Day one of traveling had gone off without a hitch. They took two breaks to rest the animals, and allow the children to have a nap in one of the wagons. While they stopped, they rationed out water for everyone, but anything left unconsumed was poured back into a container to conserve it. Even the animals' leftover water was recycled and poured back into a container just for them.
As they rode, Collin and Tabitha started up a game of 'I spy', describing things that they'd see along the way, although that game soon got boring when they ran out of trees, the rusted out shells of abandoned cars, and some cows from their herd to describe. The adults were just relieved that they hadn't come upon a single Walker so far. It gave them hope that it was possible to get to the lake without incident.
In the late afternoon, an hour or so before sunset, they began looking for a place to make camp and settle down for the night. To their luck they came across a burned out carwash. The fire that had once raged inside the building had blown out the windows and doors, but it was the only upright structure around, and if it was safe on the inside it would be better than sleeping out in the open.
Michonne and Tony volunteered to go inside and check it out while the others waited patiently and kept a look out. Michonne squinted into the dark building, Tony right behind her with his knife raised. She banged on the wall three times, and the vibration sent some ashes falling from the partially crumbling ceiling. They waited and listened for movement, but when there was none Michonne stepped into the doorway, Tony flanking her, and together they moved silently through the abandoned building. They were careful to step over the knocked down display racks and torn up floor boards inside the store. Once they cleared the store and were sure there were no Walkers, Tony went to check out the indoor car wash bay, while Michonne scavenged for any useful supplies. To Michonne's amazement, there were some supplies that hadn't been burned, they had been saved by being locked into a steel storage closet. She found 10 car seat covers that could easily be turned into sleeping bags or blankets, or even covers for the wagon to protect someone from the sun. She found plastic containers full of engine oil that was an easy source of fuel or could be used to start fires, some car cleaning supplies, expired batteries, some containers of instant coffee, and tea, and the most amazing find, two packages of sealed 20 packs of water bottles.
Michonne nearly shouted in joy before catching herself.
"Hey Michonne, look at this!" Tony called from the back, and she squeezed herself through the store area and made her way to the section once made of glass, where patrons were able to watch their cars go through the automated car wash. Even though the glass in that area was blown out, and the machines that once spun their fluffy tendrils over the cars to clean the dirt off had been burned away, it was a large open area that was relatively safe.
"If we get rid of the glass and debris, we can bring the animals in here for the night. It'll keep them safe from Walkers and night predators, as well as lower the smells and noise around this area, and make it less conspicuous that we're in here. If the store area is safe, we can sleep in there."
"Yea, if we clear out the debris in the store we can set up tents and stay there, while the animals also sleep inside. Good thinking Tony" Michonne said, patting him on the back proudly, "and wait 'till you see what I've found!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Rick, Carl, Tony, and Kaleb began to work on the car wash, clearing it of debris and glass, while Michonne, Judith, and the kids kept watch outside the store, and made sure that the animals were okay. Michonne was sitting on top of a wagon, a shot gun resting in her lap, when she noticed one of Tony's hunting dogs perk up, it's ears pointed towards the woods. Michonne snapped her fingers to get Judith's attention, when the dog began to bark to alert them that it heard something. Michonne stood up in the wagon and aimed her shot gun at the section of trees where the dog was focused on, when the dog took off into the woods.
"Butch!" Judith yelled at the dog trying to call it off, "Butch, come!". But the dog did what it had been trained to do, and ran after whatever was in the woods, the two other hunting dogs following behind.
A few seconds later, Tony burst from the store. "What's going on? Why's Butch barking?" he asked the women.
"They ran off into the woods after something. They must've heard a sound or picked up a scent" Judith explained.
"I'll get them" Tony said, running into the woods after his dogs.
"Wait!" Judith yelled after her husband, "Wait Tony!", but he was gone just like his dogs, although the women could still hear the dogs barking in the distance.
"He can't be out there by himself. Stay here, watch the kids" Michonne ordered, before hopping off the wagon and also taking off into the woods. "Mom!" Judith screamed, her heart racing in terror for her mom and husband.
