The cold air bite at my skin. The chilling metal from the RV roof pressed into my legs, cooling my legs to a frigid temperature even through my jeans, but none of it mattered.
My eyes stayed fixed on the dark sky, searching for the stars around the sparse groups of clouds rolling softly over the sky.
It's not cold enough for my breath to mist in front of me but the dampness of the air makes it feel as if ice crystals should be forming.
Every minute or so, I look around, keeping watch for the first time almost since we got here.
We haven't needed to until now.
And who better suited to do it than someone who won't be sleeping tonight anyway?
Also why I let Daryl use my tent. I'm not using it and even if I was, we've shared a tent before. It wasn't difficult to convince him it ain't a good idea to go back to his camp tonight. It's too far from the rest of us, and he'd be alone.
As much as we both share an adoration for being by ourselves, now is not the time.
Andrea's soft crying from below me finally ended about ten minutes ago. I actually miss the days when I could cry myself to sleep. At least I could still sleep then.
The RV ladder made a noise and I pulled my gun, looking down but Rick is the last person I expected to see right now.
"Can we talk?" he kept his voice low, quiet; not wanting to disturb anyone who's managed to get themselves to sleep. Truthfully I don't think many of us actually are.
I nodded and he climbed up, taking my outstretched hand at the top before settling next to me, dropping his legs over the long side of the RV; mirroring myself.
I shifted, looking at him. Waiting for him to speak his mind. "I been thinkin' a lot about what he said. Dale. And what you said."
I watched his eyes roam the dark horizon, the barely visible fields. Rick's pretty easy to read when he's got something on his mind. He gets really quiet, almost me quiet, and he clamps his jaw shut; tightening it sometimes if he's wrestling with himself.
"I think it's time we let go of what used to be."
I tilted my head, confused but more interested in what he's thinking. I can take a guess that my face says it for me, 'What have you got in mind?'
"You know how to protect yourself better than anyone I've ever met. I came up here to talk about what we can do to make this place safer."
This, right here, Rick. Is why I trust you. These moments when you remind me you've got a good head on your shoulders. That you don't sit idle when waters get rough.
"We should start by figurin' out how that walker got 'ere."
We both looked over the edge at Daryl, staring up at us. And watched Glenn come up behind him, hands stuffed in his pockets. "Mind if I join?"
The corner of my lip pulled up and I motioned at them to come up, glancing at Rick who holds the look of leader once again.
The same look that's been wavering these last few days, but now it's set back in place. Confident. Identical to the one he had when he was set on rescuing Glenn in Atlanta and tried to convince us to head back.
"Here" Daryl took up a seat behind me, and I spun around, cross crossing my legs to face him. Only to find my knife in his palm, being held out to me.
My hand went to my thigh where it's supposed to be. How did I forget I gave it to him?
I took the blade, and a tension I didn't even realize was there lifted from my shoulders. Like a piece of my identity had just been returned to me.
I looked at him and he just stared back for a moment until Glenn settled next to him, across from Rick who also turned around. I nodded at him, feeling my cheek drag up; happy to have the soothing weight back by my side.
"Ok," All three of us turned to Rick, ready to take back the reins we dropped somewhere along the way.
The truck jostled, bumping my shoulders into T-Dog's on my left, and Daryl's on my right.
The property flicked by as we drove out to the farther corners, looking for holes in the fence.
The truck soon came to a stop and T-Dog grabbed the tool kit, while me & Daryl jumped out. Shane and Andrea exited the cabin, slamming the old blue doors.
Daryl and I acted as senteries for the others while they checked and repaired the fences.
Dale's funeral was early this morning and Rick gave a eulogy I honestly think Dale would've been proud of, but I can't stop thinking about what Rick said.
"In the end, he was talking about losing our humanity. He said this group was broken. The best way to honor him is to unbreak it. Set aside our differences, and pull together. Stop feeling sorry for ourselves, take control of our lives. Our safety. Our future. We're not broken. We're gonna prove him wrong."
Ever since then, even though it's only been a few hours at most, things have already gotten more organized.
For the first time in weeks, it finally feels like we're getting our shit together.
Rick sent the five of us to check and repair any damaged fences and find any other walkers roaming the fields. The mud on the walker's pants was enough to tell us where to start. The creek. Where they normally get stuck.
When we got there, we found it drying up. And instead of walkers trapped in the mud, Daryl found tracks through it, heading onto the farm lands.
That's where we're headed now. Driving over the field, trying to find them.
All of a sudden T whistled and banged the side of the truck, pointing off the side.
I followed his finger to a number of dark silhouettes staggering towards something.
