Falling into the Undead

Chapter Sixteen

Camp Safety

We get to see what's happening back at camp. A lot of things go down in this chapter, but we get to see from inside a few other characters' minds.

Just so everyone knows my chapters are not betad. I use Grammarly but it sometimes misses things just as I do. So, thank you to those who point things out. I will be going back and fixing all mistakes at a later date.

Oh you got to

hold on, hold on

You got to hold on

-Hold on by Tom Waits

The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon. They had gone the long way around, always checking for anyone that was following them, and though Remington wanted nothing more than to get back to camp she pushed back the temptation. She was a bundle of nerves, leaning between the two seats, her eyes locked onto the road, and side mirrors.

"We should head straight back now," she said, lightly bouncing in place. "No one has appeared, I think we're safe."

"Still working on adrenaline?" Morgan asked, eyeing the way she was moving. "You should settle down. I think we're safe now."

"Everyone back at camp is probably worried about us," Glenn said. "I'm starving, I hope they made something good for dinner tonight."

Both men were trying to come to terms with what they had gone through. Remington had killed those men, and they felt something wrong with that, clinging to how life used to be, but if she hadn't, they would have been dead. They worried about how she was dealing with it.

"I think it was supposed to be a fish fry," Remington mumbled, her stomach growing queasy as Morgan headed in the direction of the camp.

"That sounds so good right now. I used to hate fish, but I'd eat anything right now." Glenn was still feeling uneasy about the whole situation, but he was using his words as a distraction for himself, and for what he could only assume was going through Remington's head.

She sent a tight smile Glenn's way as she settled back against the wall of the cube van. They wouldn't arrive until it was already dark. It would seem Remington's plans would go wrong yet again. She hadn't wanted to get back this late. Her mind couldn't stop the images of the herd tearing through the camp. She could see her kids, terrified, and all alone. Remington couldn't think like that. She had to trust that Shane would be right there. With Rick being around to take care of Lori and Carl, she had to trust that he would do his damnest to keep Maisie and Landon safe.

The herd could not happen.

She needed to remember that as well. Remington had changed so much already. Merle may have ended up on that rooftop, but it hadn't happened in the way it was supposed to. It had changed, and so many events had gone differently because of it. They were supposed to run into the nursing home group, not this kill-trigger-happy group that wanted to just hurt people. That was never supposed to happen.

She had changed too much, far too fast. Things were slipping through her fingers, making it dangerous. Her map of events was smudging and disappearing before they were ever able to form. If she kept changing things would anything ever go like it was supposed to? Would she be lost, struggling to stay afloat, as she tried not to bring the others around her down with her? If she changed too much too fast would someone die before they were supposed to?

Why had she ever thought she could help anyone out?

Was she just making it worse?

Her head fell into her hands, her fingers clutching at her hair, as she willed the queasiness in her stomach to disappear. It bubbled up, threatening to spill over, as she groaned quietly into her knees.

"Is there any way to go faster?" she called up to the front. The not knowing was killing her. The sun had gone down, blanketing them in darkness, and though she knew they needed to proceed with caution, she just wanted to get to her children. The anxiety building in her gut was driving her crazy. She felt sick and knew it wouldn't go away unless she calmed her racing mind or made it to camp.

Except it was becoming harder to calm her mind when other thoughts began to take over. She had successfully kept it all at bay when they were stuck in the heat of the moment, and then adrenaline had continued to course through her veins as she watched for any signs of being followed, but now all of it had washed away leaving behind a mess.

She had shot and killed two men.

Survival had kicked in, but she had been the one to make that decision. It hadn't mattered that a phantom of her brother had guided her along with what to do. It had been her own mind that made that decision, bringing up how to do it, cause fuck she had been trained to know how, just in case. That just in case wasn't supposed to ever become a living and breathing thing. She hadn't ever used her skills, not even before when her life had hung on by a thread.

