VanillaKisses96, Yaaayy! I'm so glad you like it so far and that you're keeping with it! smiles for days :):):)
ZoeMuiz, yes, Daryl's grunts just make him that much sexier:)
- and for everyone else, I hope you enjoy the next chapter! Don't forget to leave your much appreciated reviews:)
As the morning slowly grows into afternoon, the sun rises high into the sky, touching every part of the farm. I look out over it from the porch, a soft breeze blowing through my hair. Times like these I can't help but to wonder how the world just fell apart like it did. Obviously there is still the rare beauty in it, we would just have to find the rest of it somehow.
-Probably not in your life, be real here. My mind never failed to give me a much a needed reality check, even if happen to be a major buzz kill.
I decide not to let my pessimistic thoughts get the best of such a beautiful day. So, I head out to the barn, I hadn't checked the fence and I wasn't going to let that part of my routine get messed up even if the rest of it was. It is the most important chore in my mind, without a strong barrier, the dead could just waltz in here unchecked and kill us all and that wasn't going to happen while it's still my farm.
-Not here. Not now. I repeat sternly in my mind. You've made it too far and too long for it to end because you got lazy.
The barn door is open when I arrive, so I walk over to the saddle racks, retrieve Chenoa's bridle, and head out to the paddock to get her ready to saddle. I see Carl and instantly start walking faster, wondering why he would be in there alone with the two huge mares. As I open the gate, Raven shifts place just enough for me to see Daryl's shaggy brown hair, and my racing heart decelerates just a bit.
"What are y'all doin' in here?" I ask, roughing up Carl's hair and giving Daryl a curious look.
"He's been wantin' a closer look ever since he saw 'em out here." Daryl says, "don't worry, I'm watching after him." He adds quickly, as if annoyed I had come to check on them.
I kneel down to be eye level with Carl, "Ever rode before?" I ask.
He looks back excitedly, "Only a few times, but I'm sure I remember how to."
I smile at his enthusiasm, "Of course you will, it's just like riding a bike," I reply, "you know, I was just about to take a ride to check the fences. If your dad says it's okay, I'll let you tag along."
He's beaming before I finish the statement. "Really?! I'll go ask right now."
I begin to laugh as he crouches through the fence and takes off running toward the house. I turn back, the big, goofy smile still on my face, to see Daryl, almost forgetting he's been there the whole time. For a second, I feel self conscious about the way he is looking at me, but my sarcasm takes over,
"You lose somethin' over here partner?" I say with a smirk.
He snaps out of whatever he was thinking about, and gives me an icy look before turning around and heading into the barn.
"Ahh men. You two better be glad you don't have to put up with them." I say to Chenoa and Raven as they watch Daryl disappear into the darkness.
As I begin to put Chenoa's bridle on her, I hear a deep voice coming from the fence,
"My son tells me you offered to take him to check the fence?" I turn to see Rick saying with question lacing his voice.
"Well I found him and Daryl out here this morning and was told he's been interested in riding for a while now." I reply politely, scratching Chenoa behind the ear. "And I'm sure Chenoa here won't mind carryin' him." I add with a smile.
"Dad, please?." I hear Carl ask with desperation.
Rick looks back and forth between my smile and Carl's pleading eyes for a few moments,
"Alright, alright. You can go but you don't leave Rose's side, you understand?" He finally gives in, giving Carl a serious look.
"I won't Dad, I promise." Carl says, giving his dad the same intense look before crouching back through to the fence and walking up to me.
"Alright, Carl this is Chenoa," I say, formally introducing the pair, "and Chenoa, this is Carl."
As if knowing what I was doing, the big white mare leans her head down to nuzzle her nose into his brown hair. He laughs joyously, rubbing her soft muzzle with his small hand.
"She's real sweet, and a very easy ride," I say, handing him the lead that was now attached to her bridle, "take her in the barn, I'll be there in just a second to get them all saddled up." I add as he eagerly takes the rope from my hand, leading her slowly toward the barn.
I look back to Rick and walk over the fence where he's standing.
"Hey, don't worry okay?", I say with a reassuring smile,"he'll be just fine."
He looks back at me and nods, I clearly see the fear and doubt in his eyes but he trusts me.
"We'll be back before you know it!" I call over my shoulder as I grab Raven's halter, flashing him a bright smile.
"You're making this complicated." I say to Carl with mock frustration in my voice but laughter escapes my lips. We've only made it hardly half way around the perimeter of the farm, with Carl taking baby steps the whole way.
"Well I don't wanna hurt her," he complains, "and if I kick any harder, I probably will!"
I laugh openly again, "You're not gonna hurt her, I promise Carl." I say reassuringly. I begin to call her as Raven walks ahead, taking the lead. Chenoa follows, giving Carl a rest from his relentless nudging and we're on our way again.
I slow down, falling back to Carl's side as we walk alongside the fence, checking for any weak spots or anything sketchy.
"So you got a girlfriend?" I ask with a dramatic eyebrow raise.
He scoffs a laugh, looking at me bazarlu, "Oh yeah, cause I have so many girls to choose from these days," he says with sarcasm and laughter, "there was this one girl, but she didn't have an arm and I'm just not sure I'm ready for that." He adds with a smirk as I laugh loudly at his comment.
"So, besides your dad and Judith, are any of the others in the group actually family to you?" I ask curiously when I am able to stop my giggles.
"Well not like blood family, but we've been together for so long we might as well be." He answers my question was a hint of tension. Or maybe it's sadness, either way I try to drop the subject.
"Hey, look over here." I say as we near the fencing closet to the farm-house.
"Did you do that?" He asks quietly, examining the patched up chain link fence.
"Nope, y'all did that when you came through I suppose." I say, getting a look of guilt from his big brown eyes.
"Oh." He breathes, "I had almost forgot-"
"Shhh" I cut him off as I hear the dead leaves crunching a little ways into the wood line.
"Get on my other side, and don't move." I command him quietly as I unslung my bow and balance an arrow on the string, staring into the woods, still hearing the crunch of leaves and snapping of twigs.
Raven fidgets uneasily beneath me as we wait for the slowly approaching noise to show itself. Carl and Chenoa are still and quiet as a statue on the far side of me, away from the fence.
My face drains of color when I hear the groaning, animalistic growls of a walker before I even see it. I pull the string taut, adrenaline surging through my body as two walkers stumble towards the fence, gurgling and growling louder at the smell of living flesh.
I loose the arrow, aiming it through an opening in the links and sinking it in the eye socket of the woman. Grabbing another arrow from its quiver, stringing, and aiming it in one swift motion, I send it through another opening and straight into the used-to-be man's rotted mouth.
I finally remember to breathe, hands shaking, listening carefully for any more signs of movement. When I am sure I hear nothing unusual, I look over to Carl. Eyes wide and mouth open, he looks at me before breathing in and out deeply,
"That. was. awesome!" He exclaims quietly, "Where did you learn to shoot like that?" He asks with overwhelming curiosity in his eyes and voice.
I look on at him with an incredulous expression, "You call two walkers stumbling upon us, awesome huh?" Laughter escapes as I ask the question. "Don't answer that! Let's get back to the house." I say to him, looking back at the corpses on the ground just outside the fence before quickly adding, "Now."