In Another Lifetime (Chapter 2)
A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews, the follows and the faves. I appreciate each and every one. Shout out to the silent readers as well.
Michonne pops awake right before the walker could grab her. She looks around anxiously, her rapid breathing matching the pace of her heart beat. She feels a hand on her shoulder and looks to her left, connecting with worried blue eyes. Rick….. She smiles with relief as she realizes she was only dreaming. She turns to look in the backseat, her face softening even more. Carl and Andre are sleeping as peacefully as they can, sharing a KCSD blanket.
"I fell asleep, didn't I? Some watch partner I'm turning out to be," she says quietly.
"It's fine. I couldn't sleep if I tried," Rick returns.
A tinge of guilt races through her as she nods with understanding. "I thought the same thing, but I guess my body had other plans."
"You've been through a lot," he observes.
"We all have." She sighs before she turns to face him. "What are we going to do? I thought we could stay in the city, but that's obviously not the case. Can we just keep driving like this?"
"We'll figure it out. I've got a full gas can in the trunk so we can drive further out. Maybe find a house or a store, some supplies. Everybody can't be…..dead. Surely there's a safe house or a camp….something."
"I'll follow your lead. You probably know more than I do about this disaster. The authorities, the military….what happened?" She asks anxiously.
"All I know is we couldn't get any help in our little town. The sheriff called everybody and at first they told us help was on the way, but no one ever showed up. We were gunning down people we went to high school with, little old ladies….I mean, we didn't have a choice. No matter what we did, they just kept coming…until the head shot. That's what stopped them. After a while, we lost communication, a lot of the staff ended up eaten or undead and finally our boss basically told us it was each man for himself and try to keep our families alive." He sighs heavily. "The city….Lori thought we'd find answers in the city."
"There were camps, safe houses. We were lucky. We were able to stay in our house for a while and then when we ventured out, everywhere we went was overrun or overcrowded. We really had no safe place to go. Mike's friend Terry knew that his office building was pretty secure. It had sustained storms and tornadoes so he suggested we go there."
"What happened?"
"Terry wanted to check on his brother so we let him. We were at the center for three days. Terry never showed up and then somebody turned and we had to leave." She clears her throat. "We…we got away because Mike…he ummm…he was being attacked. I….I should've helped him. I wanted to help him, but I had to keep our son safe. How could I compromise his safety?"
Rick can see the struggle she is having, wondering if there was something she could've done, wondering if things could have happened differently somehow. "You did what you had to do for your son. It was the right call. Otherwise….all three of you could be gone."
"Do you really think he's gone? Maybe….maybe he managed….to get away." Her tear filled eyes are hopeful as she looks to Rick.
He rests his gun against a thigh and stares straight ahead into the blackness. "Can you run the risk of trying to find out?"
All she can do is drop her head as her heart continues to break, knowing the answer to that question. She just has to accept what is and try to keep going, keep surviving for Andre's sake.
Hours later, they are driving again as the sun slowly rises, bringing with it the stifling heat. The highway has been mostly clear as majority of the stalled traffic, wrecked and abandoned vehicles are on the opposite side in the direction of the city.
Michonne is driving as she insisted that Rick try and get some much needed sleep. The boys are wide awake of course and a little more animated than usual after having some dry cereal, granola bars, and water for breakfast. She can't help but notice that they each have bouts of talkativeness to complete silence. She wishes things were back to normal, that they didn't have to experience the world as it is now. Their laughter brings her back to the present as Andre announces he wants to play I Spy. Surprisingly, Carl agrees. She reminds them to keep their voices down so they don't disturb Rick.
A little over forty five minutes later they come up on several wrecked cars blocking the road. Michonne sits and contemplates for a moment, wondering if she should turn around or just veer off to the side and drive in the grass until she can get back onto the highway. She decides on the latter and moves the vehicle slowly off the asphalt and into the dry and discolored grass. She checks the rearview mirror, looking in on the boys as well as making sure nothing and no one is behind them.
Her eyes drop back to the scene in front of her and she gasps and hits the brakes hard. The vehicle is at a complete stop as she swallows nervously. The highway is filled with the undead, broken and mangled bodies ambling about aimlessly. She wonders where they all came from. Are these the people from the wrecked and abandoned cars that didn't make it to the city or did they leave the city?
She reaches over and grabs Rick's arm with a firm shake. She doesn't dare take her eyes off of the undead as she begins to roll her window up, instructing the boys to do the same. The drone of their shuffling feet and occasional moans make her skin crawl.
"Mom, why…." Andre begins but his mother interrupts with an uncompromising "Shhhh."
