I awoke the next morning to a, somewhat cloudy, but warm day. I opened my eyes and looked around, seeing Dale sitting in the chair on the RV. Sitting up, I realized there was a blanket on me. I pushed it off and rubbed my eyes, then looked at Dale.
"Good morning." Dale smiled.
"Did...did I sleep up here all night?" I asked, looking around.
"Sure did. I came up at the crack of dawn, Daryl told me you knocked out a couple of hours before. I agreed not to wake you, you were safe up here anyway." Dale explained.
"Yesterday was rough. Needed that sleep. Dunno when I'll be able to sleep like that again." I admitted. Standing up, I looked over to see Daryl and Carol standing by an abandoned car. There was a sign and supplies on the car. I sighed and shook my head, turning back to Dale. "Think we'll find her?"
"If anyone can, it's Daryl." Dale assured me.
"You're right." I agreed and I turned to the ladder of the RV. Dale followed, and we both walked over to Carol, Daryl, and Andrea.
"Y'all ready?" Daryl looked at Dale.
"Ready as ready can be." Dale said quietly. I watched as Dale and Carol walked to the RV. Andrea climbed into an SUV looking vehicle. I walked to the RV, deciding not to push my luck with Daryl. I wanted to ride with him, but decided that last night was already enough. And even last night wasn't much. I climbed into the RV and sat down, watching as the scenery flew by. Finally, Daryl turned down a dirt road, and as we followed behind him and Andrea, I saw the mailbox. It read 'Greene'.
Sitting back, I began to feel nervous as we rode to the farm. I wondered if Carl was okay, or was he worse? There was no way of being able to find out until now, and I was worried. We pulled up to the house and parked in the yard. I walked down the stairs quickly, and walked toward the porch. I could see Rick and Lori, along with Hershel's people.
"How is he?" Dale asked. I looked at Rick. He looked like hell.
"He'll pull through. Thanks to Hershel, and his people, and.." Lori trailed off.
"And Shane." Rick spoke up. "We'd have lost Carl if not for him." I looked over to see Shane, but there was something different in his eyes. He looked...lost. Also his head was shaved now... I stared at Shane, wondering what was going on with him. He didn't look right.
My attention was caught by Shay walking over with Cheyenne in her arms. She let Cheyenne go, and she ran to me. I picked her up, kissing her cheek and giving her a big squeeze. "Love you, munchkin."
"Love you." Cheyenne smiled.
Dale walked forward to hug Rick. I heard Carol murmur a "thank God", before grabbing Lori in a hug. I saw T-Dog hug Andrea, and I looked over to see Glenn. I walked over and threw my arms around him. He hugged me back without a word, and when I pulled away, I saw the small smile on his face.
"How did it happen?" Dale asked. He didn't get much out of me when I was with him the day before, I had been in too much shock.
"Hunting accident. That's all, just a stupid accident." Rick explained. I learned that we were attending a service for Otis, and I felt sad for Patricia. Even though Otis shot Carl, it was clearly an accident, and he shouldn't have had to die for it. I stood by the pile of stones as Maggie's sister added one. I had heard Maggie call her Beth.
Hershel began reading from the bible, then just making a funeral like speech. I felt as if Hershel was saying all the right words, everything seemed to come from his heart as he spoke. Otis would have been proud to have heard the way Hershel portrayed him. I smiled lightly through my sadness.
"Shane," Hershel looked at him, "will you speak for Otis?"
"I'm not good at it... I'm sorry." Shane whispered the last part. I watched him carefully. There was something there, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
"You were the last one with him. You shared his final moments. Please, I need to hear. I need to know his death had meaning." Patricia looked pitiful as she spoke.
"He... We were 'bout done. Almost outta ammo, we were down to pistols by then. I was limpin', it was bad. Ankle all swollen up. "We gotta save the boy", see that's what he said. He gave me his back pack, he shoved me ahead. "Run," he said, "I'll take the rear, I'll cover you." An' when I looked back..." Shane began limping toward the pile of stones. "If not for Otis, I'd never made it out alive. An' that goes for Carl, too. It was Otis, he saved us both. And he did that, for it had meaning. It was his."
The look in Shane's eyes told me all I needed to know. Guilt. All I could see, etched all over his face, was guilt. I didn't understand, maybe because he had made it out and Otis hadn't? Sure, Shane was reckless at times and his temper flared, but he wasn't a bad guy...right? Was there more to the story than he was letting on? I also noticed the looks Lori was giving him. Her face wasn't looking so harsh toward him anymore.
Rick decided to organize a search party. I stood by the truck as Maggie spread out a map. Hershel told Rick and Shane that they were in no shape to go off just yet. Daryl decided to go on his own, and Shane offered to drive up the interstate. I wanted to go with Daryl, but I knew it'd be better if I stayed behind and set up something for Cheyenne, Shay, and myself.
