bloody and unrecognizable face.
"Look at his clothes. That's a white cotton shirt. Merle ain't ever owned anything that was white." Daryl reached down and lifted a brown strap off the body's shoulder, "These are suspenders, Merle wears a belt." He gestured at the open stomach, "He cut open the belly and covered himself with the guts so the geeks couldn't smell him. My brother knows how to survive."
"That works?"
"I don't know; but it might."
"So he might be dead after all."
"Maybe, but I don't believe it."
"Why did he hide the body under the bed?"
"Pro'lly so y'all'd think he's dead."
"Why would he... oh shit!"
"What's wrong?" asked Glenn worriedly.
"We need to get back to the camp."
"Why?"
"Merle's there."
Amy sat next to the fire eating the fresh venison she had helped Lori and Carol cook. Her sister sat next to her, still wearing her scandalous trousers. The rest of the camp ate with them scattered around the fire in ones and twos. At the moment they were talking about the fence the men were building around the camp.
"We should get it done by the end of the week." Shane commented. He was sitting by himself his gun next to him as always.
"We could get it done faster if the damned coloreds would just work harder." put in Ed. "Theodore's always slacking off and the other two are always running off to town."
"You got a problem with the way I work Peletier?" growled Theodore from where he sat with his wife away from everyone else. "I work harder than any of you, and you Ed are the last person to judge another man's work ethic!"
"What exactly are you saying nigger?!" Ed demanded.
"Both of you! Shut that shit down!" Shane ordered angrily. Both men went quiet. Amy turned her focus away from them. She didn't like it when arguments broke out. Instead she opted watched the four kids sitting together and eating. Jimmy's kids were fighting over something and Sophia was watching them with mild intrigue. Carl however, didn't pay attention to the tow at all. He was watching the adults with eyes full of interest. Amy had noticed Carl usually looked that way, whether he was sitting on his wagon or eating at the fire pit. A sharp squeal sounded and Amy saw Sophia laughing as Jimmy's older child Sam, began poking Eric in the ribs. Amy chuckled softly herself. It was amazing that even after the world had gone to hell kids could still be kids. Somehow that thought made everything seem more hopeful.
Andrea leaned over closely, "So what do you think of him?" she whispered in Amy's ear.
"Think of who?" Amy whispered back.
"Shane."
Amy looked at her sister in surprise, "Why? Do you like him?"
"Me? No. I don't think I act ladylike enough for him." Andrea gave her a smirk.
"What me?" Amy asked incredulously.
"Why not? He's smart and good looking." Andrea nudged her in the ribs, "Besides he's the only eligible bachelor here. Figured I'd give you first dibs."
Amy giggled, "I don't know. He seems so... gruff."
Andrea giggled herself barely keeping it quiet. "That he is I suppose. Probably a good thing considering today's world."
"Isn't it a bit ridiculous to talk about romance in today's world?" Amy asked. Andrea's expression immediately sobered.
"Maybe." she said sadly.
"What are you two girls laughing about?" Dale asked from the opposite side of the fire.
"Nothing." Andrea told him a little too quickly.
"Is that so?" The older man looked at them knowingly, "Well if you're not going to tell us what's so funny maybe you can tell us what you did.. you know, before everything happened."
"What makes you think we did anything special?" Andrea asked. "We just lived with our parents in Florida. I worked at a factory in town and Amy stayed at home and helped take care of our parents."
"What about the gun then? Where did you get it?" Dale asked.
"Yeah I've been meaning to ask you about that." said Shane. All of the men had turned their attention toward Andrea, seemingly interested in hearing the story. The women however, had already heard it and were watching with only mild interest. Andrea took a deep breath.
"My father gave it to me when I went to work as a nurse during the war. Said I shouldn't be that close to the front without protection."
"You were a nurse during the war?" Dale asked.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I wanted to do something. We had an older brother who had joined the army and I wanted to do my part."
"So your brother inspired you to become a nurse?"
"I guess. I think I would have done so whether he had joined or not though."
"I see."
"What happened to your brother?" Shane asked.
"He died at the battle of Shiloh." Andrea said sadly.
Shane nodded, "I'm sorry to hear that." Everyone was silent for a moment. Amy tried not to let the memory overwhelm her in sadness.
"Anyway we came to Georgia to visit some family," Andrea continued, breaking the silence, "That's when it happened and that's why we're here."
"We don't even know if our parents are alive." Amy said softly. Andrea put a hand on her shoulder snd squeezed it.
"Well whether they are or not they would want you to live." Shane said gruffly. "So that's what we're gonna do."
Andrea changed the subject, "So what about you Dale? What did you do before the turn?"
"Me? I was a reporter." Dale responded, pushing back his black feathered hat. Andrea laughed.
"So that's why you're so full of questions."
"I suppose so."
"What did you report on?" Amy asked.
