Before this happened, I never even been outside of Georgia. We never did anything like normal families did like go on vacation or just travel, maybe even take a road trip. We never did any of that stuff. Now I have been so many different places that I lost count. I have had so many different homes. We are living in another place right now in a town called Meadville. Not a farmhouse, not a mansion, just a regular small house. It felt nice, home-like. The last place we were at was nice, too, but we didn't want to stay there anymore with all that happened. You know, with Kenneth and me being so sick? So, we decided it was time to go.

"This is to you." My brother said holding up a glass of wine. "Fer gettin' over a terrible illness like that and all."

"Yeah, but you were the one who found the meds." I pointed out. "You and Kenneth."

"Yeah." Daryl said with a nod. "Good man."

"He was." I agreed and sipped my wine. I laughed a little because I think my brother is getting drunk. "Good time fer a celebration."

"It's always a good time fer a celebration." Daryl slurred making me laugh.

"Yer so outta character right now." I smirked.

"Sorry, I'm drunk." He said and leaned back. I giggled.

"I don't thank I ever saw ya happy drunk…no wait, I take that back. The night at the CDC you was happy drunk."

"Oh yeah. I 'member that." We both laughed.

Things were quiet for a moment. I took a big gulp of my wine then I remembered I been wanting to talk to him about something. I sighed putting my glass down. "Daryl…can we actually talk about somethin' serious fer a minute?"

"Sure, baby." He slurred. "What's 'a matter?"

I hesitated. How do I start. "…I…really wanna be you." I finally got out. He was just giving me a strange look. I almost laughed but remembered I had to be the serious one. "I mean…I just…wanna be more like you. Tougher, stronger, braver. Ya know what I mean?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he drank his glass of wine down then said, "no," while pouring another one. I sighed.

"I'm sick 'a you havin' to carry my weight plus yers. You should only have to carry yer own weight. I wanna be able to take care 'a myself. I wanna be more like you. I wanna be you. I wanna—

"No." Daryl said shaking his head. "Ya ain't me and yer never gonna be me so stop tryin'."

"But…"

"Nope." He shook his head again. "Nope nope. No ifs ands or buts…unless ya want yers smacked." He laughed. He used to say that to me when I was little. "Yer you and I want ya to be you and not me cuz I love who you are and never want ya to change." He grinned.

"Well…that's nice but I still wanna be—

"Too bad." He snapped this time. "Yer just gonna have to get over it." He filled my glass for me. "Now…sang me a song or somethin'."

"What?" I gave him a weird look.

"Sang! Now!" He said giving me a serious look that soon turned to laughter.

"Oh, all right." I pouted. He clapped. "What should I sang?"

"Don't know. Anythang."

"Okay." I shrugged. I started singing him Learn to Fly by Foo Fighters.

The next day, Daryl was still sleeping and it was pretty late. I didn't wake him up, he drank a lot last night so I figured he had a pretty nice hangover. I just let him sleep. If anything happens I will just wake up him then like he always wants me to.

I could have worked on fixing the fence outside to give us a little more security, but it was one of those rare days when my knee bothers me so I sat down in chair in the living room with a book and tried to get comfortable. Just before I did though, I had a great thought!

The other day, I found one of those heating bags that you heat up yourself then you place it on areas that have pain. I should go heat it up and use it for my knee.

I jumped up, pulled the bean bag out of my bag and headed into the kitchen. "Okay, how should I do this?" I said to myself. I looked at it. I guess I could heat it on the stove. I turned the stove on, good thing we had a gas stove here, then glanced at the bean bag. The cover doesn't look like it can be heated safely. I wonder if I should do this? I looked at it and thought. "Oh well." I put it on a pan then went back into the living room, sitting down with my book.

I was really into this book I found. It was about a teenage girl that was raised to be a serial killer by her mom. The mother was also a serial killer but once she had her daughter, she trained her to take over. It was pretty interesting.