Michonne sprinted through the woods as fast as she could, dodging fallen trees and uneven terrain. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was an older woman, at least for this world that they lived in. Although she was in excellent shape, her 59 year old knees and back weren't happy about running full speed through the forest. She could hear the dogs' barking getting louder as she got closer, and she spotted Tony pointing his gun at a patch of bushes a few feet away. The dogs were growling and pacing in front of the bushes, but Tony had ordered them 'back', and they were patiently waiting for a command. Michonne cautiously approached, her katana at the ready. She could immediately tell they were dealing with a person or an animal that was hiding, not a Walker.
"We know you're in there" Tony said commandingly, "come out now or you'll have to deal with my dogs' teeth, or my bullets."
The bushes rustled slightly, and the dogs barked and growled until a young girl with straight black hair and a long oval face stepped from inside of them, her hands in the air. Tony and Michonne immediately lowered their weapons, and the dogs stopped barking. It was Akisho.
Seconds later, Rick and Kaleb burst through the trees behind them, guns drawn.
Akisho's eyes were wide with fear, but she was also looking down at the ground in embarrassment.
"What the hell?" Rick asked in shock.
Akisho began to speak quickly. "I'm sorry I alarmed you all, I know you didn't want me to come with you, but I couldn't stay there. I won't stay there. Everything that you said at the church, I know all of that is true. I knew if we stayed any longer we wouldn't be able to leave 'cuz we don't have the water to leave, and I couldn't just stay there and die, even if that's what my dad wants. And… and I figured if I take my chances and follow you maybe… maybe if you found me you wouldn't send me back. And anyway, I won't go back. And you don't have the water to spare to take me back there anyway, so we have to keep going now right?"
Everyone stared at Akisho in shock and silence. Michonne turned to glance at Kaleb who was smirking at his girlfriend, but as soon as he realized Michonne was watching, his smirk quickly disappeared.
"You knew about this didn't you?" Rick asked Kaleb, his eyes flashing. Kaleb, knowing what was best for him, kept quiet.
"You could've put her in danger. Having her traveling behind us, anything could've happened!" Rick yelled.
"No Mr. Grimes. I wasn't in danger. I know how to protect myself, and take down Walkers. I was okay. I even traveled this far without alerting you I was there. Imagine how long I could've gone if you didn't have dogs? I just want to come with you and your family. And Kaleb. I'm old enough to make my own decision. I'm not a child. And I know that this is best for me."
Rick's face was red and his forehead was wrinkled. He turned towards Michonne, his compass whenever he didn't know where to turn. She always led him the right way.
"Does your dad know?" Michonne asked Akisho.
"No. I mean… he does now."
"Did you bring food and water? Supplies?"
"Yes Mrs. Grimes. I have enough for myself for 4 days, and I can stretch the rations if I have to. I have a gun with extra bullets, and a knife, and a sleeping bag. I will be no trouble for your family" Akisho said, her shapely dark brown eyes staring into Michonne's confidently.
"She's made it this far, mom. Please?" Kaleb begged.
Michonne looked from Kaleb to Akisho. She couldn't send this girl back home to her death. Not after she already escaped, and followed them for a full day. She admired the girl's spunk and resourcefulness, and saw some of herself at 16 in her. Plus, Akisho wasn't the type to go back home if they sent her anyway, and Kaleb wouldn't have it. Kaleb was stubborn enough to run off with her if they sent her away.
"You can stay with us" Michonne decided, "but you have to listen to what we say, no running off."
"Yes ma'am" Akisho said, nodding quickly, her shoulder-length hair bouncing. "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Grimes. I promise you're not making a mistake."
"Kaleb, come here for a minute" Rick said, turning his back and walking away, expecting his son to follow him.
Kaleb gave a quick nod to Akisho, and then walked quickly to catch up with his father, who walked a short distance to get out of earshot of Michonne, Tony, and especially Akisho.
"Did you know she was followin' us?" Rick asked, staring at his son.
Kaleb looked down at his shoe, over at a tree to the left, and then back at his father again. "I… um… yea. Yea dad. I told her to. But leaving her behind was wrong. She'll die there, and you know it."
