Chapter 8: You Did What?
It's been pointed out that I do unprofessional things. News flash, I am not a professional, I am an artist, giving my art away for free. That's it. If you don't like some of the shit I pull, there's a back button.
Or you know, you could pay to read stuff. Not my stuff, it's free. And not completely mine.
Though, I do like it when someone points out how I can make my shit better. So, thanks for that. Still, not a professional.
Thanks for the reviews, and support. I can't tell you how much that means to me.
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The British group woke up the next morning. They were gonna show the new people what a day in life at the camp was about. As they walked through the campground, they noted that there was a beehive of activity. All the new people that have been brought before yesterday had chores they had to do, and they were all doing them. These sorted down into three main categories: Business, Manual and Family. With magical and non-magical doing any job.
Business consisted of helping sort and keep track of supplies. And see who did what work, and how much they earned, in energy, food, clothes and so on. Water and a small amount of food was free to everyone. The house elves were in charge of this category.
Manual, consisted of training, hunting, gathering, planting and weeding the greenhouse, farming (which wasn't a thing yet), and maintaining the grounds. There were plenty of people in this category.
Healing also fell in the Manual as the healers/doctors could not charge for their services.
Family was just that. They maintained all household stuff; laundry, kids, and general straightening up. They were not allowed in everyone's tent/RV but could be asked to come and tidy up. There were house elves in charge divvying out that as well.
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The morning sun beat down on everyone, but the shade wards kept it reasonably cool. The local magicals had taken pity on the British contingent and taught them a cooling ward. Unlike the protection wards, this one just cooled down the area they were under. the whole camping area was under such a ward.
It looked more and more like a community, with everyone relaxed enough to work and laugh. There were children playing, adults working, and elves feeding them all. It was hard to tell the end of the world was right outside their door.
Sirius, Harry and Remus walked to the communal tent and looked for the new people. They found them in the middle, most of them were sitting there looking confused. They all had plates in front of them, but probably didn't know where the food had come from. Like all newcomers, they only had eggs and soldiers on their plate. It was decided in the beginning to keep the first few meals light.
There was a group they had brought from the CDC. There was also the group that Sam had brought from Atlanta. The group that had come from the CDC were sitting separately. The rest of the newbies were nearby, so they would be listening in.
It was clear by the division of the group who they thought was in charge. Rick, Daryl and T-Dog were at one end of the table. Glenn, Jim, Carol, Jacqui and Andrea sat at the other end. Dale and Lori were somewhere in the middle. The two children, Carl and Sophia were next to their respective parents.
The entire group looked better for having taken a shower, having a full night's rest and eating a good meal the night before. They were all in clean clothes. Freshly washed hair and clean faces.
Sirius approached the CDC table.
"How are you lot doing this morning?" he said, sitting and plating some of the eggs that was in the middle of the table. Remus and Harry followed his movements.
"Better than we have for a while," Rick said, though he looked like he hadn't slept a wink the entire night. "Is Shane ever gonna be allowed in? I mean, I'm not sure if I want him back right yet. But, in the future…" he trailed off, looking confused as to what he was feeling.
"No, once you can't pass the intent line, that means that you are not allowed in," Sirius said, buttering some toast. He knew how the poor guy felt. He felt the same after escaping Azkaban. Remus had thought him a criminal. After all he had done for the werewolf in school, that hurt. It had taking him months to totally feel comfortable with his best mate.
"What gives you the right to dictate people's lives like that?" The ex-sheriff asked, slamming his fork next to his empty plate.
"It's my land," was the reply. Sirius wasn't worried, he knew it would not get violent. "He was warned not to fight. All of you are warned. You're a lawman, you should know that breaking the rules has consequences. Don't tell me that you don't," he added, pointing his finger to the man's badge.
"You own this land?" Rick said instead of defending Shane.
"No, he don't. This here is state property," Daryl pointed out, setting down his coffee cup. His hand ventured to his ever-ready crossbow. Not that he'd use it, but the threat was there. "I've lived here all my life, and this ain't your land," he added, tapping his finger of his other hand on the table for emphasis.
"I have the papers to prove that I bought it," Serious said one more time, shrugging them off. "I have no problem bringing them out to show you. Not that it'd do you any good, what with anyone who can verify them being either dead or gone."
"Look if you want, you can go join that Shane bloke. Nobody is keeping you here," Remus decided to add. "We have set up a safe place, and not you or Shane is going to mess that up."
"Rick, we can't go off with me being pregnant and us having Carl," Lori said. She grabbed his arm to show how she was feeling about the whole thing.
"Fine, yes, okay, we'll stay," Rick sighed. "Is there any way we can get him weapons or food? It's the least I can do. He did look after these folks, so…"
"If we see him, we'll give him what he needs to survive," said Remus softly. "We'll do what we can to give it to him."
Sirius agreed. They weren't heartless, just firm on who could stay and who couldn't. He had no problem getting some stuff to the man. Like the sheriff said, he had helped this group before Rick showed back up. Well, that was the story he had gotten out of Dale last night. A bit of help back was not too much to ask.
"So, what's next?" Lori asked quickly as if desperately wanting to change the subject.