Another sharp pain in her gut had her breathing heavily, in through her nose, out through her mouth. She didn't need to fall apart. Throwing up was not an option. She tried telling her body that, but it held entirely different opinions.

Around her, she could hear shuffling, a gruff voice, and what sounded like Glenn agreeing quickly. She couldn't focus on it. It didn't matter because she trusted those around her not to hurt her. Her mind, however, was an entirely different story. It had in the past dug at her, breaking her apart, before she learned how to cope, and keep the darker thoughts from protruding.

A body heavily dropped down next to her. Heat, stifling, and overwhelming warmed her side. She knew it was Merle without looking. It smelt like Merle, but only he would be giving off that type of heat. She knew he wasn't entirely healed and would be taking it hard for the next couple of days, especially during the hottest parts of the day. She didn't bother to raise her head. Remington expected him to stay quiet, to leave her be, as he sat there. Except, as she was coming to realize, Merle surprised her with his actions more often than not.

His elbow poked into her side, hitting her ribs, and breaking her free from the thoughts swirling dangerously around. She released a huff as she shifted her head until she could see him while still laying it against her knees.

"What?" she asked quietly. Her voice fell out softer than she had planned but she couldn't get it to rise. She was afraid it would be noticeable if there was a tremor. The not knowing was driving her nuts, and her memories of what she did couldn't be faced.

"Yah all right?"

He wasn't looking at her. His stare was carefully kept facing forward. She supposed it was his way of giving her a sense of privacy. She wasn't holding it together as well as she thought then.

"Just dandy."

"Yah don't got ta lie ta meh. Yah look like shit." She barked out a laugh, ending more like a scoff.

"That's the pot calling the kettle black isn't it?"

"I know mah good looks, and yers are a sorry sight."

"You sure know how to make a girl feel pretty don't you Merle." She buried her face back into her knees. Her body felt like it was going to vibrate straight out of her own skin, but she held back from yelling at Morgan to accelerate. They had long enough to eat before the Walkers attacked, hadn't they? Most had been finished with their dinners, she thought. That usually took a little bit since everyone enjoyed talking and swapping stories during dinner. It helped drive away the boredom and fear that clung to everyone at night.

She felt him jab into her side once again. Forcing her head away from the comfort of her jeans she scowled at him. He was more annoying than usual. Typically, he liked to talk but he also kept to himself and knew when not to fill the silence. Tonight, he seemed to be showing no such tact.

"I excel at it don't I sweet cheeks." His voice was gruffer than usual. There was a wariness in his gaze, mixed with worry, about her she supposed, and a seriousness that she hardly ever saw. Merle was full of jokes, and when he wasn't then it was because he was pissed and irritated at something. This was not a side of him she got to see often. Remington wasn't sure how she felt about it.

"You suck at it right now."

"Not ta point I'm tryna make darlin'." His eyes narrowed at her. "Yah got something on yer mind."

"It's nothing. Really."

"Stop wit ta bullshit." This time she dodged the swift jab to her side by scooting away. She was no longer hunched over. Instead, she was sitting up, her legs stretching out in front of her, as she tilted her head to the side to watch him. "Yah got something going on in that head of yers. It bout what yah did?"

"Partly." She wasn't sure how much she wanted to get into it knowing that the other two could possibly hear everything she said. She loved Glenn. She had made it a habit to seek him out when she was bored or just wanted someone to hang out with, but she wasn't comfortable enough to share what went on inside her head with him. Morgan wasn't even on her radar as someone she was comfortable with. Merle was the closest she had to someone she could vent comfortably with. Though she supposed that Shane was coming in a close second.

Remington wondered what that said about her.

They had both come a long way though, from what she knew of them in the show, and decided it wasn't a bad decision.

"Yah being a real pain in ta ass right now, darlin'."

Remington wondered when he had come up with the nickname Darlin. It was different, preferable over sweet cheeks, and at least didn't make her feel like a kid when he called her girlie, but it was still awkward, and weird. She wondered if he would continue to shoot them out until he found one that truly irritated her.