"She could've died out here on her own"
"She wouldn't've. I told her to yell if she was in trouble. I would've heard her."
"How long would you have had her following behind us before you told us she was there? We could've shot her by accident! Anything could've happened."
"Dad nothing happened…"
"Only because the dogs found her first."
"She knows how to handle Walkers!" Kaleb said, his voice raising.
"You put her in danger!" Rick yelled. "You put her in direct danger, and I'm not talking about just Walkers. There are people out here too. People that would do all kinds of things to a young girl on her own. People who would do things that you couldn't imagine. I haven't told you all the stories, everything that happened to us on the road. I never told you how many people I've had to kill to keep this family safe. I've ripped a man's neck out with my teeth to protect Carl and your mom. Bob, a friend of mine, some people we came across took him, cut off his leg, and ate it in front of him! Beth, she was kidnapped and taken to another city and forced to work for people as their slave. Things are not the way they were inside the gates, and it's not safe for anyone to be out here alone. Especially when no one knows they're out here."
Kaleb stared at his father in shock with his mouth slightly open. Rick realized the magnitude of the information that he was sharing with his son, but he knew that his son had to know it, and really hear it. He had to realize how much danger he was in every second he was out here.
"Everything that I've done in the past, everything that we've gone through? It was so you wouldn't have to be out here. This is dangerous and it's not a game, and I know you just wanted to save Akisho. I understand that son, and I'm proud of you for trying to do the right thing. But I also need you to think wisely, and listen to wise advice. You're 16 now. You're a man. A young man, but a man nonetheless, and I'm gonna hold you to the same standard that I held Carl to at your age. Akisho is out here because of you. It's your job to protect her."
"I will" Kaleb said quickly, nodding furiously. "I will. But… but she can take care of herself dad. And I know what I asked her to do was dangerous, but she's alive. And she's with me so I don't regret it. And I understand if you're disappointed in me, but I promised I would do whatever I had to do to make sure the people I loved were safe, and I mean it, because I love her dad."
Rick stared at his son, and the corner of his mouth inadvertently lifted in a brief smile. He nodded his head slightly and his eyes softened. He wrapped his hand around the back of Kaleb's neck, gripping the slight curls that the boy had around his neckline.
"You know, you remind me of me at your age" Rick said fondly, "C'mon, lets get back to the car wash. It's gettin' dark."
XXXXXXXXXX
The dangerous debris and glass that littered the inside of the car wash was quickly cleared out, and the family herded the animals into the small space that was the car bay. The horses were separated from the cows and goats by a few display cases, and the dogs were allowed to sleep in the storefront area with the family.
Although the storefront was still filthy with ash, dust, mildew, and mold from two decades or more of disrepair, it was just as dirty as sleeping outside, but more safe. Each family unit set up tents in the middle of the cleared out storefront, and they set a small fire in the woods behind the store where the tree growth was thickest. They saved the bottled water Michonne had found, for an emergency when they couldn't boil water to purify it, and they boiled water from the containers they had brought with them. They made some tea with the teabags that Michonne had found, and although there was no sweetener, the kids enjoyed sipping on peppermint flavored water.
They ate a small meal of apple slices, using up some of the perishable rations that they had taken with them from Alexandria, as they would only last a few weeks before rotting. Carl brought up the idea of roasting the apples over the fire, and the kids enjoyed cooking their own apple slices, the heat causing them to taste even more sugary like candy. Tabitha cooked both hers and Selena's slices as Selena watched impatiently. Carl demonstrated proper apple cooking technique to Collin, which made the boy laugh loudly when Carl was so distracted worrying about his son's apple that he charred his own.
"Now you have to eat it dad. We can't waste food, remember?" Collin joked, shoving the charred apple slice towards his father's mouth.
"You're really gonna make me eat that?" Carl asked, pouting. "Eat it! Eat it!" Collin yelled loudly in his excitement.
"Eat it Uncle Carl" Tabitha demanded, she and Selena clapping in eagerness. Suddenly, Carl remembered that they were outside and couldn't be too loud.
"Shhhh" Carl said, putting his fingers to his lips, his whole demeaner changing as he strained to hear if the noise had attracted any Walkers.
