Chapter 7: Normality

Winter was over now, it was officially spring a few weeks ago but already it felt like summer, and despite the breeze being cool it was hot. The sun beat down on Woodbury that had proven to me over the last two weeks that it really was a secure and happy place to be, a as normal as possible life being lived by many.

Most of the time I found myself in my room, watching everyone from the window or drawing on the paper that Vincent had given to me. It felt good to have some sort of normality back again, to be safe sitting inside where it was cool, the time to draw and a tap not far with clean water but it was becoming to seem too good to be true. Of everyone that came in here, no one ever left the walls, only the selected few by the Governor; I had asked to be on a scouting party, but denied, saying that they would leave it to the skilled, instead giving me a small roster for sentry duty. I accepted it, it was better than sitting in my room completely all the time.
Out of the forest and into a box.
But even with all this free time, I didn't want to socialise, the people here were too chirpy, too happy. Call me morbid but even though I could sleep quite peacefully at night, my muscles were still tense with anticipation and I couldn't look at the wall without thinking of what was on the outside.

I stretched out on my side on the bed, Trix huffing loudly as he rolled on the floor, probably just as bored as I was but it was hot so at least today we didn't have to be running for our lives. Reaching across to the small stool I had beside the bed, I lifted up the green stone that Daryl had given me, rolling onto my back as I looked at it.
I wished things had worked out between us, I had the suspicion when I realised I had feelings for him that I would have to leave him behind, by either death or my leaving but it was neither of those, he left me. Could I really say that though? After all, I was the one that chose to stay, I didn't ask him to stay with me, but how could I? He was loyal to the group, they had become his family, the same people that had welcomed me into the fold and I just left them.
I wish the group had been here, to see it and experience it, but Rick would have a hard time adjusting and trusting people, he wouldn't ever put his group in any sort of danger, and if I knew Rick he would see this place as trouble.

Twisting the stone in my hand, I stared at it, rubbing my thumb over the polished surface and I sighed, trying to picture Daryl's face. If Daryl had wanted to stay, if he had thought that it would work between us he would be here, I just had to get that through my head, which was easier said than done. What if he did come? Would things be different? Would I still be lying in bed, with him by my side or would we realise that between the transition of the outside world of death and survival to this one of calm normality we were completely different?
Out there, time is measured out by the things you did, each breath was precious and the unknown loomed over your head like a hungry vulture, waiting to strike. In here you could hear the time tick, you had the chance to think and plan for days, not live in the here and now. I would have hoped things would be the same, but it made me feel worse. I just didn't want him to think that I had chosen the option of a safer place than the option of being by his side, I had always felt safe with him, but this was my brother.
What would he have done if it was his brother?

A knock at the door made me flinch, the stone slipping from my fingers and hitting me in the face.
With a groan I sat up, my hair loose and tumbling down my shoulders as I rubbed my sore eyes, Trix waging his tail already at the door.
"It's open." I called, safe knowing that it wasn't Milton; Trix would give a growl. Vincent opened the door, not coming in but poking his head in, raising an eyebrow when I looked at him with my teary eye.
"You been crying?" he asked, in a way only an older brother could; he cared but he didn't want to comfort a crying girl.
"No," I sniffed, slipping the jasper into my pocket, "what's up?"
"Just letting you know that I'm on guard until tonight." I glanced back up to the window, I hadn't realised just how much time had passed.
"And don't forget to go to and see doctor Stevens about those stitches." He said and I just waved my hand, Vincent getting the clue and leaving, not before he gave Trix a long affectionate cuddle.

Casually I got to my feet, finding my boots and laced them up, brushing my hair and tying it up so that I looked somewhat presentable. In the time that I had been here, I hadn't done anything; no new shirts, no new socks or trinkets to go in my room but for some reason it didn't bother me. I looked at myself in the mirror, not so much the scrawny woman I had been a few weeks ago, at least with the decent amount of rations I was given I had managed to fill out a little bit but I was still uncomfortable seeing my bones. My shoulders were bare from the tank top I was wearing and I glared up at the sun as I stepped outside, Trix following close behind me. I would burn in this heat and I looked down the street, trying to get my directions right before I walked.