"Not in the mood to talk about it." She pointedly flickered her eyes in the direction of the other two. Merle bit his lip, seemingly annoyed, but kept any more comments to himself. Remington sighed, wishing to focus on anything other than her thoughts, and shifted closer to Merle, like how they had been sitting before. She had found a bit of comfort in being near him. He had tackled that guy before he could shoot her. They had essentially protected one another now. She knew it would only cement any bonds she had grown with him, but the thought didn't bother her. He was turning out to be different than what she had suspected of him.

If Merle Dixon brought comfort to her, she wasn't going to take the miracle for granted.

"I just want to get back to camp," she whispered as she laid her head on his shoulder. It was a cautious action. She moved slowly, giving him an out if he so wished to take it. She had felt the way his body stiffened, but when he didn't move, she committed to the act. It was easier to talk to him privately this way. Her voice carried to him more easily when she spoke softly but didn't reach the other two. "I don't feel good about tonight."

"Just ta leftovers of earlier."

She gently shook her head, not wanting to jostle him too much, as she just knew there was no way in hell that she would get lucky, and the herd would just never happen. It had been the push to make the group leave the quarry and kick-start everything else that went down. Though a part of her hoped that it wouldn't happen tonight, after all, the group was supposed to wait a whole night before going after Merle, and she had forced them to go sooner. If things went as canon did then they should have had a whole day to prepare. Or better a whole day for Remington to talk them into leaving. That, she knew, would be a lost hope, but damn it she would try.

"I'm not that lucky. I just want to get back to my kids."

Merle didn't respond right away. Instead, she listened to his breathing, the way his shoulder would move the slightest bit as he breathed and allowed her thoughts to move along with it. She focused on everything except for what was bothering her. He smelt of smoke, making her wonder when he had found a cigarette, as just earlier that morning he had been complaining about running out. She closed her eyes, allowing memories, the kinder type, to flood her mind.

That was until Merle's hesitant voice broke through such thoughts.

"That got anything ta do wit those events yah just happen ta know bout?"

"Yeah. Nothing good. If I'm right, and God I hope I'm wrong, we're going to be driving into chaos back at camp."

They fell into silence once more.

Remington wondered if she finally freaked him out with her mysterious knowledge. He hadn't tried to move away from her yet, so she counted that as a win on her side of things. Instead, he seemed to shift, so that she could more comfortably lean into his side.

"We'll be ready then."

He said it with such determination and conviction that Remington at first wondered if she had imagined it. She hadn't expected him to say anything else on the subject. The idea that he would so easily just accept her words was beyond anything she had imagined. Even earlier, when she had asked him to have her back, like this, she hadn't expected it to happen so soon. She figured there would have to be other instances, events that came to pass before he would believe her, without a doubt, clouding his thoughts. She wasn't sure if he was just hiding any suspicions, but at that moment, it made her feel comforted beyond anything anyone else had ever said or done for her.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"We'll be there in just a few minutes," Morgan announced. "We should be coming around the last curve."

"Thank god," Glenn said. "I'm so ready to eat some food."

Merle shifted behind her. She made to move away from him, but he grabbed at her shoulder, settling her, before speaking up.

"We stay on our guard," he said to the other two. "Missy here didn't git us back here alive ta go off halfcocked and die now. Don't be dumbasses."

"But it's camp," Glenn griped, not understanding why he was suggesting this. "Camp's safe."

"Tis a glorified dump wit no walls, or fences. Anything coulda happened while we were gone."

"It wouldn't hurt to be cautious," Remington said, feeling lighter than before, at the realization of Merle helping her. She hadn't needed to be the one to say it. He had stepped forward all on his own just because she felt anxious over a what-if. She felt like turning and hugging him but restrained herself. That she felt would only make the older man more uncomfortable than he probably already was.

She slid forward, moving from his touch of comfort, to grab at the gun she had placed beside her. She crawled over to the seats to crouch between them as they made around the curve before camp.