Rick sits up blinking the sleep from his eyes. He notices what's in front of them right away. "Back up….now. Right now."
A loud thud is heard at the rear of the car. The four occupants gasp and turn to look behind them. At least four walkers are thumping on the trunk. The boys start to whimper immediately while Rick whispers "Shit" and tells Michonne to switch places with him.
Just as she throws the car in park, walkers have made their way to the hood.
"Everybody get strapped in," Rick instructs as he takes the wheel. He jerks the car into reverse and floors it as he throws his arm across the seat and turns to look behind him.
The car bounces horribly as it plows down the bodies of the undead.
He maneuvers the vehicle onto the road and turns sharply, swerving around and switching gears to drive in the opposite direction.
All Michonne and the boys can do is hold on as they are tossed from one side to the other and then thrown back as Rick accelerates down the highway. He constantly checks the rearview mirror, making sure he is putting more than enough distance between them and the undead.
"We're going back? We can't go back to the city," Michonne states.
Rick rubs his chin anxiously. "I know. We're just getting away from them. We might need to try some of the back roads. They won't be as smooth but maybe we won't run into as many of them."
She nods in agreement before turning around to check on the boys. "You guys ok?"
Carl gives the thumbs up sign and Andre follows suit.
A couple of hours later they come across a small store and decide to check for supplies. The structure is designed like a log cabin and Rick said it was probably the usual mom and pop operation. He instructs the boys to hunker down and stay out of sight as he and Michonne grab the shovels and move towards the building after securing the car.
He has his gun at his side with a shovel in hand while she has her gun tucked into her pants at her back with a shovel at the ready.
She follows his lead as he instructs her to stand on one side of the entrance while he is standing on the other. He tries the door and is evidently surprised that it is unlocked. He turns the knob slowly, opening the door quietly and was about to step inside when a walker falls toward them. Michonne raises her shovel high and comes down hard on the zombie's head. Rick was about to assist her but another walker stepped through the door. He smashes it in the face, knocking it back inside the store and to the ground. He then takes the shovel and aims for the walker's head.
They use extreme caution as they enter the store and look around, ignoring the musty, moldy smell permeating through the area. Michonne grabs a linen bag decorated with the GA state flower and starts to stuff food items into it quickly. Rick does the same but grabs batteries, flashlights and the like.
She takes a moment to look out of the window, making sure the car is ok then returns to the task at hand. They fill at least two bags each and exit the store quickly, depositing everything into the trunk before climbing into the driver and passenger seats. They are sure to check on the boys and ask if they are ok, breathing a sigh of relief to have that over and done with.
The boys assure them they are fine as Andre asks, "Did they have some Skittles?"
Michonne laughs. "Yes, they had Skittles and yes, I got some."
"For me too?" Carl asks.
"For you too," she returns.
The boys practically squeal with delight, knowing they'll have candy sometime in the near future.
Only a few miles further they come upon a small police department. Rick is curious and wants to check it out. He thinks maybe they'll find more weapons and supplies. He drives around back and approaches a gated parking area. He puts the car in park and leaves it running as he exits the vehicle to see if he can open the gate, observing and listening intently.
Michonne waits cautiously and on alert. She watches as Rick unlatches the gate and pushes it inward. Minutes later she is driving inside and parking the car as Rick closes and secures the gate behind them. The police parking lot and station appear abandoned but they both know they cannot afford to make that assumption.
Once again, they instruct the boys to remain in the locked vehicle while they check inside the building, both armed with guns and shovels and ready for anything. They find three bodies with head wounds by the back door and wonder if whoever put them down is still lurking about.
Rick tries the door and it opens with a slight creaking noise. He places the shovel to the side before he enters and draws his gun, pointing it at eye level, his arms stretched out in front of him. Michonne follows slowly, holding tightly to her raised shovel.
They walk quietly down the hallway, not bothering to check behind closed doors just yet. The small breakroom is an open area with two entrances/exits so they move inside, thankful for the flickering lights overhead. The area appears to be clear so they move back to the hallway and into the main lobby.
Rick hurriedly checks the front door and is relieved that it is locked. He also notices a steel gate to protect the glass doors and quickly pulls the two sides together. They then check the remaining areas which include a stocked gun locker, the cells, and a bathroom/shower/dressing room.
Thirty minutes later, the building has been secured. Michonne and the boys gather a few supplies and move inside while Rick checks the generators and propane tanks. He also locates the keys to the other vehicles and confiscates extra gas and other supplies that he readily transfers to the trunk of his cruiser.