The children all froze in fear, wondering why he was suddenly so serious. Carl, realizing he had scared the kids and ruined the playful mood, reached over and bit into the charred apple slice that Collin was still holding out, causing all three children to burst into laughter.
"Deee-sgusting" Carl said as he chewed the burned and crunchy mush in his mouth. "Okay, it's time to go inside and go to bed" Carl ordered, ushering the reluctant children into the darkened building. Judith was inside with a few candles, and she led Tabitha and Selena to the tent that her family would be sleeping in, while Carl led Collin to his tent. The siblings tucked their tired children in to bed and kissed them on the forehead, before gathering just outside the car wash door to discuss the watch schedule while Akisho and Kaleb sat together on some boxes inside.
"Okay, we can change shifts every 3 hours, we have enough people to do that, so we can get as much sleep as possible." Rick, realizing Akisho and Kaleb were missing, stuck his head into the building, and waved his hand, signaling the teens over.
"The two of you want to be treated as adults, so we're going to give you adult responsibilities" Rick said sternly, "You'll be part of the watch schedule too."
Both of them nodded, looking forward to being taken seriously.
"Okay the 8-11 watch will be Kaleb and Tony. 11-2 will be Judith and Carl. 2-dawn will be Michonne and myself. Akisho you will be on the watch shift tomorrow. When one person comes in to wake up the next shift, one person stays outside to keep watch. If there is anything suspicious or you need help, just call out or do a bird call. Any questions?" Rick asked. Everyone shook their heads. The family all headed inside except for Kaleb and Tony who climbed on top of the wagon that they left outside to get a better vantage point. Although Kaleb was excited about his new adult responsibilities protecting the group, he was nervous too. He had never shot at anyone with his gun, alive or dead. He had done target practice on trees and inanimate objects and was a pretty good shot, but never on something moving or actively dodging him. He only hoped that if he were ever tested, he would make his family, and Akisho, proud.
XXXXXXXXXX
"I know what's happening" Enid said softly, looking down at the newborn who was nursing in her arms, "I know."
"Nothing is happening" Carl said, running his hand down the side of Enid's pale face. "The midwife said that bleeding is normal, we just need to get it under control. She said that nursing the baby should help, and rest, and taking the herbal teas she's been giving you, and letting her do those uterine massages. She said that will help the uterus to contract…"
"I know" Enid said again. "I feel myself getting weaker, Carl. It's not gonna work. I can feel it. But I don't regret anything. Never. A piece of me and you will always be together in him. Forever… "
"Don't say that!" Carl said. "Don't think like that. You have to fight. Look at our son. Fight for him."
Enid sleepily looked down at their baby boy. "He's so beautiful" she sighed, a tear falling from her cheek. "We have to name him."
"What are you thinking?" Carl asked as he stroked his son's hair.
"Collin? That was my dad's name. Collin Carl Grimes?"
"Okay, if that's what you want. His name is Collin."
Enid snuggled backwards into her pillows. Having a conversation seemingly tired her out.
"You can go to sleep" Carl said, removing Collin from his mother's breast. "Close your eyes and go to sleep, I'll be right here honey."
Carl jolted out of his dream violently, and he was unaware of his surroundings for a few moments. He could feel his son stir slightly in his sleep, subconsciously sensing his father's movement and unease. Carl slowly relaxed and leaned over to observe his son. The boy's sandy brown hair that was falling wildly over his face, the small brown freckles across his nose, and his round chubby face and pouty lips that looked exactly like his mother's. Carl couldn't help but smile.
A piece of me and you will always be together in him. Forever.
Carl moved closer to his son, and cleared his hair away from his face. He leaned over and planted a kiss on Collin's forehead. Just as he was laying back down to attempt to get more sleep, Kaleb was at the entrance to his tent.
"Good, you're awake" Kaleb said softly, "It's your turn for watch."
XXXXXXXXXX
"So how are you doing out here so far?" Carl asked Judith softly, as they sat on the top of the wagon together.
Judith shook her head as she glanced out into the darkness.