"That means we can't have our people out there with just knives. Need the gun trainin' we been promisin'." Shane said, interrupting my thoughts.
"I'd prefer you not carryin' guns on my property." Hershel started, and I slunk away toward the RV. I was not giving up my gun. I walked around the RV, looking out into the field. I heard something, realizing someone had walked into the RV. After a few moments, they walked back out.
"I hear he uh, he woke up." I heard Shane's voice.
"Yeah, he's in and out, but yeah. He's gonna be all right." I heard Lori say. I tried not to listen to them speaking, but I couldn't help over hearing.
"That's good... Did ya mean it?" Shane asked.
"What?" Lori asked back.
"You said stay. Did you mean it? Look, if you didn't just say so, but.. Do it now, I need to know." Shane's voice had a pleading tone.
"I meant it." Lori said surely.
"All right then." Shane's voice sounded like a giddy teenager. I realized that Lori and Shane were a toxic mix. Sighing, I walked away from the RV and over to the area in the trees where the group was setting up camp. Maggie was grabbing Glenn for a supply run and explaining the water situation to Dale. Maggie walked off to get the horses ready for supply run.
"Horse?" Glenn looked worried. I began to giggle.
"Glenn, could ya do me a favor?" I asked, placing a hand on my hip.
"Sure, what?" Glenn asked, looking worried still.
"Can you grab me a tent? If you can find one, that is. Just somethin' small. Gotta have a sleepin' area for Shay and Chy." I smiled.
"Yeah, I'll looked around and see what I can find." Glenn nodded.
"Thanks." I turned to walk away, but looked back at him with a grin. "Good luck on the horse."
"You're a jerk, Spencer." Glenn gave me a fake smile and I laughed. Walking over to the porch, I saw Rick sitting on the stairs. Cheyenne came running up to me and I took her hand, walking over to Rick.
"She really wants to see Carl, you think tomorrow would be good?" I asked.
"I think so." Rick smiled at Cheyenne.
"Great. I wanna see him, too." I admitted.
"Thank you, Spencer." Rick stood. "Thank you for yesterday."
"Don't thank me," I said. "You don't have to do that." Footsteps caught our attention, and I saw Daryl walking away from the house.
"Daryl!" Rick called to him, and Daryl turned, stopping. "You okay on your own?" Rick asked.
"Better on my own!" Daryl said, walking away. "Don't worry, I'll be back before dark."
"Hey!" Daryl stopped again at Rick's voice. "We gotta base. We can get this search properly organized now."
"Ya gotta point? Or we jus' chattin'?" Daryl asked impatiently.
"My point, it lets you off the hook. You don't owe us anything." Rick explained. Daryl's eyes darted to mine before he turned to walk away.
"Modern plans fall through." He said, not looking back. When Hershel came outside, I smiled at him, before taking Cheyenne back over to where we were setting up camp. I walked up as Lori was walking away from Glenn. I caught the end of their conversation.
"Enough said, consider it done." Glenn said. I looked at him with a strange look, when suddenly, Dale and T-Dog walked up looking quite concerned.
"What?" I asked, studying their faces.
"Walker in the well." T-Dog said, frowning.
"Which one?" I heard Maggie's voice as she hopped off of her horse.
"Follow me." Dale said, and I walked along. Glenn and I glanced at each other as we walked, and Cheyenne was quiet until we reached the well. Lori, Andrea, T-Dog, Dale, Shane, and Maggie walked up to the well, looking down. "Ahh, looks like we got us a swimmer."
"Can I see?" Cheyenne asked, and I shrugged.
"Why not?" I asked to no one in particular. I held onto her tight as I walked her over the well. She looked down and grimaced.
"He's gettin' walker in the water." Cheyenne complained, and I laughed.
"That's disgustin'." I admitted.
"He's winkly." Cheyenne grimaced again. Andrea smiled.
"Yea, he's wrinkly all right." I stared down in disgust.
"How long you think he's been down there?" Glenn asked, looking at the walker.
"Long enough to grow gills." Andrea mocked.
"We can't leave it in there. God knows what it's doin' to the water." Lori said.
"How we gonna get it out?" Shane asked.
"Easy. Put'a bullet in its head." T-Dog looked up.
"I don't think that's such a good idea..." I trailed off.
"Whoa, whoa, guys. No." Maggie agreed.
"Why not? It's a good plan." Glenn said quietly.
"It's a stupid plan. If that thing hasn't contaminated the water yet, blowing its brains out will finish the job." Andrea explained.