As I was sitting there reading, I thought I could smell something weird. Almost like something was burning. Oh yeah. I thought. It's probably just the bean bag. And for some reason, I didn't think it was an issue at the time. I mean…things always have a weird smell while their cooking. I shrugged ignoring it and went back to my book.

However as the time went on, the smell seemed to get worse. I decided on going to check it. I calmly closed my book and walked into the kitchen. What I was met with was flames! Big flames! "Oh my God!" I yelled. The whole stove top was on fire!

I panicked and picked the pan up by the handle not even thinking that it was probably hot, it burnt my hand. I screeched and dropped the pan. Then, I panicked some more and picked up the bean bag, which burnt my hand even more, and the thing fell apart. The tiny beads inside went everywhere and caught different parts of the kitchen on fire. I didn't even know where to start now on account of there being so many different places on fire.

I panicked and then froze. Yeah, that's right. I stood there and stared at the flames as they got bigger and ruined more of the kitchen. The fire was spreading. I finally snapped out of it and grabbed some bottles of water. I poured them on the fire, but it was too big. I couldn't keep up with the amount of water we had. I stood there again trying to think of what to do. Daryl is gonna kill me. I thought. Then I gasped. Oh my God! Daryl is still asleep!

"Daryl!" I screamed running up the stairs a bit. "Daryl, hurry! Help! The house is on fire! Help me!" I heard a commotion upstairs and knew he had heard me. I walked back into the kitchen, my brother was there in a minute.

"What the hell happened?" He asked frantically.

"I'll tell ya later!" I said. "Just help me!"

"Where's the water?"

"I-I used it all already!" I said. He gave me a look. I ignored it and grabbed a blanket, I tried smoothering the fire with it but it just made it worse, plus now the blanket was on fire. My brother grabbed my arm. "What are ya doin'? We gotta put it out!"

"No!" He grabbed me again. I tried pulling away. "I said, no! We gotta go, Sissy! Grab yer shit!" I hesitated. "Come on, move!" He yelled at me. I snapped back to reality and quickly grabbed my bag heading out the door following my brother.

We ran outside and stood there in the street looking at the house burn. "Are ya all right?" Daryl asked frantically. "Did ya get hurt?"

"M-my hand." I held it out. He looked at it.

"It don't look too bad. It'll be okay." He said. Then, someone had flipped his switch. Calm Daryl become scary, angry Daryl in just seconds. "What hell just happened!" He yelled. "What did ya do, huh?"

"I-I was heatin' a-a bean bag and it-it caught on fire." I stammered.

"You was heatin' a bean bag? On the stove? What the hell was ya thankin'?"

"I-I didn't thank it was a problem and—

"Ya didn't thank it would be a problem? Really, Leann? Did ya at least take it outta the cover?"

The cover? Oh…yeah. Damn it! Why didn't I do that? Why didn't I read the instructions? The look I gave him answered his question. He glared at me then shook his head. He leaned his hands on a broke down car next to us and exhaled sharply. "How many times I told ya not to do somethin' unless ya know what yer doin'?" He spun back around to face me and screamed. I jumped, it startled me so bad. My brother yells at me a lot, but he never yelled like that before. I was honestly scared. "How many, huh?" He was close to my face.

"I-I don't know." I said quietly. "A-a lot."

"Yeah, that's right! A lot!" He put his hands on his head. "Damn it, Leann! Ya even got herself hurt! It coulda been worse than that! And…ya wasted all our water!" I was suddenly brought to tears.

"I-I'm sorry, Daryl." I cried. "I'm really s-sorry."

"Sorry, don't cut it." He said roughly. "Why didn't ya listen to me? Huh?"

I was quiet a minute. "…I don't know. I guess I…fergot." I put my head down.