The truck slid to a stop, sliding on the gravel a bit but it didn't even stop before Daryl and T hopped out, me following right after.
Daryl fired his crossbow and I stepped around him, throwing my knife and watched the walker fall as it sank halfway through the forehead.
Andrea put a 4 pronged farming tool of some kind through another.
The remaining were taken out by T-Dog's hammer, Shane's shovel, and another of Daryl's arrows. Until there was only one left.
One which Shane knocked down, and proceeded to kick.
I leaned over, putting my boot on the throat of the one I took out, pulling my knife out of the thick skull with a gross 'slick'; watching the others kick the shit out of the walker.
Angry grunts and exhausted breaths accompanied every hit I watched them take on the walker. I stood back.
They're angry. Angry about Dale. Angry about this world. Trapped in cesspool of stress.
I didn't join in, but I didn't stop them either. I just kept watch while they all do what they gotta do.
Better they get this out now than to let it fester and feed into their actions later.
Finally they all backed off, Daryl circling back around to my side and Shane brought the shovel down on it.
"It'll be tight. 14 people in one house." I overheard Rick from where Daryl & I stand at the back of the truck.
"Don't worry about that. With the swamp hardening, the creek drying up…"
I followed Daryl over to the small gathering beside the truck, Rick, Shane, Maggie, Hershel, and Beth all discussing the plans Rick came up with last night.
I know it was last night because I helped him. Neither of us slept, and well… let's just say the top of the RV was pretty crowded when Daryl and Glenn found us both up there and joined our little planning session.
Heh, ironically it almost felt like that time back in Atlanta. Strategizing a suicide mission for that gun bag; which surprisingly, no one died for. Not even G's people.
I wonder if those guys are still there? Are they holding out?
"With 50 head of cattle on the property, we might as well be ringin' a damn dinner bell." Couldn't have said it better myself, Mags.
"She's right. We should've moved you in a while ago."
To be honest, there's a lot of things we could've been doing or should have done a while ago. All that matters now is they're getting done. Finally.
"Alright," Rick's authoritative tone ended the discussion before it could side track us; bringing attention back to the tasks at hand. "Let's move the vehicles near each of the doors, facin' out towards the road."
"We'll build a lookout in the windmill, another in the barn loft. That should give us sightlines both sides of the property." Ah, my brain child of the midnight plans.
Simultaneous nods agreed before we started splitting off to do our assigned tasks.
Daryl and I stayed near the truck as Rick stopped T as he was passing by. "T-Dog, you take the perimeter around the house. Keep track of everybody comin' and goin'."
"Gotcha. What about standing guard?" T inquired.
"Eve, Daryl, I need you two on double duty."
We both nodded and I hopped into the truck bed, taking things that were passed to me; helping load all of our camp gear and supplies to be taken to the house.
"I'll stock the basement with food and water. Enough that we can all survive there a few days if need be." Hershel came around the back and I took the plastic crates from him, stacking them up securely with the other stuff.
"What about patrols?" Andrea handed me a pile of blankets and went over to stand beside Rick and Shane on the left side of the vehicle.
"Ey, pull that over some" Daryl pointed, leaning over the right side and I pulled a larger box over, watching him stuff a few of the bagged tents in the corner.
We are quite the tetris masters here. Camp is almost completely packed up and 90% of it is right here but the truck's only half full.
"Let's get this area locked down first." Rick answered the blonde. "After that, Shane'll assign shifts while me and Daryl take Randall offsite and cut him loose."
Oh this is gonna turn into a shit fight.
Daryl whistled at me shortly and I nodded, jumping off the side of the truck; my knees acting like springs in absorbing the momentum.
Last night during our talks, I decided it's best to opt out of these fights. It's pointless trying to stop them. All that's ever come out of that is getting wrapped up in the web with them. It's better if I keep to the outside with a blowtorch in case I need to shut something down.
And if Rick can't handle his partner, no one else can without things getting ugly.
I'll keep an eye out, from a distance. Rick said he'd handle Shane, and I believe he can, as long as the rest of us start cooperating and are too occupied with more important things to even wanna poke at more drama.
Drama comes from boredom. Can't be bored if you got too much to do.
"I'mma move my bike, meet ya up at the house." I nodded and went to pack up the rest of my stuff, as Daryl broke off from me.
My packing is pretty simple. I just stuffed my things back into my backpack and took down my tent before tossing that and the bag over my shoulders.
My backpack is pretty full though, and the strap is wearing. I should look for a new one as soon as I can. A bigger one; more durable if possible. There's gotta be plenty of packs lying around. Packs meant for the outdoors, or possibly even military grade if I can find something like that.