"Okay, okay!" I mumbled covering Cheyenne's ears. "I'll help with whatever plan y'all come up with, but I gotta get her outta here first." Cheyenne grinned when everyone chuckled. I picked her up and walked back toward the camp area.
"What y'all gonna do with the walker?" Cheyenne asked, playing with my braid.
"Dunno yet." I admitted. "Gotta get it outta the well though, that's for sure."
"Well, ya can't jus' weach in and gwab it." Cheyenne argued.
"Don't worry about it, Chy. They'll get it out and we'll all stay safe." I said to her, as we reached the campsite. "Shay, we got problems."
"What? What's wrong?" Shay walked over to us.
"Walker in the well!" Cheyenne exclaimed. "I sawed it!"
"You did? Huh." Shay looked up at me as I put Cheyenne down.
"She's right. There's a walker in the well. One of 'em anyway. Gotta get it outta there somehow." I shook my head.
"I'm going to take Cheyenne in the house and see if we can help Carol with anything." Shay said, taking Cheyenne. I watched them walk away, and I sighed.
Walking back to the well, I began to think about everything. When the group had gone into the woods to search for Sophia, before Carl had been shot, I left Cheyenne with Dale. I felt it was safer to leave a five year old where I knew she would be safe, than to drag her into the woods where anything could happen.
Sure, Rick brought Carl along, and look what happened. That could have been Cheyenne. If I would have brought her into the woods, she would have wanted to go with Carl. She would have wanted to go with me. I thought about yesterday, when Cheyenne and Shay left with Glenn.
"Spencer, why aren't you comin' with us?" Cheyenne asked, looking at me. I looked at her and tried to smile.
"I gotta stay here for tonight and look for Sophia, okay?" I explained.
"Can't I stay wiff you?" Cheyenne asked.
"No ma'am. You gotta go to the house and check on Carl. You'll be safer there, Chy. It's a house, and Rick's there. And Lori. You and Shay will be safe there with them. I can't keep ya both here." I said to her and she nodded.
"I understand." She said simply.
"You do?" I smiled.
"Yes." She nodded and climbed into the Cherokee with T-Dog and Glenn.
"Be safe?" Shay hugged me.
"You, too. Watch out for Chy, will you?" I asked, hugging her back.
"I've been babysitting that child with you since we were in high school. I babysat her on my own for your aunt quite a few times. I got you." Shay grinned and I managed a chuckle.
"Go get T some help." I managed to say, as she walked over to the jeep and climbed in. I saw Cheyenne, Shay, and T-Dog wave. I waved back with a shaky hand.
"Have I mentioned that I really like your new haircut?" I heard Glenn ask as I walked up to them. "You have a nice shaped head." I heard Shane huff out a quiet laugh as he tied a rope around Glenn.
"Don't worry 'bout it, bud," Shane slapped Glenn on the back gently. "Hey, we're gonna getcha outta here in one piece."
"Living piece. The living part is important." Glenn mumbled. "Nice and slow please."
"We got ya." Andrea said.
"The hell are y'all doin'?" I looked at them, and when they all looked back at me, I laughed. "All right, dumb question. Where do I need to be?"
"Jus' grab a spot." Shane nodded to the rope. I stood at the back with Andrea who gave me a slight smile.
"Ready to play tug-of-Glenn?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.
"You're awful." Andrea laughed. I giggled. Dale joined us at the back of the line, his face pondering over our giggles.
"Ohh, you people are crazy!" Maggie looked at us as if that were true.
"You wanna get it outta ya well or not?" Shane asked.
"Give us an eye there, Maggie." Dale instructed, and Maggie walked over to Glenn. We began lowering him into the well.
"Doin' okay?" Maggie asked, leaning over the edge of the well.
"Yepp! Doing great!" Glenn assured, and I nearly laughed at the edge of sarcasm in his voice. Maggie was instructing us to keep lowering, when suddenly, the pump that the rope was wrapped around tore out of the ground. I could hear Glenn's screams as we all struggled to keep him from falling into the walker's grasp.
I lunged forward, grabbing more of the rope as everyone got a sturdy hold and began pulling. I refused to let go, and I could feel the rope sliding across my hands, rubbing the skin raw. I threw the pain from my head and thought about Glenn in the well. I pulled harder, faster. Everyone was yelling, including myself.
"PULL!" I yelled as we kept pulling the rope harder. I saw two hands reach over the middle bar on the well, and Glenn's head popped up. He climbed up and was almost out of the well when Shane grabbed him and yanked him on solid ground. I sat in the dirt, breathing hard. Lori had her hand on Glenn's back, and Andrea was knelt down in front of him.