"Terrified" she admitted. "I'm terrified of us getting to the lake and there's no water. Or there's too many armed people there and we have to leave, or losing someone along the way. I'm terrified of all of that. But… but now I realize that we had to leave. This is the only way. I get it now, and even Akisho realized that before me, and I'm kind of embarrassed."
Carl silently listened to his sister, and he could tell she wasn't finished speaking.
"But you know what I'm most scared of?" she asked, so quietly that he almost couldn't hear her.
"What?" he asked, turning his eye towards her.
"I don't want to be the weak link in the Grimes chain. I mean, even Kaleb is stepping up, and I want to too. I have to, to protect my girls."
"You won't be a weak link" Carl said, placing his hand on his little sister's shoulder. "It's impossible, because you're a Grimes."
Judith let out a chuckle at that, and the two of them smiled.
"How are you doing?" Judith asked.
Carl sighed and turned away from Judith slightly, peering into the darkness harder than he had before. "I had a dream about Enid" he said, letting the words float away on the breeze.
Judith tilted her head slightly to the side as she glanced at her brother, pity filling her heart. It had taken Carl so long to get over Enid's death a few days after Collin's birth, and she knew that it was harder for him, partly due to what had happened on the day she was born as well.
"I haven't had a dream about her in a long time, and maybe I'm dreaming about her now because I fear for Collin's safety. Or… or maybe it's her trying to tell me that it will be okay?" Carl let out a frustrated sigh. "I… I don't know."
Now it was Judith's turn to place a hand on her brother's shoulder. "I'm sure if Enid could see you, she'd be proud of how you've raised Collin all on your own. I'm proud of you for doing that. I think about what I'd do if I lost Tony and had to raise Tabitha and Selena on my own. I don't think I'd be able to handle it."
"You would. You're stronger than you know. In some ways you're like Lori, you don't realize how strong you are until you get tested. Lori did one of the bravest things I've ever seen, and even though Michonne is our mom, Lori is our mother, and the blood that she had is running in you too."
"Yea" Judith said, shrugging her shoulders. "Well, I hope we never have to find out."
XXXXXXXXXX
When Judith came to wake her parents up for their watch shift, she wasn't surprised to find both of them awake already, laying in their tent with their eyes open.
"Don't you guys sleep?" she asked playfully, as she headed over to her tent to lay down with Tony and her daughters.
The older couple made their way out to the wagon and dismissed Carl who told them that everything had been quiet so far. Rick climbed up on the wagon and reached out an arm to pull Michonne up. In her younger years, Michonne would have no problem hopping up on the wagon besides Rick, but her knees weren't what they used to be.
They sat back to back in the wagon, to get various angles, but they still were connected by their bodies touching.
"Did you manage to get any sleep?" Michonne asked Rick.
"Nah, couldn't. I guess I was just on edge about everything."
"Yea, me too" she agreed, stretching her neck from side to side. "It's so different out here now, I mean compared to when we were on the road. There are less Walkers around, that's a good thing. But… it's also wilder, you know? Like all the cars, and houses, and even the dead bodies and skeletons that used to be around are just gone. In a few decades, there may be nothing left of how humanity used to be."
"Yea" Rick agreed. "Is that good or bad?"
"I don't know. It's just different. I never thought we'd be out here like this again. I guess I just, let my guard down."
"Yea me too. We all did. But we can do this" Rick said confidently, "We will do it."
The couple fell into another comfortable silence until Michonne broke it. "Judith's pregnant again."
Rick snapped his head around to Michonne so fast the wagon shook. "What?" he asked, "are you joking?"
"No. She is. That's part of the reason why she was fighting so hard not to come out here."
"Why didn't she say anything earlier?" Rick asked.
"I guess she's Lori's child" Michonne said with a smile, and Rick let out a loud laugh, quickly placing his hand over his mouth to control his giggles. "It wouldn't've changed anything if we did know" Michonne continued.
"Does Tony know?" Rick asked, his voice suddenly getting deeper.
"I don't know, but it's not your place to tell him."
Rick shook his head. "He should know he's gonna be a father again. I know what it's like to find out after the fact. It… it doesn't feel good."
"I think Judith will tell him, when the time is right" Michonne said. "She's a smart girl."