People were chatting and kids were laughing loudly as they played, seemingly not bothered by the heat and I had to admit it was nice to remember what it was like to be warm. Trix padded happily next to me, ears twisting as he took in the new sounds and his nose racing a hundred miles at all the new scents.
"Jasmine dear!"
I spun around at my name, seeing an old lady wave at me from the shade of a patio, two bags laid out open on the ground, clothing spread out on a table she had set up. I walked over to her, giving her a smile as she greeted me.
"Hi Mrs Richardson, what are you doing?" I asked curiously, Trix greeting her also with a lick and she smiled. She was one of the first people that came up to my room, making sure I had everything I needed and that she was never far away if I needed anything, and I did my best to help her where I could
"These are all my daughters things, go through them and help yourself. You looked as though you were about the same as her, thin and athletic."
I scoffed her words and gave her a confused frown.
"Doesn't she want them anymore?"
Mrs Richardson gave me a grim look and I regrated having asked anything.
"She doesn't need them, she… she died a while back."
"I'm so sorry." I started but she waved her hand as if it was nothing and pointed to the clothes.
"I thought there is no point hanging onto them anymore, they might as well go to people who need them."

I grinned as I looked at the items, but somehow I could bring myself to touch or take someone else's clothes but Mrs Richardson was an insistent woman and I picked up the first thing on top. The black see through crop top was fashioned with some patterned lace and I slipped it on over my tank top. It sat off my shoulders and only covered down to about my lower chest but at least it was something to keep the sun from burning me easily.
"Perfect," the old lady said with a smile and I returned the grin, thanking her again.
"You don't want anything else?"
How could I say no nicely?
"Other people might need them more than me, I have to go see the doctor now."
She nodded, sending me off with a wave and I patted my leg for Trix to follow. I felt special as I walked down the street, a new shirt was all I had changed but small things I guess now days made all the difference.

I reached the building that had been changed to like a small doctors clinic, knocking on the door as I waited. I didn't wait long, the door opening to the doctor and she smiled as she put her glasses back on.
"Come in, its hot out there isn't it?"
I agreed as I stepped in, relaxing slightly at the cool air and I looked at Dr Stevens as she fixed up her black hair.
"Sorry, no dogs inside." She said when Trix took a step inside after me. I turned, pointing to a shady spot beside the door and told him to stay, which he did, flopping on the ground as though annoyed by the ladies decision.
"Right what can I do for you?"
I pointed to my side, and before I could say stitches she remembered and lead me over to a table, directing me to lie down flat.
"Has there been any pain?"
"Not really, only when I move around too much it's a bit uncomfortable."
She laid me down flat when I tried to sit up, rolling my shirt up to expose my stomach and I lowered my pants slightly so that the full bandage could be taken off. She washed it over with something, saying something about making the sticky of the bandage not tear the skin but I still cringed as she lifted it off.

"My you are a quick healer."
I tried to sit up and look but she put a hand on my shoulder, telling me to stay still.
"Most of it is healed quite nicely. You still have to be careful thought when I take the stiches out, don't scratch it if it is itchy, we don't want you to pop open."
And so she proceeded to take the numerous stiches out. It felt bizarre and I tried to focus on other things but even those thoughts I didn't want to think about. It didn't take long and she stepped back, wiping something cool over it and allowing me to sit up. She had taken the small tin of the black stitching to the bin as I sat up, inspecting my side. Like she had said there was a nice scar there, still a bit pink and the skin still a little stretched from where they had to pull it closed but at least I could hide it. It stretched neatly, probably the length of a normal pen from my hip across towards my belly button, a few other smaller scars stretching off from it like a scorched tree but I couldn't complain.

Thanking the doctor I left there as quickly as I could; I had never been a fan of doctors, I appreciated them but I didn't want her asking questions or giving me any more pills or tablets; other people needed it more than myself. Trix steadily got to his feet and together we walked back slowly, my hand dropping to my side every now and then, my pants rubbing against my new scar felt a little weird but at least there was no pain.
It was getting closer to late arvo now, more people out on the street as the heat slowly ebbed away to a cool night. I didn't stop and talk though, I hated the way some of them looked at me, the questions that they would ask. The longer I stayed here the more I was beginning to feel uncomfortable, and I knew I wasn't the only one when I spoke with Vincent, he also felt uneasy but he simply put it down to something that we just weren't used to and people had always been nosey.
I still refused to talk about anything other than the weather or Trix; these people didn't need to know that there was another group out there, I didn't want them to know.
Perhaps it was safer that way.

Thanks for reading.
Silver Kirin xXx