"What the fuck," Morgan said, as they watched as all hell broke loose in front of them.

․° °․

Shane found his little shadow appear back behind him as he moved toward the back half of camp to check in with those that were patrolling there. At first, he had thought Remington's suggestion was a little over the top, it had always been fine just having someone on the top of the R.V., but now he was seeing the merit of a proper put-together watch.

Daryl had told him of a couple of close encounters out in the woods, the reason he had come back earlier, as he felt that if he pushed on into the night, something unsavory could have happened. Shane, though he was still unsure about the youngest Dixon, didn't blame him for the decision. He wouldn't have wanted to be caught out in the dark by himself either.

The girl was quiet. Normally by now, she would have started squawking, demanding his attention, as he was forced to focus on nothing but the words leaking from her mouth. He didn't mind it much. It ran off any boredom he may have felt when the girl or his own mixed emotions over Lori weren't bothering him. He preferred the interactions with Maisie.

"What you want now?" he asked as he continued on his way. She kept up with him, sometimes he could hear her stumble, and he'd shorten his gate until she was walking comfortably at his side.

"I just wanted ta know what you were doin," Maisie said innocently.

"Daryl know yah over here?"

"Yup!" Shane narrowed his eyes down at her. He had learned that Maisie didn't outright lie, her momma wouldn't have allowed it, but sometimes she had a habit of answering your question in a way that you didn't get the whole truth. You had to word it in such a way that left no opportunity to question it.

"Were you with Daryl or Carol before this?"

She giggled as she skipped next to him.

"Daryl said I could go to Carol, but she's doing icky laundry. I don't wanna do that too. I'm little. I can't do it too good. So, I asked if I could come see you!"

"Carol was alright with that?"

"Yup! Momma said you were to watch me too. So, Carol said it should be fine."

"Takes a damn village," Shane muttered to himself.

"What?"

"Nothing."

They spent the rest of the evening walking around, making sure everything was in order, before moving on toward what Maisie thought was more exciting. As the last rays of light filtered through the trees, Shane sat down at the picnic table that had been left before everything went to shit to clean his weapons. He watched the way her face lit up with interest. He remembered the fight between Remington and Lori. How she had defended Merle's actions in teaching Maisie. He was certain that Remington hadn't gone into that discussion with the knowledge of what happened, but she sure hadn't let Lori know that.

He felt uncomfortable with the knowledge of the girl holding a gun of any kind, but he couldn't help but agree with Remington's view. The kid was horribly outranked by her surroundings. A strong breeze was enough to push her over. He didn't want to see the kid ever up against a Walker by herself. As she was now, there was no way the girl would survive, but if Remington gave her the skills to protect herself, it would even the field out. It didn't matter if it wasn't much at this age, but just knowing what needed to be done, to feel confident in those actions, could be the difference between life and death.

He had grown fond of Maisie. He didn't want to see her become a casualty of this new world.

The others all believed help was coming, and a part of Shane still hoped for that, but a bigger part knew that it was just a pipe dream. Everything that was going on around them was something far bigger than what anyone could have ever realized. There was no simply bouncing back from it. The world wasn't going to wake up and be all right again.

If teaching children how to work a gun was the difference between making it or not, Shane couldn't help but lean toward the lessons. He glanced over to Maisie who was watching his hands with enthralled attention. He bit his lip. Remington wouldn't kill him over this. That he knew for sure, but she may be a little pissed with him for not asking.

"Yah know how to do this?"

"No." She shook her head. "I've watched Merle though."

"Hmm," he hummed while nodding his head. She was around the man a lot. He didn't always feel like it was the best decision Remington could have made, but sometimes that could have been said in his case as well. He wasn't completely lost enough to not know and be able to admit such a thing. More often than not these days he was a mess.

Sometimes he looked at Rick and felt a burning jealousy of the man. He had everything, something Shane could have had if he had only stayed dead. Then there were his clearer moments, where he realized how wrong that was, and it didn't matter that he had those feelings for Lori, because he didn't want to act on them.

