The next morning, I woke up to find the tent empty. Like usual, Glenn was up before me. A pool of sweat had formed on my lower back. No doubt it was over 100 degrees today. I sighed while changing my clothes. I pulled on my track shorts and my only other t-shirt. Who cares if you matched these days? I knew I needed to do laundry. My other outfit was dirty again, there were still blood stains on my shirt too. Nothing can fix that. I needed more clothes. Maybe when Glenn goes on his next run he can find me another shirt to wear. I'll talk to him about it later. Right now, I was giving myself a headache. God, it was so hot out.
When I opened the tent, a nice breeze flew through my hair. I threw my arms up and reveled in the cool air coming through.
"Wha' the fuck you doin'?" Daryl's voice came in.
I smiled lightly at him, "Enjoying the breeze."
He rolled his eyes and continued walking. He had his crossbow in hand and was walking towards the woods. Must be hunting.
I looked around the camp and saw Andrea and Amy hanging up clothes. Is that all they do here? Hang up laundry? Ah, the simple life of a sexist apocalyptic world.
Walking over to them, I said, "Do you guys need help?"
Amy smiled and nodded while Andrea said, "Actually, we're just about to do another load. Get your stuff and we'll head down."
They seemed a little chirpy, but I just rolled with it. The day is hot and there's no need to be grumbling around. I trekked back to my tent and searched for my clothes. My backpack held my dirty undergarments and I picked it up, stuffing my clothes in. Slinging it over my shoulder, I picked up Glenn's dirty shirts and pants and walked out of the tent. I passed him on the way to the girls and told him what I was doing. He gave me a sort of funny look, but nodded anyway.
I shrugged and continued on my way. He had a lot of clothes for the end of the world. Granted, they were mostly shirts.
"Ready?" I asked.
Carol joined in and we were on our way to the quarry.
Carol was a nice woman. Although, she didn't talk much. I can only imagine why. I'd seen her bruises, and almost everyone turned a blind eye to it. No reason to get involved, I suppose. But it made me angry. The way a guy can just beat a woman like that and get away with it. There should be no tolerance.
We walked down into the quarry and set our stuff down near the water. I had a bucket and washboard and began right away. Taking my clothes out of my backpack, I laid them next to Glenn's. Glenn was first.
"Has anybody ever washed Daryl's or Merle's clothes?" I asked, scrubbing a shirt up and down the board. "They seem rank."
Andrea shrugged, "They haven't given us anything to wash."
"I'm not about to go up and ask Merle, either," Amy announced.
Carol, the other one with the washboard, handed a shirt to Amy to ring out. She placed the shirt in the bucket for clean clothes. Well, sort of clean—as clean as we could get them.
"So, Lane. Now that you've been here a while…and seen all the men…What do you think?" Amy asked in a lighthearted tone.
"What do you mean what do I think?" I retorted.
Andrea shrugged as Amy continued. "I mean…do you think anyone's special?"
"Oh…that's what you mean. No, I don't think anyone's slow."
They looked at me incredulously and began to laugh. I knew what she meant, I just wanted to dance around the bush.
Amy's laughter died down and she said, "Now I know that's not what you think I meant. But let me clarify…Do you think anyone's hot?"
"Everyone's hot, it's nearly 110 degrees outside," I smirked, handing Andrea a clean shirt. They all laughed again and I stated, "Glenn."
Carol gave a nod of approval and the other two just looked at me silently. I continued washing his shirt nonchalantly and then held it up for all to see. It was a button up shirt that was a crème color. "Especially in this. With the sleeves all rolled up? Mmm."
I was teasing them now, but they took it to heart and glanced at me with shifty eyes. Carol was the first to let out a good hearted laugh. Then Amy. Andrea was the last to hold out, but she just nudged me suggestively as I handed her the shirt.
I shrugged and asked Amy the same question.
She looked like a deer caught in headlights for a moment before she mumbled, "Terrance."
Andrea gave her sister a stern look and Carol just looked shocked. Nobody thought Amy would go for a guy like him. He was all muscle. All man and all muscle. He was dark too, the only other black guy at the camp, right next to T-Dog.
"What?" Amy asked, "He's hot."
The rest of us giggled at her and we continued our laundry discussing a few things here and there. Like our need for toilet paper, my need for more clothes. And, God, everyone wanted a cigarette.
So after laundry was finished and hung up to dry (except my panties, I stored those in my tent), Andrea and I sat down for a smoke.
Cigarettes are bliss in a time like this.