Okay, next chapter. Wow. So much has happened this break, don't even know where to begin. Please please review!
"Jamie?" it was later that week when Beth sought her out, looking nervous. "I know it's personal, but... after Lori died... you and Carl spent the day up in the perch together. What... what did you guys do?"
Jamie sighed. She'd been anticipating the question, but she still didn't want to answer it, for Beth's sake.
"I... I was with him when he made sure Lori didn't turn, I held his hand. I swear, I didn't mean anything by it, I just didn't want him to be alone when he did it. Anyways, afterwards he came up to the perch with me, asked me about my family. I cried a little, and he put his arms aorund me... He... he told me he loved me." she nearly whispered the last part.
Beth looked crestfallen.
"I'm sorry, Beth. I stood up an told him he was just grieving an didn't know what he was sayin, an he got mad at me. I didn't mean for this to happen."
Beth was silent for a moment before she spoke. "I don't blame you. You tried to warn me, anyways, aboutwhatnyou said about him and you on the farm... He might even be a womanizer. Hard to tell, since we have no women..." she said, and they both smiled slightly. Though there were still tears in Beth's eyes.
Jamie sighed. "Come on."
"Where are we going?" Beth asked, surprised when Jamie grabbed her bow.
"Girl's day out. You need a distraction, and I could use somebody to watch my back in the woods, since Daryl's busy. You up for it?" she asked, as they headed towards the hole they'd carved in the fence. Beth hesitated.
"Don't answer that. You'll be ready. Besides, someday you might need to know what to do in the woods. It's real easy, trust me."
"You won't go out of my sight?" Beth asked.
"I'll stay real close to you." Jamie promised, and Beth nodded. They both ducked through the hole, re-tying it with the cord so no walkers stumbled across it, and sprinted towards the woods before any walkers milling around the fence could reach them.
The squirrels chattered angrily at them, the birds took off from the trees, startled, and Beth looked around, nervous.
"Jamie..."
"Hang on..." Jamie notched an arrow. She was staring at a retarded squirrel that'd decided to stare at her, flicking his tail angrily, chattering a warning... A moment later he was pinned to the tree by an arrow, dead.
"Sweet. I'm tryin to get enough squirrel hides to make a baby blanket for lil ass kicker..."
Beth nodded, still looking uneasy. Jamie pulled the squirrel from the arrow, handing the carcass to Beth. "Hold onto that, will ya?" she asked. She noticed the fear in her eyes, though.
"Relax, Beth. It's just us and the trees." Jamie said, and they started further in.
There was moaning, and Jamie nodded to Beth. "Climb that tree." she ordered. Beth swung up into the maple. True, she was used to walking through the woods, but she'd never done it since the walkers had popped up, and it unnerved her.
Jamie climbed up beside her, and a tall walker emerged towards the brush, starting towards them.
"Aren't you going to shoot it?" Beth asked, looking alarmed. The walker reached up towards them, filthy, decaying fingernails reaking and bloody saliva trailing down his chin.
Jamie shook her head, pulling the knife from it's sheath, handing it to Beth. "He's yours."
Beth's eyes widened, and she paled.
"Come on, Beth, relax. He can't hurt us up here..."
"But I'll have to bend down to stab him. And he'll scratch me." Beth said.
"Not if you're quick."
Beth still made no move to stab, seemingly frozen, and Jamie sighed. "Fine. Okay, different approach. Spear." she took the knife from Beth, breaking a fairly long branch off and striping off the twigs, sharpening the end to a point with the knife. She handed it to Beth. "Now spear his head. You won't have to bend down or anything..."
"Through the head?" Beth asked. The walker, four or so feet below, was clawing at the bark of the tree, moaning...
"Through the head." Jamie said, nodding. Beth took a breath and plunged the branch down, and with a satisfying squish it went into the walker's head. Beth withdrew it and the walker toppled over, dead.
"Booya!" Jamie said, and Beth looked down, smiling. She high fived Jamie, catching her breath.
"You know... I've never killed one of them before. That was my first..."
"It won't be the last. Come on, let's keep moving. But first..." She jumped down, checking the walker's pockets, finding a wedding ring on his finger, taking it off, as well as the watch, and finding the wallet.
"John West. He had red cross health care..." Jamie said, shrugging, before setting the wallet down on his chest.
