Ch. 22
'Innocence lost Part one'
[Static, KY, Morning]'August eighth'
The morning air was crisp and cool, Amanda sat on a fallen tree branch while Genevieve held Amanda's knife. "It's about the release, Genevieve," Amanda explained, her back aching still, from last night's ending.
Genevieve took a deep breath, exhaling, Genevieve slung the knife at the makeshift target dummy, the knife whistled through the air, sticking itself in the scarecrow's chest, drooping after a short time.
Amanda pursed her lips, not satisfied with the result. "Not bad," Amanda sighed. "Go get it," the teenager directed, looking at the ground.
Genevieve returned with the knife, handing it to Amanda, Amanda lifted her gaze from the ground to Genevieve, stealing a glance at her target, Amanda returned her eyes to the little girl's, throwing the knife, Amanda could feel her spine protest the sudden speed of the action, Genevieve cringed when she heard the projectile hit the scarecrow, turning her head, the little girl saw that the knife was embedded in the face of the target dummy.
"That's what I wanna see," Amanda said, watching the child's expressions.
"Ok, I'll try," Genevieve said, retrieving the knife, the young girl widened her stance, lifting the knife level with her ear, throwing the knife, hitting the target in the chin, Genevieve looked to Amanda, expectantly.
"Better," Amanda said, simply. "Do it again, but even better," Amanda ordered, leaning back, trying to find a comfortable place for her back.
Genevieve repeated this for more than an hour before Amanda said they could stop for the day, Genevieve stayed close to Amanda today, worried Amanda would fall again.
The duo walked, slowly towards the teacher's house, which sat on the western edge of Static, Genevieve pushed a lock of hair behind her ear as they walked down the street.
Amanda could tell the little girl was stuck in her thoughts, thinking for a moment the teenager figured she'd try and strike up a conversation. "Man, I gotta get my hair cut..." Amanda said, injecting herself with a slightly dramatic tone.
Genevieve kept walking, not even sparing her a look, Amanda figured she didn't hear her. "Think you could do it?" Amanda asked, upping her volume.
"Hm?" Genevieve questioned, looking over to Amanda, readjusting her rucksack, the old unicorn that was sewed on, showing its age after four years of travel.
"Could ya cut my hair?" Amanda reiterated.
"We don't have any scissors," Genevieve said, her mood dropping when she saw the house she had to go to.
"Well, we can ask around I guess," Amanda figured, slowing to a stop.
Genevieve turned back to Amanda, her shoulders hanging low.
"I'll see ya after school," Amanda said, patting the little girl on the shoulder.
"Ok," Genevieve said, letting out a sigh, lowering her head, jumping at the sound of a single gunshot rang out in the distance. "Wasn't that from the south?" Genevieve asked, looking up at Amanda.
"Ya, it was, I'll go have a look, you get to class," Amanda said, giving a two-fingered salute to the young girl, turning and walking down the road, to investigate the gunshot.
Genevieve turned towards the house again, shrugging the worn rucksack up, on her shoulders, the young girl climbed the porch steps and turned the knob, opening the door, Genevieve nearly ran into Rainey. "G'mornin', Genevieve," the middle-aged man greeted, stepping to the side, allowing the girl to pass.
"Morning," Genevieve said dismissively, stepping around the man.
Rainey scoffed silently at the girl's behavior, watching her move around him, it was clear the little girl he first met, crying to stay with Summer, was starting to fade. "Something on your mind, Genevieve?" Rainey asked, not expecting a straight answer.
Genevieve didn't even spare a look. "No, nothing," Genevieve answered, disappearing down a hall.
The young girl heard the man chuckle in almost a sinister manner. "Yes ma'am," Rainey replied stepping out of the house and into the street replacing his hat upon his head.
[Minutes earlier]
Rainey stepped into the town's teacher's house, taking his hat off at the door, he stepped down the hall into the makeshift classroom.
A woman in her mid-thirties stood at a desk grading papers from the previous week, looking up she saw the man and pasted a smile. "Mr. Rainey," the woman stood up, laying the papers down. "Do you need something?" The woman asked.
"G'mornin' Ms. Trevall, I have a task for you today," Rainey said, slowly closing the distance between them.
"Ok, name it, what do you need?" Trevall asked, putting her hands together.
"You told me a while back that the girl's birthday is tomorrow, I want you, to see what she wants for her birthday," Rainey instructed, stopping just in front of the woman.
"I can do that," the woman said, sounding timider than before.
"Good, swing by my house after school, tell me what she wants," Rainey said, turning around swiftly and leaving the room slowly.
"Y-yes sir," the woman said, gulping.
"Oh, and Ms. Trevall," Rainey turned back to her slowly in the doorway to the hall. "Have a good day, I'll see you at noon," Rainey said, disappearing out down the hall.
[Late morning]
"I think that will conclude lessons today," Trevall said abruptly, from her desk.
Genevieve looked up from her paper and looked at the clock on the wall. "At ten-forty-five?" Genevieve asked, her fingers tracing the wood of the table she worked on.
"Yep, although I have a question for you..." Trevall said trailing off, knowing how things would go for her if Genevieve didn't answer well.
Genevieve was confused, she'd never been let out this early before, she wasn't complaining, but something felt off to her. "Yes?" Genevieve inquired, hesitantly.
Trevall took a deep breath. "Tomorrow's your birthday... Is there anything you'd like to do for your birthday?" Trevall asked, leaning forward against the desk.