He thought it would be helpful to come clean to Rick, but Lori fought him over the decision, taking it from his hands when she played the ruined family card. He didn't want to do that to Carl. Hell, he didn't want to do that to his best friend. He didn't always believe it was fair of her to go about it this way, as he agreed with what Remington had said, but most days he willingly went along with the lies. It caused his stomach to turn, and his head to spin, every time he looked at the Grimes family, but that was getting easier to deal with, or at least he told himself that.

"Can I help you?"

He glanced over at her, freeing himself from the spiral of dead-end thoughts that clouded his mind. It never ended well when he got too stressed about that. Maisie was a good distraction from his worries as she never allowed him to fall silent for too long before demanding some kind of answer.

"As long as your momma isn't gonna whoop my ass."

"You shouldn't say that word."

"What?" He smirked cheekily as he poked fun at her. "Ass?"

"Yes!" She scowled, her puffy cheeks going all cute, as she jutted out her lower lip. It was a killer move that caused him to chuckle.

"My bad kiddo." He moved the parts of his gun closer to her, falling easily into the role of a teacher, as he pointed out what each piece was called, and what she would need to do.

When night had fallen Shane could feel the uncertainty over where Remington and the others were. He knew they should have been back by now. There was something about tonight that seemed to worry Remington, but Shane just figured it was nerves over where she was heading. He hadn't put much thought into it after that.

Maisie sat next to him, chatting away, as she ate the fish on her plate. She had been reluctant at first. Fish were friends it would seem. Apparently, she had a pet one back before everything fell apart. She had attempted to get rid of it to the dogs, who laid down at their feet, but he had stopped her. He had attempted to get her to eat it but had gotten nowhere fast with it. She was stubborn, and her lip would begin to waver, as she would remember her pet fish.

Shane had been at a loss for what to do.

Remington had only ever had to put at the plate and give this certain look before the girl would crumble and grumpily eat whatever it was. There wasn't any substituting like before. They had what they had, and he didn't want the kid to go hungry over stubbornness.

Rick had come to the rescue.

Shane hadn't realized the small family had settled around the same fire as himself. He grew uncomfortable, noticing the fleeting glancing Lori would send his way and the burning embers of emotions that threatened to flood his gut. His fingers tightened around the fork in his hand.

Fucking Rick had turned the impossible situation around with just one simple statement.

"This isn't the same fish that you had back at home," he had said. "Isn't that, right? It looks different. Bigger? This ones for eating. You're hungry, right? Give it a taste."

That's all it had taken. Maisie had bitten right into it and whatever doubts she might have still felt were overrun by hunger.

Shane could feel the jealousy digging its nails back into him, but he did his best to focus on anything else but it. Maisie's chatting, and his answers, lulled it away for the time being but Shane knew it was only a matter of time before it clawed its way back out.

․° °․

Amy was easygoing. She fell into the role placed upon her in the group easily. She did as asked, tried to be helpful where she could, and built relationships with those around her. One of those friendships tentatively forged had been with the newcomers. Remington was a bit strange but easy to get along with, and her tips on safety had begun to take root within Amy. She remembered the conversation between the two about always being prepared.

Since that day Amy had changed many of her habits, not realizing how often she left herself open, still functioning on how life was before the outbreak. Sometimes, up here at the quarry, it was easy to remember that there were flesh-eating zombies running around. She wondered how Remington had adapted so easily to this new life. Was it to do with the two kids attached to her hip?

They had been alone by themselves before this.

Had she adapted so easily because it was simply all that she could do to keep them all alive?

Regardless, Amy felt a kinship with the woman and was always willing to help her out.

As she stood up from the group, her fish long since gone, but the need to use the bathroom rising within her, Amy made a decision that would have consequences for the future. As she walked away, she snagged a roll of toilet paper, remembering the words of Remington, to always be prepared, and how you were at your most vulnerable in these situations. It had always given her the willies when thinking about getting caught with her pants down and Amy had done everything, she could to avoid such a fate.