"Isn't that kinda mean, taking his watch and ring?" Beth asked as they moved on.
Jamie shrugged. "Maybe. But he isn't human anymore, anyways, and besides- they make good gifts. That cross necklace I gave to T-Dog, before the whole incident with the walkers at the prison... It made him smile. Keeping the spirits of the living up is more important than complying with society rules and crap... Besides, Your Dad needs a new watch." she handed the watch to Beth, who took it, smiling slightly.
"Yeah. Yeah, he does. And I got him one..."
"Sure did. Killed that walker and got it for him. He'll be proud." Jamie said. And Beth was beaming. They walked on.
"Bunny." Beth whispered, pointing. Jamie nodded, seeing the rabbit, who twitched his nose. A moment later there was an arrow through his brain.
Beth walked over to collect the kill- she was actually having a good time out with Jamie, which was saying something. She was sorry she hadn't gotten to know the girl earlier...
"There." Jamie pointed to a female walker stumbling around, she hadn't noticed them yet...
Jamie hung the game bag out of her reach in a tree, handing Beth her knife. "I'll distract her, and you come up from behind. Stab her through the head."
Beth nodded, swallowing. She could do it, she would... She circled around until she was behind the walker, holding the knife firmly, and Jamie walked forward.
"Hey you!" the walker looked up from the dead, decaying deer she'd been eating, tripping on a long since grayed, filthy dress.
"Come on. Let's dance..."
As the walker staggered towards Jamie, Beth crept forward, hardly making any noise, until... She sank the knife into the skull, and with a splatter of blood and one last gurgle, the walker fell, dead...
Beth checked her pockets. Nothing. But she had golden hoop earring, each about the size of a nickle, and she fumbled to get them out, pocketing them, before moving on to the necklace. It was a blue pendant, it looked like Saphire, and Maggie would love it...
"Beth?" Jamie asked. She'd noticed a group of three walkers stumbling towards them.
"Yeah?" Beth looked up, standing.
"Get behind me." Jamie ordered.
She notched an arrow and let it fly, and with a sickening gush one walker hit the ground.
She let the next one fly, and it pinned the walker to the tree. It still roared, annoyed. She let the last arrow loose, and the final walker hit the ground.
"What about the one pinned to the tree?" Beth asked.
Jamie nodded towards it. "He's yours. Might wanna use this. And try not to break my arrow, if you can." she added, handing over her hatchet while going towards the first body. A woman with a nice charm braclet that looked like something Beth would love...
Beth approached the walker, who was waving his arms wildly, trying to grab her. She looked back at Jamie. "What do you want me to do?"
"Whatever. Just don't get scratched."
Beth nodded, moving forward. Before the walker could touch her, the hatchet was buried in his skull...
"Nice one." Jamie said, as the walker's arms stopped moving and fell to hang loosely at his sides.
"Thanks." Beth grinned, pulling out the hatchet and helping Jamie search the remaining bodies. They stood. Jamie looked up. "It's getting late, past lunch, anyways, we skipped it..."
"Think anyone will worry?" Beth asked. Jamie shrugged. "Maybe. Come on, I see a cabin up there, maybe we can find some food..."
BREAK
"Has anyone seen Jamie?" Carl asked. He really wanted to talk to her. She hadn't spoken a word to him for three days, not since he'd said he loved her...
Carol looked up from where she was hanging laundry to dry in the prison yard. "No, I haven't. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her and Beth in a few hours..."
Rick came walking by. They were working to put things back together, still, after the attack...
"Rick, have you seen the girls?" Carol asked. Rick's brow creased. "Not for quite awhile. Knowing Jamie, she probably went to the woods..."
"We can't find Beth, either." Carl said, starting to get slightly worried.
"Hey. Have you guys seen Beth anywhere, the baby keeps crying and she likes Beth..." Maggie said.
"Maggie, I think she and Jamie went hunting..." Rick said, and Maggie paled.
"No. No, Beth wouldn't go in the woods, she's scared of walkers..."
"Jamie must've convinced her." Rick said.
"Convinced who?" There was a collective wince as they all heard Hershel's voice, heard his crutches on the concrete...
"Rick. I haven't seen Beth in a few hours, and I don't like the sound of this discussion..."