"Ya fergot, huh?" He nodded. "Well, I'm gonna make sure ya never ferget again!" He grabbed my wrist. "You, little girl, are NEVER allowed on another run with me EVER again! I don't want ya doin' a damn thang without my permission, ya hear? Not a damn thang." He got close to my face when he said the last part. I looked at him through my tears and nodded. He let go of my wrist giving me a shove. "And don't thank I'm feelin' sorry fer ya neither." He began walking. I just stood there and watched him. "Let's go!" He yelled. "We gotta find a new home." I just sadly put my head down and followed him.

I feel like an idiot. I didn't read the directions for the bean bag like the dumbass I am and burned our house down and got myself hurt. The worst part, though, is how mad I made Daryl. I don't think he'll ever trust me again.

Daryl and I traveled to a new town called Pymatuning. Things have been really awkward between us. I can't say if he's still mad at me or not, but we haven't had a real conversation in the longest time. I was beginning to get worried.

We are currently staying in an apartment complex. The rooms are pretty small, but it's up high in a building so it will be difficult for the walkers to get at us. The bad thing about it being so small is, I have been on Daryl's restriction for all this time. He goes out on runs and I have to stay cooped up in our little apartment. If that wasn't bad enough, I have him to ask for permission to do anything, like cook dinner. It's kind of embarrassing. I'm wondering when he is going to ease up on me.

I was trying to find something to do. I dug through my bag looking for something interesting. I had finished the book I was currently reading plus the one from before. I sighed. I had nothing to do. I got up and walked to the window. Looking down the street, I remembered about the bookstore that was nearby and got an idea.

I glanced back at my brother, he was in the kitchen eating something. "Daryl?" I called as I made my way to him. "Hey, Daryl, I was thankin'…"

"Yeah and what was ya thankin'?" He asked me without looking up from his food.

"Well…I was tryin' to find somethin' to do and decided I wanted to read, but…I finished all my books. There's a bookstore close by. Can I go look fer a few new books?"

"No." He answered immediately still not looking up at me.

"Please." I said desperately. "It's just down the street and I won't be long. I won't go nowhere else—

"I said no, Le." He finally looked up at me with raised eyebrows. We just looked at each other for a moment. "Ya want somethin' to do? Here." He handed me his bowl. "Wash this fer me." I sadly took it to the sink and washed it out, dried it then put it away. I walked right passed my brother and went into the living room laying down on the floor. I curled up into a ball and just stayed like that. I closed my eyes.

Several minutes later, I heard Daryl walk into the room then stop. "Le? Ya okay?" He asked me.

I didn't answer him right away. I slowly lifted my head. "What?"

"Ya all right?"

"I'm fine." I said and laid back down. He stood there a minute then came over and sat down on the couch behind me. We were quiet for a while.

I heard my brother sigh. "Go ahead."

"What?" I sat up and looked at him giving him a weird look.

"You can go to the bookstore."

I glanced down at the floor for a few seconds then back up at him. "No…that's okay. Ya told me not to—

"Le, just go." He said. "Go ahead go before I change ma mind."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. But just there, don't go nowhere else."

I nodded and emptied the contents of my bag onto the couch before slinging it over my shoulder and heading for the door. I wanted to take his advice and go before he changed his mind.

"Don't be too—hey, look at me." He said. I looked over at him. "Don't be too long."

"Yes, Daryl." I said before walking out the door.

I made my way down the stairs and out the main entrance of the building then briskly walked down the street. It was a cool night. I tightened my jacket around me as the wind blew making me shiver.

The bookstore was just around the corner. I knocked on the window checking for walkers. When I didn't see or hear anything, I went in. I stopped dead in my tracks. There were books everywhere! So many on shelves! I never been in a bookstore before. It was so overwhelming.

I looked around and grabbed ones that sounded interesting. There was one book that when I saw it, it reminded me of Daryl. It was called, Catcher in the Rye. I stuffed it in my bag to give to him.

I figured that was enough and struggled to zip up my bag. I grabbed more than I thought. I finally zipped it closed then heard a noise in the store somewhere. I pulled out my gun and brandished it while looking around. "Is someone there?" I asked.