"First thing we need to do is get you all settled in. We're going to assign you tasks that you need to complete in order to get the energy for your trailer/tent, more food, clothes and the like," Harry explained.
"You mean like rent?" T-dog questioned.
"Real power?" Dale asked at the same time.
"Exactly like rent. Everybody, with the exception of the pregnant lady will also take self-defense classes," Remus said, nodding to the largish man. "And, yes, real power," he added, nodding to Dale.
"My name is Lori," the willowy woman snapped.
"I know, we were introduced last night," the werewolf said, not bowing to her need to fight.
Sirius understood where the werewolf was coming from, they had all lost respect when she passed the health wards. Not only was the child not her husband's, but she decided to partake in activities that brought it about. When there was an apocalypse going on. It didn't make her a worthy person in their eyes. They had discussed it before bed last night.
"I have a question," Sophia said in a timid voice. She was a cute girl with long brunette hair. She looked a lot like her mum.
"Yes?" Harry decided to answer.
"What's with all the pets. Do you guys really love animals?" she wondered.
"Oh, Merlin, not that," he said dramatically, even going so far as to putting his hand on his forehead. Sophia and Carl giggled. "They just kinda showed up," Harry said as he stopped the faux drama.
"They are quite noisy," Carol added, looking to the two men in charge. Her baldish head didn't actually look that bad on her. Though Sirius had to wonder if it was on purpose or not. She came off as a victim and he noted there was no Mr. Carol. He'd ask around. If she needed counseling, then he'd make sure someone talked to her.
"We're still working on that," he answered vaguely, still unsure what to do with all the animals.
It happened without them realizing it, until it was very noticeable. The pets from the city had moved into the woods. Cats were hunting as where the dogs. Not all of them were good at it, but there was a noticeable decline in squirrels and rabbits. That might be bad. They would have to hold a meeting on what to do with all the strays. They can afford to feed them, and it didn't seem right to turn them out.
The one farmer they talked to said they he had gotten more chickens, pigs, and the like. A few horses, and cows, but not overly many. They were going to go check on the farms they knew about.
"Yo, Magic Man, can your voodoo find my brother?" the redneck asked, sniffing in annoyance.
"Depends on where he is. I said we're magical, not God," Sirius answered, again not worried about the rudeness.
"He's been gone a day or so, might be far away by now," Daryl said, proudly. "My brother is good at disappearing. He's one tough son-of-a-bitch. No thanks to these assholes," he added, glaring at the sheriff.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
Sirius was curious as well. The man was very upset.
"These dicks handcuffed him to a roof, the nig… T-dog, lost the blasted key," he snarled. They could hear the anger in that reply.
"You did what?" Remus all but yelled.
"Tweren't my fault," T-dog said, trying once again to explain it to Daryl. "I dropped it down a drain. I tried to get it, but it was out of reach," his tone was pleading for the man to understand.
"You don't understand, we were surrounded by Walkers, he was up on the roof shooting off his shotgun. High as a kite," Glenn said, is if he too was tired of explaining.
"Didn't mean you had to leave him there. There was a goddamn toolbox right there. You could have cut him loose," Daryl said, standing up and starting to pace. It looked like he could explode any moment, like a caged lion.
"He was a danger to himself and us," Rick stated.
"Don't make it right. Like I said, my brother is one tough sonabitch, but he's got no hand now. All thanks to you dickwads," Daryl snarled, grabbing his crossbow and leaving.
"I'll go," Remus said, getting up to follow.
"Whose idea was that?" Sirius asked, wanting to know as much of the story as possible. He didn't want to judge with out the information. He just hoped they told the truth.
"Mine," Rick admitted. "However, it was mutual to leave him there, after the keys got lost."
"When we went to get him, his hand had been cut off. It was left there," Glenn said, picking up the story. "He, Merle that is, burned the end off," he added, making everyone go a bit green.
"That's both good and bad. Good, he didn't bleed out, bad, because now the Healers can't put it back on. Well, if we had it," Harry said, thinking on what magic could accomplish.
"We do have it," and even sicker Glenn said, waving towards the tent entrance. "Daryl has it."
"That's gross," Carl said, putting his hand over his mouth.
"Do we have to discuss this now?" Lori asked, hugging her son.
"No, but be warned, we don't coddle the young here," Harry said, putting his plate to the center of the table, and watching it disappear. He nodded to everyone to follow his example, they did and soon the table was clear.
"I think we should find the Merle guy," Harry said, thinking of Daryl.
"He won't pass your wards. He's already beaten-up T-Dog," Rick warned.
"Still, we can give him stuff to survive, like you want us to do with Shane," Sirius pointed out.
"Fair enough," was all the cowboy said.
"How will you find them?" Sophia asked, as everyone got up and followed Sirius and Harry out of the tent.
"Magic," Harry said with a wink.
"Silly," Sophia giggled and hid in her mother's shirt.
"Daryl, come here a moment," Sirius said, waving the man over. "We're going down to the highway. Remus here is going to make up survival kits. We're going to find Merle and Shane, give them one. If you want to join your brother, go pack now."
Daryl nodded and went to grab what little he and Merle owned.
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Short due to pain. However, my muse wouldn't be silenced.