Rick sighed, running a nervous hand through his hair. "We think Jamie took Beth hunting with her."
Hershel looked concerned. "How long have they been gone?"
"A few hours, a least. But Jamie normally hunts all day... I'm sure she'll protect Beth, she probably just wanted an extra pair of eyes with her..."
"How could she?" Maggie asked, voice cold.
"Maggie..." Glenn had been listening, and he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll calm down when Beth gets back." Maggie said, voice cold, still, before she turned and walked away.
"I'm sure Beth will be fine. Jamie saved Daryl when he needed it..." Hershel said.
"She saved me from that walker." Carol said.
"She saved Carl, too, that time..." Rick pointed out.
"If they aren't back by dark, we'll start to worry." Glenn said, and they all nodded solemnly before returning to their tasks, a bit more concerned than usual.
BREAK
"Can we check the cupboards?" Beth asked.
"No. Keep your knife out. We'll see about food once we make sure there are no walkers."
It was dark and stuffy in the cabin, like it hadn't been aired out in awhile.
"See that lantern? Hand it to me." Jamie said quietly.
Beth obeyed. "You'll need some matches..."
"I got some." She lit the wick. It was an old, kerosene lantern, which was good, because batteries would die. Kerosene wouldn't. There was sill some kerosene left, and she turned the knob, making the flame larger and brighter...
There was a moan. Jamie notched an arrow, nodding to Beth. "Put the lantern in one hand, knife in the other. I need both hands to shoot."
Beth obeyed. They made there way towards the back of he cabin, it was a one room, twenty feet by twenty feet, with a cot in the back, a gally kitchen, and a worn couch, coffee table, and old, bulky TV with a broken antenna...
"There." Jamie pointed. A walker with one leg clawed furiously at the floor. His ribs were exposed, his leg had been torn off just above the knee...
"I got it." Beth went kill it, but Jamie stopped her.
"Not yet. It's not an immediate threat. But the walkers that got him..."
There was the sound of feet scraping across the floor. Beth turned the lantern. A walker of a woman in a tattered nightgown started towards them, and Jamie let an arrow fly...
They checked the rest of the cabin, finding it empty. Beth plunged her knife into the other walker's head.
"She must've died from fever or something. Her husband probably didn't know she'd turn, since she wasn't bit, and she probably got him..."
Beth nodded. "I'll go lock the door. You check the kitchen."
Jamie opened the cuboards. "Spam, beans, tuna... Bring over the game bag. We'll load it up,"
Beth nodded. Two cans of tuna, four of chili, six canned soups, and two cans of peaches...
They both locked eyes and grinned.
"It's been so long since I've had peaches..." Beth said.
"Me too. First time I had real fresh fruit was... I don't even know. Probably while I was with Ryder, we'd stumble across apple trees in the woods, sometimes... And then when I got to the farm. Your mom said I looked scrawny and gave me peaches. I just stared at her... She must've thought I was crazy, but it'd been so long I just..."
Beth nodded. "I know."
"Yeah. Anyways, we got some spam..." she dumped the two cans into the game bag. "Jackpot!" she grinned, pulling something down from the top shelf.
"Mac and cheese..."
"But we don't have any milk or butter." Beth said, looking disappointed.
"So? We can still have pasta..."
"I guess you're right..." Beth noticed something in the back of the cupboard and pulled it out, gasping...
"Peanut butter..." they both said in unison.
"It expired." Beth said, looking disappointed.
Jamie scoffed. "So? EVERYTHING is expired. It's still sealed, it was never opened... Don't you want peanut butter?"
"Yes." Beth said. She locked eyes with her friend. "Let's do it."
They tore the jar open, sniffing the mixture cautiously, and each took a finger full...
"Oh my gosh, that is good..." Jamie said, grinning.
Beth nodded, still sucking the peanut butter from her finger, and Jamie laughed at her expression of contentment. She looked outside.
"We better get back. It'll be dark soon, we were here for awhile..."
"Wait! Popcorn!" Beth reached up in the top shelf and pulled down the box. There were still three bags of microwavable popcorn...
"We'll have it pop it over the fire sometime..." Jamie said, tossing it into the bag. "Now come on."
They started back towards the camp, using the setting sun as a point of direction, since they'd gone east this morning, they'd go west to get home...