I slowly and quietly walked around. "Hey, who's— I was cut off by the sound of a book falling. I jumped. But when I looked, there was a little kitty sitting there. I sighed in relief and made my way over to it while putting my gun away. "Hey, little guy…or girl." It ran away before I got close enough to pet it. "Don't go." I said. I took another step towards it, but it ran away again. I looked at it disappointingly.

"Well, here." I reached into my pocket and took out the Twinkie I found. "I hate these thangs anyway." I opened it and sat it on the floor for it. Then, I turned and walked out. I glanced back before leaving and saw the cat eating the Twinkie. I smiled.

I just got back to the apartment. Daryl was in the same spot he was in when I left, and gave me a weird look. "That was fast."

"Ya told me not to be gone long?"

"Yeah, but…ya ain't been gone thirty minutes."

"Well, I got what I needed." I smiled. I dumped out all the books on the coffee table.

"Damn." My brother commented. "Ya rob the whole store?"

I giggled. "Oh." I said spotting the book I got for Daryl. "I know ya don't read much, but I got this fer ya." I handed it to him. "It reminded me 'a you."

He stared at it. "Why?"

"I don't know." I picked one of the books up and spun around and headed towards my room. "I'm goin' to bed, I thank."

"Okay…well…night." He said. He sounded surprised.

"Goodnight!" I said and closed the door.

The next day, I laid on the couch on my stomach munching on cereal and reading one of the books I found. It was getting really interesting. I read the first chapter last night and it seemed pretty boring so I threw it aside and went to bed. I picked it up again this morning and I was hooked after reading the second chapter. It's called Flash and the author's name is A. L. Marasco. I wonder if this person had anymore books!

I was so into the book that I didn't even notice my brother walk over to me. He swatted my bottom. "Hey." He said. "How 'bout goin' outside fer a minute or two and gettin' some fresh air?"

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah. Come on, put that damn book down." He said roughly. "And get rid 'a this garbage bag fer me, too, all right?"

I giggled. "Okay, Daryl." I put my bookmark in then sat the book aside. I grabbed the bag from him and headed outside.

I walked around to the other side of the building because I remember seeing a dumpster back there. When I got there, though, I saw the cat from last night. "Hey, you." I said. "I bet yer hungry. Let's see what we got in here." I opened the garbage bag. "Here ya go." I sat some scraps on the ground for it. The poor little thing ate it right up. It let me pet it this time! "Aw, yer so sweet." I said while petting it. "Wanna come home with me?" The cat meowed. "Guess that means yes." I giggled. I slowly picked it up and checked underneath. "I guess yer a girl then." I giggled some more. "Come on." I carried her back to the apartment.

"Hey, Daryl." I said excitedly. "Look what I found!" I held up the kitty. Daryl gave me an irritated look.

"I sent ya out to take the trash and ya come back with a damn cat." He shook his head. "Where'd ya find 'im?"

"Well, first of all…it's a girl. I checked." I said proudly. "And she was just out there by the dumpster. Poor lil thang was starvin' so I gave 'er some scraps."

"Great. Now it ain't gonna ever leave."

"I don't want 'er to leave." I hugged her. "I love 'er."

"Yeah, well, when it pisses and shits and throws up everywhere you can clean it." My brother said roughly then walked into the kitchen.

I gave him a dirty look. "Why ya always gotta be like that?"

"Like what?"

"Always thankin' about the bad shit instead 'a the good." I stated.

"Cuz I just am."

"Well…I helped this cute, little girl."

"Good fer you." Daryl said then walked into his room.

I made a disappointed face at his closed door. I wish my brother would lighten up a bit. He's always been so grouchy and careless towards a lot of things. I wish he would change. He's always so…reserved and refusing to show emotion. He shouldn't shut people out like that. That's exactly what he is…a closed door.

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