Glenn had actually managed to get the rope around the walker, but pulling him out without contaminating the water was a miserable failure, even with the horse's help. The walker split in half, the lower end falling right back down into the well. T-Dog had smashed its head in, upsetting Maggie, who obviously wasn't used to seeing that sort of brutality.
Once back to our camp area, I watched as Carol, Shane, and Andrea left to go the highway to check if Sophia was there. I sighed, that feeling of dread coming back over me. I wanted her to be there, I wanted them to come back with Sophia. But I just felt like that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. It's not that I thought Sophia was dead or worse. I just felt like she was holed up somewhere in the woods, hiding out until someone could find her.
Looking over at an empty spot by the other tents, I wondered when Maggie and Glenn would be back from town. I had a lot of setting up to do. I figured a small tent would be good enough for us three. Shay, Chy, and myself. Maggie had been nice enough to lend me a huge sleeping bag, and a small one. I figured I could spread the big one out for Shay and Cheyenne to sleep on, and I'd take the other that was only meant for one person.
"Damn..." I muttered, looking down at my hands as I sat on a stump. They were a deep red color, the skin raw from the rope burns. "Worth the pain." I said quietly to myself, just happy that Glenn was okay.
That evening, Glenn and Maggie returned. Maggie went inside after they dismounted from the horses, and Glenn went straight to Lori. I saw him hand her something, which she quickly put under her shirt. Puzzled, I walked toward Glenn. When he reached me, he offered a smile.
"Here you go." He handed me a bag. It was a tent, just like I'd asked for. "Your hands okay? Maybe we should clean them up..."
"Thanks Glenn! I appreciate it very much. And I think I'll live..." I trailed off looking up at him. "Lori okay?"
"Yea, fine." Glenn mumbled, and then he walked away. Confused, I shrugged it off and walked over to the area where everyone was set up. After some time, and many curse words later, I had the tent up and looking spiffy. It was small, but hey. It was home. I spread out the big sleeping bag on the ground, and then my small one. I ducked back out of the tent, feeling proud. I turned to walk toward the RV, but stopped.
There was Daryl, walking toward the RV. I noticed he had something in his hands. A bottle... With a flower inside. Why? I watched as he walked up to the RV, and went inside. I then remembered that Carol was in there. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Of course, how could I have been so stupid?
Daryl was never nice to anyone. The only reason he had helped me clean up is because I was a mess and I was freaked out. The only reason he had sit up on that RV and smoked with me was because Dale had told him to come up there. I wasn't stable that night and they both knew it. Daryl Dixon just doesn't give out flowers. Him and Carol must have something going on.
Stop, what the hell's wrong with you? What'd you care anyway? I don't. I kept telling myself that as I walked over to the RV. Just as I was about to pass the door, Daryl came out, and we were face to face. I looked at him for a moment, my eyes wandering to his. He looked tired, and suddenly I felt a knot in my stomach. I dodged around him and climbed the steps. He didn't even look back, just made his way over to his tent and ducked inside.
"T, man, go get some rest. I'll take watch." I said, giving him a nod to the tents below.
"I think I might jus' take you up on that." T-Dog grinned and headed for the steps. "Good night, Spencer."
"Night, T." I called as he walked down the steps. Something caught my eye coming from the house. I saw Lori through the darkness walk toward the RV. She never even looked up at me, just looked around, and walked past the RV and out into the field. The hell's she doin'? Gonna get herself killed! I thought as I watched her walk. I grabbed the binoculars, and watched as she took something out of a paper sack. She squatted down, and I didn't need the binoculars to tell me what she was doing.
Why's she peein' out there? There's a damn house right in... That's when it hit me. The thing she had taken out of the paper sack wasn't a tampon. I picked the binoculars back up in just enough time to see something in her hands. Something in the shape of a pregnancy test. I watched as her head hung, and I knew she was probably crying. Was she... Pregnant?
Okay, so ch. 14 is a go ! I'm glad one of my reviewers brought up the fact that Spencer left Cheyenne with Dale and sending her to the farm seemed irrational. But I like to add in my stories what would happen in a real apocalypse so the fact that Spencer was trudging off into the woods, she felt Cheyenne would be safer with Dale. Spencer herself explains that in this chapter. Also the fact that she knew Cheyenne would be better off in a house that out on a car littered street. Plus Spencer was in no shape to be alert (hence Dale sending Daryl up on the RV with her in the previous chapter). In the long run, Spencer just tries to do what's best for Cheyenne considering she is only five, when the other kids are much older. I understand the questioning of her judgement, but that's what makes it so fabulous ! That's what I want ! I questioned much judgement of the characters on TWD in the past, so I needed to put situations where my readers would do the same for Spencer. I am thrilled to see you guys so into her and the story ! You guys are AWESOME ! Reviews are as well (:
~Kaila