Dusk was just coming when they got back through the hole in the fence, and the lantern was still burning bright...
"Beth!" Maggie ran to her sister and hugged her, and Beth smiled. "Hi Maggie..."
"Where were you two? We were getting worried..." Rick said, as they settled down by the fire.
Jamie shrugged. "Girl's day out. Beth killed some walkers and we managed to find a cabin..."
"You took her into the woods without telling us." Rick said gently.
Jamie looked up from where she'd been unzipping the game bag.
"Why'd I have to tell you? I never tell you guys where I'm going, Beth decided to tag along, so I figured it'd be fine."
"It isn't fine. You could've been killed." Maggie said, looking at Jamie coldly.
"You really think I'd have let that happen?" Jamie said, looking confused. Daryl was watching the exchange, now, making sure Jamie didn't get a scolding more than she was due.
"You should'e told someone. That way we could've made sure Beth stayed here..." Maggie was wondering how she could explain this to Jamie. She'd been on her own for so long, it seemed like she'd forgotten most of the rules of society...
"Wait. Why are you chewing out Jamie for this? I was the one who wanted to go. I mean, she convinced me to come, it's not her job to tell you I'm going." Beth said, giving Maggie a look.
"You know better than to go in the woods! You know what happens there..." Maggie snapped.
"Well you never told me to stay out of the woods." Beth said firmly. "This isn't Jamie's fault. She taught me how to kill walkers today AND how to get around the woods, that's more than you've done..."
"Beth." Maggie looked like she'd been struck. "I mean, you just never went in the woods after the epidemic, I just... You should always tell us where you're going! Just because you'e going with Jamie doesn't mean you're safe from walkers!"
"I'm seventeen, Maggie. I don't have to tell you where I am or where I'm going every second of the day. And I feel safer in the woods with Jamie than I do with you."
The last remark cut deep, and Maggie got up and ran, not wanting anyone to see her tears.
"Maggie..." Glenn looked after her, concerned, before walking off after her, into the night.
Beth let out a sigh, as though she was relieved to have finally won an argument, before turning to Jamie, excited.
"Show them what we found."
Jamie nodded, continuing to unzip the bag. She knew better than to interfere with fights, now, it was better to just let them happen...
"Tuna, some soup, mac and cheese, chili, spam, peaches... The kind with the heavy syrup full of sugar... Peanut butter, and some popcorn."
Hershel stared. "You girls found all that?"
In total it was only fifteen packages or so, but it'd been so long since they'd had canned food...
Beth nodded. "Sure did, Daddy. And... I got you this." she handed him the watch. It was old, silver for the chain that went over the wrist, with golden hands and a white face...
Hershel stared. "It's wonderful." he smiled, putting it on and winding it. "And it doesn't have batteries, so it can't die..."
"Where'd you get it?" Rick asked.
"I killed a walker and got it off it." Beth said. Everyone looked uneasy.
"What? It' not like the walker cares. Besides, we could use this stuff... Like watches, chains, stuff. We took guns from the walkers. That necklace Jamie gave T-Dog- it was from a walker."
Rick sighed. "I guess it's alright..." He'd taken Judith out to sit on his lap, now, she liked the fresh air. He was slowly getting over loosing Lori...
"Hey lil asskicker. Look what I got..." Jamie reached into the bag. "A bunny!"
The baby, who was still nameless, gurgled happily, reaching her chubby fingers out towards the animal. Jamie hadn't gutted it yet, there was only some blood from the hole in the rabbit's head, and she handed the carcass over to the baby, who smiled.
"You sure she should play with that?" Carol asked, looking doubtful.
Jamie shrugged. "It ain't gonna hurt her none. 'Sides, it's not like she has any stuffed animals to cuddle with..."
The baby was smiling, now, and Rick smiled as well. "I guess she's got a point..."
"She can play with it until tomorrow. Then I'm eating it." Daryl said.
Jamie sighed. "I figured..." she looked to Rick imploringly. "Can we eat something? Like maybe the can of chili?"
Rick shook his head. "Wait for winter. This stuff will stay good for a long time, less things we have to preserve..."
Jamie and Carl sighed in unison. "Whatever." Jamie muttered, heading for her place under the stairs to get some sleep.