3
Maggie and Glenn were dating. I don't know if that's how you should name sleeping with a guy you just met in the middle of the end on the world. But she was happy and by happy I mean that she was smiling and making jokes during the day and the days that were passing. Five days, almost a week and everything were falling into place again, at least for me. I didn't have much encounters again with the country man and I don't know what I'm doing thinking about him. I need to calm myself, maybe getting to know this new people was making me feel a little too aware of the existence of other people in the world. And honestly is not my fault, Is Maggie's fault for starting making jokes about me and him just because I told her about our small talks. Well, maybe the fault was mine for telling her in the first place.
I was making my way to the campsite when Glenn approached me.
- Hi Mary.
- Maggie and Glenn sitting in a tree - I giggled, his face turned bright red. This guy was adorable.
- Shut up little Mary - Said Glenn
- Don't call me that! - I punched him lightly in the arm and he just got redder.
- So Lori just told me she wants to cook dinner for all of you today, you think your family would mind?
- No idea, ask Maggie, she's the older sister not me - I winked at him and made my way again to the RV.
The past few days I have been trying to make this farm a better place for the kids. Even though there were just two kids, I get to convinced Lori and Carol on let me teach them some history and literature. They both were already learning basic math and grammar from their mothers and that was amazing, I know it was the end of the world but that wasn't an excuse for stopping school. Or studying.
- Good morning Mary! - Dale was waving his hand at me from the door of the RV.
- Morning Dale, who's doing watch today?
- Andrea, hope she distract herself a little bit.
- I hope that too.
I walked to a small spot near the tent where the kids were already doing homework in their notebooks. Is kind of crazy how something as normal as doing homework, I mean math and grammar exercises comes to be something rare. There weren't schools anymore, or universities, I don't know if I have to be grateful for ending my studies before all this mess or if I have to feel stupid for wasting my time with my head in books instead of living la dolce vita.
- Hello Mary, how's Effy? - Lori asked me when I approached them.
Well this is a part I haven't tell, I told everyone that Effy had a cold and that was the reason she hasn't leave the house or meeting the group. Truth be told, she just felt so ashamed and guilty for shooting Carl and didn't feel ready to face them. And that was stupid, I am her sister and everyone in the group had treated me with nothing but respect and kindness. It was her fears and thoughts. Sometimes the fear is just in your mind.
- Getting better, thanks for asking.
- Can you watch over them today? — I just nodded.
The morning was pretty, the sun shining at the top of the sky. Carl and Sophia reading one of the history books I brought to them. I was teaching them how the old Roman Empire was governed and the religion and mythology of that time. They were interested in the small stories and legends I told them, one of them was about how Cupid fell in love with a pretty girl and the things he did to get to his beloved one.
- So you were a teacher? — Carl asked while writing on a paper the names of the emperors I taught them the day before.
- Nope, I was a lawyer.
- And why are you teaching us history? — This time was Sophia asking.
- Well, when I was your age my favorite classes were history and literature; I finished high school at sixteen and won a scholarship for the law school of Buenos Aires University.
- You lived in Argentina? - Carl stared with his little blue eyes at me with surprise.
- I did - I couldn't help but smile at them.
- That's awesome!
We continued studying for the rest of the morning; I was supposed to come back to the house after midday so I'd help Patricia and Beth with the lunch.
It was almost noon when Andrea shouted out from the roof of the RV.
- Walker!
I stood instantly motioning the kids to run and get inside of the RV, Carol took them inside and I glanced at the field. The green grass covering the small hill was infinite from the spot I was seeing. And there at the beginning of the tall trees of the wood surrounding the farm was a blurred image of something walking towards us.
- I got it! - Andrea shouted again.
- Don't shoot! - I shouted back at her. She gave me an annoyed stare.
Hershel had forbidden us to use guns in the farm. But he didn't mention anything about knives, I pulled out one of the daggers I had tied on my hip and I walked to the trees.
Although Rick, Shane and T-Dog were already running and getting closer to the "walker", Rick was aiming his pistol and at that moment I didn't know what possessed me but I found myself running all the way.
The thing was wearing a sleeveless shirt, it was completely covered in blood and there was something hanging on its back. What the hell was that? A walker with a bloody weapon?
Oh no.
That wasn't a walker.
- Rick! Is not a walker! - My voice sounded desperate and girly but he averted at me and looked back to the man walking out of the woods.
- Is the third time ya put that thing in my head, yer gonna pull the trigger or what?!
- Daryl? — I heard someone saying.
The men slowed their pace but I kept running getting closer to Daryl. He was wounded, part of a rag pressing against his bloodied torso. He had walker's ears hanging around his neck and looked extremely exhausted. He was limping and covered in mud and sweat, I feared the worst. Rick and the other were relieved that it wasn't a walker but suddenly everything changed. T-Dog was asking him what on earth happened that he ended up like that. I was approaching the country man to help him walk to the house.