Genevieve wanted to escape this horrible place, to find a place where her friends could be free, but for now, she would have to settle, or would she? "I'd like to have a cookout under the stars," Genevieve declared, looking up to the teacher.
"Alright... Maybe that wish'll come true," Trevall replied, optimistically.
Genevieve started finishing her paper, standing up, and taking it to the teacher. "Have a nice day," Genevieve said, grabbing her rucksack and slinging it over her shoulder.
The sun now shined overhead, giving a beautiful glow to the countryside, the young girl wanted to find Summer or Amanda.
Wandering down the main road, Genevieve saw Ian working on the engine for the armored bus, Genevieve had heard from him, that it wasn't going very well, fixing the bus up, by his say, it was hard to fix anything without having the necessary parts readily available.
Eventually, the young girl strolled home, Summer and Amanda inside already.
"Hey, kiddo, you're back early, everything alright?" Summer said in greeting.
"Yes, the teacher told me I could go home," Genevieve replied, shutting the door, and shrugging out of her rucksack, standing on the tip of her toes and stretching her reach, she hung it on a protruding nail near the front door.
"Cool, we were thinking about helping A.J. with the add-on room, wanna help?" Summer asked, setting her mug on the countertop.
"Um, what was the gunshot about this morning?" Genevieve asked, avoiding the question.
Summer's brows knitted together finding Genevieve's behavior off. "The guy on south-border lookout fired at one of the scouts that were coming back, with some pretty bad news," Summer explained, watching the girl's mannerisms.
Genevieve still lingered next to her backpack. "What did the scout say?" Genevieve asked, looking up at Summer.
Summer leaned back, sighing. "He was tracking a herd, he estimated two-hundred," Summer replied, simply.
Genevieve blinked, looking past her guardians, analyzing what she'd been told. "When are they supposed to come through here?" The young girl asked, returning her gaze to Summer.
Summer shrugged, nonchalantly looking at Amanda for a moment. "Tomorrow night," Summer replied, straightening up from the counter.
Genevieve nodded, pulling her pack off the hook. "Can I go outside in a bit?" Genevieve asked, over her shoulder.
The young girl passed by Summer, her rucksack in hand, disappearing into her room. "Ya, sure," Summer said, tossing a glance at Amanda, shrugging slowly, the two women eventually went back to talking.
[Noon]
Trevall made her way up the porch steps, stopping at the door, raising a nervously shaking hand, the woman knocked on the door thrice quickly, waiting for only a few moments before the door opened. "How'd your little mission go?" Rainey asked, leaning against the door frame.
"It went... Fine, she wants to: 'have dinner under the stars'," Trevall reported, seriously.
Rainey's face fell a bit. "There's a herd of walkers comin' this way," Rainey said, growing restless at the woman's potential failure.
"Does it have to be tomorrow?" Trevall asked, looking over her shoulder.
"Yes, it does," Rainey spat, looking to the roofs for a moment, an idea hatching soon after. "Go tell Rich, that his roof 'n grills will be used for a birthday party 'round eight o'clock, tomorrow night," Rainey ordered, receiving only a nod in return before the woman scurried away quickly.
Rainey looked down the road in the direction of Summer and Genevieve's house, formulating a plan to get that girl on his side, afore could be seen in that little girl, the same type of fire could be seen in Summer, but she was older more set in her ways than a little girl would be, and if either of the women got in his way, or the men, Rainey would ultimately have his way.
An hour had passed, Rich had been informed of Rainey's plan, as the man, made preparations for the coming party, Genevieve was dogging the man, Melissa had saved earlier this year, Benson.
"Benson, please!" Genevieve exclaimed, following after the one-armed man.
Walking with his back turned to the child, Benson had promised the group a favor, for saving his life. "Damn it, Genevieve I told you, I can't do it," Benson said, watching the people around them, making sure they couldn't hear anything.
"You promised us!" Genevieve hissed, following Benson until he slowed to a stop just out of earshot, without stepping out of view with a child.
Benson turned around suddenly, facing the girl, Genevieve skittering back a step. "I'm always gonna be grateful, Melissa saved my life," Benson said. "But I can't just let you," Benson confessed, looking defeated.
"Please, please help us," Genevieve pleaded, hoping to sway the man with words. "Someone hurt Amanda last night, she won't tell me who," Genevieve said, fear becoming slipping into her voice.
Benson grimaced at the thought of someone hitting a woman in general, let alone an injured one. "I heard about that," Benson sighed, looking around to confirm no one was listening. "Fine, I'll look the other way, I'm on the eastern perimeter tomorrow night," Benson said, granting Genevieve another success to her plan.
Genevieve stayed composed while she nodded curtly. "Thank you, this means a lot," Genevieve said, genuinely.
Benson nodded half-heartedly, waving Genevieve away dismissively. "Ya, Ya, go on, git," Benson exclaimed, sighing in exasperation.
Genevieve vacated the area quickly after Benson confirmed he would do it, running in the direction of her house.
The young girl ran faster than she knew she could, her heart racing at the sense of accomplishment.
Skidding around a corner, Genevieve raced forward, spotting a waist-high fence, Genevieve saw a man wheeling a cart into the backdoor of the store where they kept supplies, Genevieve decided to try something she had watched Amanda do before her injury.
Sprinting towards the fence, Genevieve sprung into the air as high as her legs would propel her, kicking off the brick wall of the supply building, adding more vertical, clearing the fence, and narrowly dodging the man and his cart.
"Watch it!" The man yelled as Genevieve continued running, undeterred by the man, the young girl knew, finally.
"This is it, this is finally it."