They set up for dinner in the breakroom but Rick checks the showers first and is elated that the water supply is still operable and the propane tanks are still generating the hot water heaters. Luckily, he and Carl had a couple of overnight bags but he wasn't sure what Andre and Michonne had. He inquires about it and lets her know that there are police uniforms and inmate clothing available.
She procures something for herself and Andre temporarily, making plans to wash what they have and allow the clothes to air dry. Rick announces that he and Carl are going for a shower.
Andre's face suddenly drops and he walks over to the table to take a seat. Rick shares a look with Michonne before she moves over to ask her son what's wrong.
"Daddy used to give me a shower every night. Who's gonna give me a shower now?" Her son asks in his small voice.
"I will, sweetheart. Ok?" Michonne hopes she will be enough.
"But I want my Daddy to do it," Andre demands.
"You can come with me and my Dad," Carl offers.
"But he's your Dad, not mine," Andre states.
"That's right, but we're all buddies so you can come with us if you want. Your Mom's a girl. You don't want to shower with a girl, do you?" Rick asks with a slight smile.
"Nooooo," Andre exclaims. He looks to his Mom for reassurance and she nods with a smile, letting him know it's ok. She is a bit taken aback when her son jumps up, grabs Rick's hand and tries to lead the way.
She decides to explore just a bit while they are taking care of their hygiene. The evidence room was always a place of fascination for her so she finds herself there, looking over the attached paperwork and trying to piece together the circumstances of the supposed crime. Of course the room here is small as it was a small town and there is not a lot to see. Thank goodness.
She is about to exit the room when a flash of white catches her eye on one of the top shelves. She looks up at it curiously and realizes she is going to have to climb up on the lower shelves just to reach it. Looking around cautiously, she does just that and grabs what caught her attention. It appears to be a scabbard and it contains a sword. What in the world? She unsheathes the sword slowly, lifting it up towards the light to see it better. The weight of it is noticeable but nothing she can't handle she thinks to herself. She knows she's no good with a gun but wonders how she will fare with this weapon.
The laughter of the boys and Rick draws her attention to the hallway. She sheathes the sword quickly and exits the room after turning out the lights and closing the door.
"Hey. We didn't use all of the hot water if you're ready for a shower," Rick tells her as she meets them in the hall. He notices the sword, looking her up and down as she holds it by her side. "What's that?"
"A sword. I found it in the evidence room. Think I'll be any good with it?" She asks.
"I don't see why not."
"My mommy can do anything," Andre announces.
Michonne smiles down at him. "Well, thanks for the vote of confidence, Peanut."
"That looks really cool," Carl states.
"I think it looks cool too," Michonne says as they move towards the breakroom.
Later that night, they are all in a jail cell, preparing for bed. Rick thought he'd never actually welcome sleeping inside of a cell but realizes it's a safe place right now. He knows he has to get some sleep to be at full capacity and so does Michonne. He makes the decision to lock them all in, the keys dangling in his hand, ensuring that they won't be attacked in their sleep.
Michonne adjusts her inmate clothing, having to roll up the pants and tie knots in the shirts for herself and Andre. She gives her son a hug and a kiss and tucks him in snugly. She then turns to Carl and watches as Rick caresses his son's head and tells him good night.
The parents take the top bunks and they all try to get some sleep only Michonne is awaken in the middle of the night by a whimpering noise. She sits up slowly taking in her surroundings, realizing that all seems to be ok. The noise sounds again and she looks to Rick noticing his frowns and quivering lips in the dim light of the cell. She can only guess what he is dreaming about.
She hates to disturb him but doesn't want to see him suffer. She climbs down from her bunk and moves over to him quietly. She touches his shoulder lightly and cringes as he gasps and pops awake with slight alarm.
He relaxes as he recognizes her, then sighs heavily. "Lori. I was dreaming about Lori."
Michonne nods and whispers, "I figured as much. You wanna talk about it?"
Rick contemplates for only a moment before shaking his head. He feels the sting of tears in his eyes and sits up abruptly. For some reason, he wants to show vulnerability with this woman and hide it at the same time. He hops down from the bunk and walks over to the bars of the cell, his back to her.
She walks over to stand next to him. "Just so you know. I'm here if you need me." She swallows nervously as she looks over at him, noticing the tears streaming down his face. For some reason, it pains her to see him in pain and she wants so badly to take it away. She notices his hand griping the bar as he tries to rein in his emotions. She grabs his hand tightly, anything to comfort him.
Rick turns to her, needing and wanting her comfort. He lets go, allowing himself to express his grief as he feels her arms surround him. He clings to her as she clings to him and he realizes that maybe she needs a bit of comfort just like he does.