Chapter 4-Better Times
Before
Shane opens his eyes and looks around the room he was in. He looks at Madison, who was still asleep behind him. "Wake up, Maddie," Shane says as he shakes her shoulder. "I think the others are already awake. I have to go help Nick," Shane says as he gets out of bed and buts his boots and coat on. Madison looks at him.
"One day, we'll be able to sleep in," Madison says. Shane smiles as he goes over and kisses her.
"One day, we will be able to," Shane tells her before he leaves the room. Madison gets dressed and leaves the room. She walks up to a child named Charlie and pulls out her binoculars. She puts the binoculars up to her eyes.
"Your family. Can you tell me anything about them?" Madison asks the child.
"I don't want to talk about it," Charlie says. Madison puts the binoculars down.
"That's okay," Madison says. "We can talk about something else,"
"Like what?" Charlie asks.
"Like...what was your favorite subject in school?" Madison asks as she looks at Nick and Shane.
"Music," Charlie says.
"Favorite food?" Madison asks.
"Pizza," Charlie says.
"What about least favorite food?" Madison asks the girl as she glances at her.
"Salmon patties," Charlie says.
"Salmon patties? What's a salmon patty?" Madison asks.
"It's like...it's like canned salmon with mayonnaise, bread crumbs, and onions grilled in a pan,"
"Ughh. Oh, that sounds terrible. Spend your whole life swimmin' upstream, end up a patty?" Madison says.
"Yeah. Shoulda swam the other way," Charlie says.
"Yeah, shoulda," Madison says as they hear a goat. Madison walks closer to the girl. "I know living here is gonna take a while to get used to. But this is home now. And I want it to feel that way. I'll do everything I can to make that happen. I just need you to help me a little," Charlie sighs and nods. "What direction were you coming from when you found us?" Charlie points and Madison puts the binoculars up to her eyes. There were walkers in the parking lot.
Shane sat with Nick, Alicia, and Luciana as they ate. "Good morning, folks. This is your friendly morning wake-up call. It's another beautiful day, with clear skies, and for those keepin' score, today is a big one. Today marks 365 days in the diamond," A man says over the intercom as Strand walks over to them.
"You heard the man. We're celebratin' today," Strand says as he puts a bottle on the table.
"With syrup?" Nick asks.
"Hey, cut him some slack. Do you know how hard it is to find Vermont Fancy in Texas?" A man named Cole says. He smiles at Strand.
"It's the finest vintage," Strand says as he pours it on their food.
"No, on my eggs," Alicia says.
"Yeah, on your eggs," Strand says as he pours it on Shane's. They hear a hammer. "What time did she come in?" Strand asks Shane.
"Two, three hours before she woke up," Shane says as he stands up. Shane and Alicia walk down to her.
"Mom," Alicia says. "Mom," She repeats.
"You missed breakfast," Shane tells her.
"That kid needs a place of her own. I was thinking about putting the bed over here," Madison says as Alicia and Shane stand.
"Shane said you only got a couple of hours of sleep," Alicia says.
"Questioning my boyfriend on how much I sleep?" Madison asks.
"Yes. We've got the run today," Alicia says.
"I'm fine, Nick. Tell your sister I'll be there in a little while," Madison says. Shane and Alicia look at her, confused.
"What?" Alicia asks.
"Can anyone around here give me a courtesy laugh? I survived out there on a lot less than a couple hours of sleep," Madison says.
"Yeah, and you were a lot crankier," Alicia says.
"Maybe a bit funnier," Shane says.
"Ha ha ha. See, I can do it. And if you want to agree with her, sleep in her room," Madison says to Shane, who smiles.
"No," Alicia says. She holds a mug out to her mom. "Caffeinate," Alicia says. "We are leaving in 20. Also, I would never sleep with Shane. He's your problem," Alicia says with a smirk before she walks away.
"If I do this, will you drink that?" Shane asks as he comes into the dugout. Madison nods as she takes off the gloves and gives them to Shane. Nick was farming with Charlie beside him.
"Did you know he only lived to be 27?" Charlie asks.
"I think he might have mentioned it," Nick says.