When the young woman disappeared inside the R.V., she did not come back to meet an unforgiving fate.

․° °․

Maisie knew something was wrong when her mother didn't come back before night fell. She remembered the last time this had happened. How she had been gone all night but arrived the next morning. She had Merle to help keep her calm, and Landon who comforted her through her sadness.

This time she had Shane, a man who would sometimes get this strange glint in his eye, and who Maisie just knew to start talking to in those moments. She remembered her uncle, the way he would get a similar glint, that far-off look, and she remembered the way her talking brought him back. He would smile really big at her, and he'd attack her with tickles and adoration. Those had been the best moments. She missed them. Sometimes Shane reminded her of him. She didn't mind helping Shane out. He may not have responded as her uncle had, but that look of relief would briefly flash across his eyes, and Maisie knew she had done something correctly.

She liked Shane.

He was oddly truthful with her, much like Merle was, but was more comfortable around her in general. She assumed this was due to the fact that he used to spend a lot of time around Carl. Maisie found him a little bit annoying, her favorite was Sophia, but Landon liked the boy, so Maisie didn't mind playing with them. After all, no one beat Landon in the ways of who she liked the most. She had always wanted a brother, and Landon had fallen easily into the role, and she loved him more than anything.

This strange place, full of familiar people, who didn't know her all that much, was scary, but she found she couldn't live without those she had met. If she and momma suddenly disappeared back to where they came from, Landon wouldn't be there, and Merle and the others would only ever make an appearance on T.V.. She didn't like the thought of that at all.

What a horrible thought.

Wishing to think of something else Maisie realized her plate was empty. She turned to Shane, seeing as how he was watching the flames, and that sad look was back on his face, Maisie easily allowed any thoughts from before to glide away. She had a job to do. Her momma always left people around her feeling happy, safe, and comfortable. She wanted to be like that too.

Reaching out she tugged softly at the bottom of Shane's shirt. He blinked, abruptly coming back from whatever place he had gone, and she smiled sweetly at him.

"I'm done!" she announced. Her voice was laced with extra cuteness. She had noticed this always brought a smile to his face, something soft, that wiped away all the cloudiness from before. She scrambled to her feet. "Can I take it to the tub myself?" Maisie wanted to show that she could be helpful. She wished she was bigger and could do more. Being small was stifling, and she was desperate for more. More of what she wasn't sure, but a little more independence was nice, and if she acted older, then her momma was more likely to let her learn things like properly shooting the gun, instead of just holding it. She had mentioned something about responsibility and understanding it. Merle had mentioned it too. It was important.

Maybe Shane would mention this to her momma if she proved she could be responsible.

"Sure, kid," he said. "Don't go any farther though. It's dark and hard to see at night. Come straight back here, yah hear?"

"Yes, sir." She giggled as she picked up the plate. With Nala at her heels, she darted away from the fire, by the R.V. and where the tub for used dishes was kept. Someone in the morning would wash them before breakfast.

She wondered if Carol and her momma would let her help with that again.

She noticed the way Landon followed after her with his eyes. He had chosen to stick close to Daryl tonight. They were both quiet. Neither talked much. She wondered if that was why he chose him and not Shane. Maisie had thought it was a bit weird for a kid to be so quiet, but it was Landon. He had always been that way. And though sometimes he could be bossy, she supposed that was just his role as a big brother. She accepted it most of the time.

Momma had told her Uncle Jack had been the same way with her. She liked how he acted so she tried to be a good little sister in any case.

As Maisie scraped away the bits of fish that she hadn't eaten onto the ground for Nala the little girl heard a noise that caused her to freeze.

It sounded like a yell being cut off.

Maisie could remember a similar noise, from long ago, having sounded the same way the one time her dad and Uncle Jackson got into a fight. Her momma had been quick to pull her away, and the memory was a little blurry, but that noise brought it all back.