There was another long silence, and in the distance the two of them could hear something howling, either wolves, feral dogs, or coyotes.
"What's your plan if the lake is dry too?" Michonne asked, changing the subject. Rick slumped over slightly.
"Honestly, I don't have one. I'm putting all my eggs into one basket. I'm hoping and praying that there's water there, but if not, we're screwed. That lake is the largest water source for miles, and if there's nothing left there, there's nothing left anywhere."
Michonne rubbed her eyes in frustration, and then moved her hands to the back of her neck and rubbed the base of her skull.
"How are you feeling?" Rick asked, recognizing the signs of Michonne being in pain.
"I'm fine" she said, but they had been married so long that he didn't even have to ask.
"You had a migraine today didn't you?" he asked.
"Yea" she admitted. "While we were on the horses. I didn't want to say anything because there was nothing we could do about it."
"Is it better?" Rick asked.
"It's just a slight headache now" she said dismissively. She secretly hated that she still had after effects from the fight with that junkyard woman so many years ago. "How are you feeling?" she asked him.
"My shin was hurting a little today, but no more than usual" he replied, subconsciously massaging the most recent bullet wound he had on his body. "You know, we're getting too old for this shit" Rick stated, causing Michonne to giggle loudly.
"Speak for yourself old man" Michonne laughed, "I'm still 32 and will continue to be indefinitely"
"Yes ma'am" Rick replied amusedly.
XXXXXXXXXX
As soon as the sun began to lighten up the sky, Rick moved to wake up his family, while Michonne kept watch. They gathered up all their supplies and animals, and left their temporary shelter behind as they continued in the cool morning air. They were making great progress, the lake was only a day or so away, if the weather stayed cool like the way it had been. Higher temperatures would slow them down, as the horses and cows would get overheated quickly.
The family made a few uneventful miles until the afternoon heat began to pick up, exactly what Rick didn't want. They stopped off the side of the road to get some shade and take a water break. Michonne and Judith were on watch as everyone else took a brief reprieve. Selena was chasing around one of Tony's hunting dogs, and Tabitha was drawing pictures in the dirt with a stick. Kaleb and Akisho were sitting next to each other under a tree, holding hands and whispering quietly. Carl was showing Collin how to clean a gun as Tony looked on, and Rick was collecting the animals' left over water, to pour back into the container for future use. Suddenly, Michonne called "Walkers!"
Rick nearly dropped the water he was collecting, but he grabbed the bucket just in time, although some of the water did splash to the ground. He, Tony, and Carl were already on their feet, looking towards where Michonne and Judith were pointing. It was a small herd, seven walkers, slowly making their way towards the group.
"Get on your horses!" Judith yelled to the children, who were frozen in horror at the sight before them. When they didn't move, Judith yelled, "Kaleb! Get them!".
Kaleb was frozen in terror at the small crowd of what looked like people coming towards him, but his sister's voice snapped him out of it. He grabbed Tabitha and Selena, swinging each girl up on to Peppermint's back, and untying Peppermint from the tree he was attached to. He looked for Collin, but Akisho had already grabbed him by the hand and hoisted him up onto his own horse.
Rick, Carl, and Tony had just reached the herd and they began hacking the Walkers to pieces. Michonne climbed off the wagon to join them, but by the time she made it over to them, they had destroyed the small group, leaving the rotted, dried out bodies to decompose.
The children were completely silent as they stared, the youngest ones staring from the backs of their horses, and the teens staring from their spot in the middle of the road. Even Judith was staring, with a blank look on her face.
"And that's how you deal with Walkers" Carl said with a chuckle, relieved that it was only a small group. Carl, his parents, and his brother-in-law turned to walk back to his still staring family. He knew they had never seen Walkers killed before, but he didn't expect them to be this surprised.
"You guys okay?" Rick asked, as he noticed Judith wasn't even looking at them. She was staring beyond them with her mouth hanging open, shaking in terror.
"Go!" she screamed to her children, who were still on their horse.
Rick, Carl, Michonne, and Tony spun around to see what Judith was talking about, and as far as the eye could see there were Walkers emerging from the woods ahead.