"And did you know people say he might've sold his soul to the devil?" Charlie says as Nick looks at the plants.
"That's what Cross Road Blues is about, right?" Nick asks.
"Uh-huh," Charlie says. "What's wrong with the turnips?"
"I'm not sure," Nick says.
"Looks like someone swallowed them and puked them back up," Charlie says.
"Well, look at it this way-it's one less vegetables you gotta eat," Nick says.
"I like vegetables," Charlie says.
"How old are you?" Nick asks.
"How much food do we have in the pantries?" Charlie asks.
"Um, enough," Nick says.
"Yeah, but how long would it last if it's all we had?" Charlie asks.
"Charlie...you don't have to worry about stuff like that anymore. You know, we're almost growing enough, so we won't have to go out there for anything," Nick says with a smile. "Come on. Let's look at the cabbages,"
Shane, Madison, Strand, Alicia, Luciana, and a couple, a man named Douglas and a woman named Viv, stood around a car. "Charlie's family?" Douglas asks.
"She said they were out there," Madison says.
"You got her to talk about it?" Shane asks.
"Not exactly. She pointed. But I checked her book, it's from the public library out in Bartlett," Madison says.
"That's outside the range," Viv says.
"Yeah," Madison says.
"I thought we agreed nobody goes outside the range," Douglas says.
"We did, but this is a special case. The kid can't look for her family on her own. We have to do it for her," Madison says.
"We don't even know if they're alive," Douglas says.
"Yeah, but we didn't know you were alive when Viv convinced us to look for you, and look how that turned out," Madison says.
"I wasn't out of range," Douglas says.
"Well, it wouldn't have mattered to me if you were. What about you, Viv?" Madison asks.
"All right," Douglas says as he hands Madison the keys. "Radio us back the second you can,"
"Let's go," Madison says. Strand walks up to the gate. Douglas launches a ball-tossing machine that shoots baseball into the parking lot. It explodes, attracting the walkers.
"Hey, you mind giving me a hand?" Luciana asks Strand.
"Ain't a road trip without snacks," Cole says. Strand walks up to him.
"Aren't you on watch today?" Strand asks.
"It seems like you know my schedule better than I do," Cole says.
"Because I made it, and I put you on watch for a reason," Strand says.
"Lucy," Nick says as he walks up to her.
"Change your mind?" Luciana asks.
"No. That kid needs a new book. Think you could find one for her while you're out there?" Nick asks.
"Well, you should come and help me look," Luciana says.
"Well, I've got a turnip situation," Nick says.
"Don't you get bored in here?" Luciana asks.
"I do, yeah. It's great," Nick says. Alicia walks around the car.
"Ohh. It is. You wanna just stare at a wall later?" Alicia asks her brother.
"Deal," Nick says.
"Yes," Alicia says.
"I'll bring the jicama. Can you make sure she comes back this time?" Nick asks.
"Yes," Alicia says. Luciana smiles at Nick.
"You're never gonna let that go, huh?" Luciana asks.
"Eventually, I might," Nick says. Luciana kisses him and climbs in the back with Alicia and Strand. "Take care of them, Daddy Shane,"
"I told you not to call me that," Shane says with a grin. Madison pulls the car forward. The gate opens, and they leave.
"He's gotta come out sometime," Luciana says.
"He will when it's right," Madison says. "You weren't there when I found him, Lucy. He just needs to be in a place where he feels safe right now," Madison says as she drives. They drive down the road. Shane had a map in his arms.
"Solid jerky Cole packed for us," Alicia says.
"Give me a piece," Shane says as he reaches for one. Alicia gives him a piece, and Shane looks at the road.
"Will you just have a drink with the guy already?" Madison asks as Alicia hands Strand the jerky.
"Madison, you know I only drink with you," Strand says.
"You guys still in range?" Nick asks over the radio
"What is it?" Alicia asks.
"I figured out what's wrong with the turnips," Nick says as he holds one of them. "Weevils. They got into the roots. We're gonna have to dig them all up,"
"You need us to look for pesticides while we're here?" Shane asks. They hear static. "Nick? Nick," They hear static.