Gunshot.
I heard the zooming of a bullet passing so near that for a moment I thought it was me the one who got shot. And then Daryl fell to the grass with his head bleeding.
- No! - Rick yelled running and crouching beside Daryl. I couldn't look.
- He's alive! - Shane shouted.
They helped him stand and carried the man to the house as fast as they could.
I couldn't find myself for a couple of seconds; I still could feel the sound of the bullet in my ears. Andrea was there suddenly, I didn't even notice when she came to us and for a moment I was lost in my own fear. I think I followed them, still feeling the pressure in my chest and my sweaty hand grabbing tightly the dagger.
The fear is just in your mind.
Someone grabbed me by the arm and I looked with shock at the person.
- Are you hurt? - I shook my head and glanced directly finding Carol with a concerned look on her face. I was near the camp again.
- That bloody gunshot startled me - She gave me squeeze in the arm - I'm fine.
She let out of me and I ran getting inside the house.
Daryl was going to be fine in a matter of days. He needed rest and obviously was unable to do hard works or hunting for a while. Right now he was sleeping in the same room that Carl used to days before.
Lori and Carol were making dinner for us today as a way of thanking us for letting them stay in the farm. I saw Hershel tells Maggie about don't get too close to the "Asian boy" too late for that step-dad. Anyway, I though the tension between the group was in the air, but that night at dinner everything was so awkward that I wished they never suggested that idea of the dinner.
- Dale and I found a guitar on the road, anyone know how to play it? — Glenn asked with a nervous smile. Nice try of making it less uncomfortable.
- Otis knew - Patricia muttered with a sad look.
- Mary knows too - Effy spoke and I wished I could stick my fork on her hand.
- Yeah she even taught me how to read chords. - Another fork for Beth.
I felt cornered by my own sister and a friend. And they were all looking at me like expecting me to say something.
- Oh whatever, bring the guitar Glenn.
This was ridiculous, but I was playing one of my favorite songs and it almost made the night less weird. From my seat I looked at Glenn giving Maggie a paper note under the table, thanks God I sang a romantic song. I finished the song and after they all started congratulating me up I excused myself and stormed out to the hallway and head to the bedroom. I think it was enough for that day of making a fool of myself.
I found Carol on the hallway and she congratulated me for my singing.
- I was bringing dinner for Daryl, can you check that bandage? I don't want to bother Hershel.
- Sure.
He was lying on his good side, his back facing the door. So when I knocked slightly on the wooden door He tilted his head and rolled lying on his back.
- Hey, I have to check that bandage - he grunted and swiped the covers away. The bandage on his head was okay, but the one wrapping the arrow wound was a little bloodied. Changing it wasn't that difficult. The difficult part was cleaning the wound for the third time in that day. He was angry by that I could tell but I ignored him, I cleaned the wound and wrapped his torso again - I think this will be enough for the night.
- How many times ya need to change that?
- All the times that'd be necessary - I said while taking the first aid kit.
- Who was that singin'? - I thanked God that my hair was making a curtain between me and him, because I felt the blush running to my cheeks furiously.
- Me.
He just grunted with a look in his eyes that I could not decode and rolled over his good side again. Walking to the hallway I turned around and watched his shape covered with the blankets.
- Good night Daryl - I whispered and walked out the door.
- Night.
I couldn't sleep that night. It was frickin' five in the morning and I was wide awake staring at the roof. Even though I felt exhausted I just couldn't find my way into slumber. So got out of the bed, I took a shower and drink a glass of milk before leaving the house to the stables. The horses were already awake, but I wasn't there for them. Right behind the stable was parked my white Jeep Commander. It needed to be used so I jumped on the driver seat and checked on the backseat finding our large guns in the right place. I took the air rifle and put it on the passenger seat near to my reach.
The engine got to life for the first time in two weeks and I drove away of the stable and to the road. I got close to the exit of the farm and just like the other times I turned the Jeep and head back home.
It was already sunrise when I parked in front of the house. I found Glenn sitting on the porch with a worried face.
- Are you heartbroken already? - I asked getting out of the car. He stood and now he was looking mad - What's wrong?
- You tell me what's wrong - He spat and I opened my eyes like plates.
- Are you nuts Glenn?
- Why you didn't tell me?
- Tell you what? I don't understand what you mean. - And what he told me next left me shocked.
- The barn is full of walkers.
The song Mary sings is Ho Hey by The Lumineers.
So this story is gonna be part canon, part freeform, I won't rewrite the series episodes maybe some parts and only if the OC is in those scenes.
(If you find any grammar mistake just tell and I'll correct.)