"Oh lot's of things. During the war I reported on battles and skirmishes. After the war I spent my time trying to figure out why it happened. You know what was the reason each person was fighting."
"What did you discover?" Lori asked from where she sat on the other side of Andrea.
"That the war was the most devastating thing that ever happened to us." Dale said gravely, "Until now."
Amy took a drink from her canteen and stood up. The conversation was getting far too gloomy for her.
"Hey where are you going?" Andrea asked.
"Umm, I gotta go relieve myself." She whispered.
"Oh. Sorry. Go do your thing."
The clouds began to move in as Amy made her way to the latrine pit. Dark, gloomy clouds and Amy tried to shake the feeling of doom building up in the bottom of her stomach. As she passed through the woods the rain started to come down. The latrine pit smelled horrible and Amy did her best to do her business as quickly as possible. Another pit would have be dug soon she thought. Something rustled in the leaves behind her. Amy looked around and thought she saw a small figure moving through the trees. Probably one of the children. "Hold on!" she called, "I'll be finished in just a moment!" She turned back around. The rustling continued and this time it was louder. It seemed like it was getting closer. "I said -!" Amy yelled as she turned around again and stopped abruptly. Out of the trees came a child; but it wasn't a child, it was dead. Amy stared in utter horror as the small walker shuffled toward her. Another one appeared and then another. Dozens came out of the trees their small bodies ambling forward, their tiny hands reached out toward her in hunger. Amy screamed.
Carl's head snapped around when he heard the blood curdling scream echo through the air. "What the hell was that?" Shane demanded rising to his feet and grabbing his rifle.
"Amy!" Andrea cried. She jumped to her feet and took off after her sister.
"Andrea! Stay here!" Shane yelled. Andrea kept running. "Everybody we stay right here until we know what's going on!" Shane commanded. Lori ran to Carl and grabbed him holding him to her. More screams came from where Andrea and Amy had gone. Carl stared intently through the pouring rain and after a moment he saw both of them running in between the white tents toward them.
"Walkers!" Andrea shouted.
"How many?" Shane asked as they arrived at the camp fire.
"I don't know I didn't see them."
"Amy! How many were there?"
"They were kids.. They were all kids." rambled the younger blonde. She was trembling. "All of them kids."
"How many were there!?" Shane shouted.
"I don't know! A lot of them. They were all kids!"
"There they are!" someone shouted and Carl looked. There they were, dozens of them maybe more. All of them were no bigger than Carl was. It was like an army of little people was charging them.
"Oh my God." his mom said in horror.
"Everybody get to Dale's wagon!" Shane yelled. Carl and his mom obeyed immediately and ran toward where Dale's large wagon was parked on the camp's high-ground. Behind him Carl heard the loud sound of a rifle shot followed by several smaller shots. Lori lifted Carl into the wagon and then followed him. Dale was right behind them. After he got in he began to cut the canvas covering off so people could enter from the sides. Carl saw Shane hop on the wagon and begin to reload his rifle. The small walkers were coming at them through the tents now. Jimmy and his family climbed into the wagon next while Carol loaded Sophia in from the side. Andrea, Amy and Jacqui followed. Theodore covered them swinging an ax at the walkers as they got in. He decapitated one of the children before jumping in himself. Ed was the last to get there, his extra weight slowing him down. He leaped for the wagon catching on to the edge of it, but his grip on the wet wood slipped and he fell down to the mud below. Before he could even call for help the little walkers were on top of him clawing and chewing at his flesh. Ed screamed as he died and Carl watched in horror as blood and guts squirted out of his body.
On all sides of the wagon the dead children growled and scratched at the wood in hunger. Lori held Carl to her chest but he couldn't stop looking at them. They were just like him but dead. Just his size but with pale gray skin. Carol and Sophia were in the center of the wagon crying. Another shot rang out and Carl saw smoke rise from Shane's rifle's barrel. Suddenly Carl heard the sound of horse hooves. He looked up and out of nowhere the beautiful red mustang appeared. On it's back Daryl Dixon was firing arrows into the crowd of little walkers around them. Another shot rang out and Carl saw his father appear followed by Glenn and James. Rick cocked and fired his weapon in rapid succession killing multiple walkers. Hearing the shots some of them turned and started to go after him. Carl wanted to call out and make the walkers come back to him but he didn't have to. Shane's weapon fired again and Andrea had reloaded her pistol and was firing as well. Confused, the walkers began going in both directions. Daryl, Andrea, and Rick continued to pick them off. Soon there were only five walkers left. Andrea fired her last shot striking one in the head and another fell to Daryl's bow. Rick, Glenn and James charged the remaining three. The walkers were dead within seconds. It was over.
So that chapter was fun to write. It may be my favorite chapter yet. What are your immediate reactions? Did any thoughts or feelings leap to the front of your mind? Please let me know!