"And so ends our broadcast day," Strand says. They pull into a town and stop the car.
"Okay, Luciana, you go with Strand," Madison says. "Alicia will come with Shane and me. You know how it works. Eyes open, stay close, keep talking. Any sign of Charlie's family radio us," They nod. Luciana and Strand get out of the car, and Madison drives forward. Strand taps on the glass of a window and waits. Luciana kicks the door open, and Strand goes in. Luciana follows him and sees the selves were bare.
"Clear," Strand says.
"This place has been picked clean. There's nothing left," Luciana says. Shane, Madison, and Alicia walk around silos.
"Some avaricious looters got to this place. They took everything-even the light bulbs," Strand says on the radio as they see a flag. The number 457 on it.
"What do you think it means?" Alicia asks.
"I don't know," Madison says as they walk forwards. They walk up to an abandoned car.
"Oh. I bet this camp is where Charlie's from. Kid's lucky she got out of here alive," Shane says. Alicia pulls her radio out.
"You guys see any signs of survivors?" Alicia asks.
"None," Strand says. "It's not only the survivors who are in absentia. The dead. Where are they? We haven't seen one since we entered this burg," Strand says.
"Yeah, neither have we," Alicia says. Alicia starts to walk past the car.
"Hang on," Madison says as she moves a spoon in a can. "We're gonna be another minute. I think there's someone around here. Looks like one person. I found what's left of their lunch,"
"Copy," Luciana says. Luciana and Strand look around a store. "You know, she won't go back until she looks under every rock,"
"It's the only reason I'm here," Strand says.
"Only reason we're all here," Luciana says.
"Well, she didn't just find me down there. She saved me, and she didn't have to," Strand says.
"Well, you know what she says," Luciana says.
"I do. But I made a pretty powerful argument to the contrary. Still never asked why she helped me after what I did," Strand says before he chuckles.
"Ask her," Luciana says.
The Diamond
Nick walks over to Charlie. "Hey, what are you doing?" Nick asks.
"Nothing," Charlie says.
"It's okay. They haven't been gone that long," Nick says.
"I know it wasn't a regular run," Charlie says.
"Well, look, we didn't want to tell you because we didn't want you to get your hopes up. But if your family is out there, we'll find 'em," Nick says.
"Why don't you ever go out there?" Charlie asks.
"Because I like it better in here. Now, you gonna help me with those puke turnips?" Nick asks. Charlie nods as she follows him.
Madison's group
Shane walks with Alicia as Madison goes the other way. "Mom? Did you find anything?" Alicia asks. Madison raises the radio to her mouth.
"Don't," A woman says from behind her. A gun pressed to her neck.
"Mom," Alicia says.
"Now turn around," The woman says. Madison turns around and looks at her. "Your keys. Hand them over,"
"You don't have to do this," Madison says.
"The keys," The woman says. Madison clicks the radio three times.
"We have a settlement. Strong walls...plenty of food...good people. It's the truth we just took in a kid. Says she's from around here somewhere. Little girl? Named Charlie? You know her?" Madison asks.
"I don't have a kid. Please just stop," The woman says. She reaches into Madison's bag and grabs the keys, and starts to walk away. Alicia and Shane come around the corner blocking here.
"It's okay," Alicia says as the woman aims her gun between them. The woman turns around and sees Luciana and Strand. Strand had his gun raised.
"Easy there," Strand says. The woman runs past Alicia.
"Wait," Madison says as she follows her. Shane follows right behind her up some stairs. They get to the top. "Please put it down," Shane puts his gun on the ground as he stood by Madison. Alicia behind them.
"We're not going to hurt you. You can trust us," Shane says.
"You need help, hell, you need the car; we'll give it to you," Alicia says. Shane sees the speakers.
"Don't," Shane says as the woman falls through the top. They look at her and hear walkers growling. "Shit," Shane says as he looks at the woman and back at Madison.
Thanks for reading. I don't have much to say in this chapter, but I left some questions in chapter three, so go check them out and get back to me. Thanks for reading as always. The big one was do you guys want to see any other walking dead characters in this story. I would be okay with like one or two more. As always suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time