It wasn't a good sound.

Nala began to growl lowly next to her.

Maisie dropped the plate into the tub, barely listening as the clatter of dishes rustled against one another, as she peered into the darkness.

Shane had told her to get back right away. Her legs didn't want to cooperate. She was rooted to the spot as curiosity and an inkling of fear began to take over. Could it have possibly been nothing more than her imagination, or a mistake? Sometimes people got hurt. That hadn't changed in this strange new world.

Nala began to nudge Maisie with her nose, urging her to move, as her hackles stayed raised.

Something in the dark moved. It was tall, like a person, and walked with a swaying gate. It reminded her of the one time her dad had come home drunk. It was another fuzzy memory. Most of them were with her father.

Maisie opened her mouth to speak, wondering if this could be Sophia's dad but remembered that her momma didn't like him much. Merle didn't either. Sophia never really talked about him much, and Maisie remembered the way she would grow stiff when the man was nearby. Maybe, after all, she shouldn't holler out.

Fear was wiggling into the back of her mind and finally, she got her feet to work. It didn't matter who that man was. Shane had told her to get back right away, and the dark was starting to turn scary. By the fire, she could see.

She should go back.

She took two steps before the moan reached her ears. She hadn't ever been close to one before but remembered the noises that met her ears in the quiet back of the hotel room. Before Landon came along, they had scared her. With him around, it had been easy to forget.

She wanted Landon.

She wanted her momma.

That noise shouldn't have been in their camp. She stumbled on her third step. Nala nipped at her heels. She had gone silent. Maisie recognized this for what it was. Nala had been trained to not make a noise when danger was nearby. Not unless the danger was right on top of them.

The yell for Shane, to call out to Landon, caught in her throat as she latched onto Nala tightly and tried following after the dog. Her legs were like jello. It wasn't connected to her brain anymore.

The moan grew louder. The monster had spotted her, and she was too slow to get away.

What had momma taught her? All those lessons on what to do were fleeting, overtaken by fear, and all she could think about was not to let it bite her.

Bites were bad.

They would make her sick

Maisie didn't want that.

She heard the yell from behind her. Shane's voice rose from the chaos of others who had spotted the threat. Off in the distance, she could hear the alarm for Walkers ringing out. Someone who had been walking the perimeter ran into another zombie. Her momma had drilled into her head what to listen for, and what then to do if it happened.

It was hard to think through the shaking of her body, and the ringing in her ears.

Maisie was little, and that threat was so much bigger.

She fell backward, tripping over Nala who continued trying to herd her away. She hadn't been watching where her feet were going. It had been a mistake.

There was an angry yell hollered out right behind her. A shadow descended on her, and Maisie screamed.

․° °․

Remington wasn't here and that meant Landon needed to keep an extra close eye on Maisie. The girl liked to wander off sometimes. She usually remembered to ask before running off to find someone else, and so Landon made sure to keep watch, even when he was busy with something else. He noticed when she walked away from Carol. He watched her make her way toward Shane and knew the man would watch out for her. He felt confident that he could trust him to keep Maisie safe.

Landon was happy to use that time to play with Carl.

He was happy until Carl's mom called the boy over for dinner, and Landon was left by himself. Well and the dog that had stayed glued to his side. He reached down to pet Pixel behind the ear as his eyes searched for Maisie. She was still with Shane. Landon didn't mind the man. It wasn't like he disliked him like he did Merle. Except, sometimes, he got this far-off look in his eyes, and he'd become really intense, and Landon didn't like that.

Remington had assured him it was fine. That Shane sometimes had issues to deal with, but Landon was sensitive to such changes of emotions in others. He preferred to stick around with Daryl if he was around. Daryl reminded him of his dad. Of how he acted before the Walkers came.

He was calm and silent, and his emotions didn't boil over at the drop of a hat.

So, when it was time for dinner, Landon decided to keep an eye on Maisie, from next to Daryl.

He listened as she giggled and joked. It eased any of the worries he felt over not having Remington nearby. He felt safe with Remington but trusted her judgment in whom she had left in charge. Short term at least.

When she stood and left the campfire circle Landon lost interest in the food in front of him as he watched her carefully.

Remington sometimes lets her go off and do this on her own. She had told Landon it was good for Maisie to do some things independently. It would help build confidence, but they would keep watch from a safe distance away just in case.

This had become normal for Landon. Maisie was important to him. He had grown to see her like a little sister he once had for a short period of time. Landon hadn't been able to protect his sister then, there had been nothing for the boy to do, but this time around he could. He took this responsibility seriously. So, when she randomly froze up it hadn't escaped Landon's notice as it did for the others. They weren't watching.

They should have been.

When Nala grew defensive Landon was up on his feet without a thought. When Pixel perked up next to him the boy had already drawn his machete and shot toward the little girl.

It wasn't until he was halfway to her that the others cried out in shock. Landon had spotted the danger. It was too close to Maisie.

His insides were gripped with fear. He remembered their stretching hands, how they reached out to grab and wanted nothing more than to hurt you. He had seen it the one time before his father and locked them up in that room. Landon didn't want that to happen to Maisie.

When she fell to the ground, Nala barked, moving to block the danger, Landon couldn't help the angry cry that escaped his lips. It didn't matter that he was scared. His limbs were in motion and there was nothing that was going to stop them. He pushed forward through the fear. He remembered what his father had taught him, what Remington had continued to teach him, and decided right then and there that he would successfully keep his sister safe this time.

Jumping over the girl Landon's small body shoved into the stomach of the Walker.

With a ferocious scream, he yelled, "Don't you touch her!" He heard rather than felt the guttural cry of the creature towering above him. He felt as the body shifted, only caring about grabbing, and eating him. The arms moved to wrap around him, but Nala was there in the next instant. The big burly dog plowed into the creature's knees knocking it down, and Landon with it.

With a startled yelp Landon landed on its stomach. The arms had already begun to reach back out toward him, and the machete was no longer in his hands. He felt, for one second, that terrifying fear that froze your body, and caused you to get caught in watching your demise.

Then he heard Maisie's voice.

"Landon," she screeched. Suddenly, arms wrapped around him, coming from the opposite direction of the Walker, dragging him up into the air, and away from the hungry creature. Quickly after that, there was a sharp noise, almost silent, as the hiss of an arrow flew through the air, and the ground was soon splattered with the brains from the Walker.

He was placed back on his feet by Daryl, the machete shoved into his hands, as gruff words met his ear to stay close.

To the side of them, he could see Shane hauling Maisie into his arms, and a gun was firmly firing away at the chaos that surrounded them.

There hadn't been enough of a warning. The Walkers had descended upon them too fast. Their quiet peaceful night was shattered by the reality of the world they now lived in.

We're getting closer to the end of this story, for season 1 at least. Then I'll be starting season 2. Along with more changes!

What do you guys' think is going to happen next or any changes you suspect are going to happen? What's been your favorite one so far?

Reviews:

Reader2: I have to say we won't get to see much into how they view it yet, but after what they went through with her I can say that won't shame her for it. She basically saved all of their lives by doing it. And a small part of them will know this even if they don't like it.

It's funny because your not the first to bring that up with about Remi and saving kids. She's just not the type to leave them alone and fend for themselves. She's got a big heart and just wants to save everyone. Especially children. Is it a theme, the children saving, maybe. :D

I feel like this wouldn't get out to very many people. Merle would probably shut down the other two from saying anything to avoid a panic within the group. But people will soon just come to learn that it's sometimes a part of this new life.

That's a really unique spin! I can say, with the upmost honesty, that you are close. Like soo close. I'm curious to see how you all react to the changes I've made in season two so far.

Thank you so much for reviewing! I hope to hear from you again!