Curative
By Kaimaler
HURBABBRARASJKDNALKB read on...
Review Replies are now going to be posted at the end of the chapters, so everyone can reach the story quicker. ;3
It was the morning to let Randall go.
Laura knew the man she shared a tent with, Daryl of course, was not excited about it. She was up and ready, just waiting for the sun to break for her to head down to the farmhouse and leave with them.
He had woken up shortly before this though.
She grinned at him, almost sadly. Knowing she was going to cause him a rough day. He knows she can take care of herself, but he wasn't so convinced she was in the right place to do so. She had been stressing over today and he wasn't far behind. Not because of the risk involved, he was actually more worried about what he had noticed about her the last few days.
She vanished into the woods the night before Glenn broke the news of the walkers in the barn, he hadn't a chance to ask her about it.
Her distance to everyone, he told her he could read her like a book, able to tell when she was troubled or simply had something to think about. He did not usually give it so much thought, as it just appeared as if she's done this fading in and out of her own thoughts often in her life. More like a personal trait rather than a troubling tick.
On the other hand, he'd noticed a distinct change in her in the last week or so. She'd been as smiling and bright as ever before, but she wasn't with the people she was around. She was parting herself from the group and he knew it.
He just did not know why, he was trying to figure it out though.
She had shown apprehensiveness about her condition in the past, various problems associated with her appearance and the strange things that came with it. He was never bothered by her appearance, she looked normal, aside from the blue skin and looking like there was nothing else on her but her skin.
He grimaced, she still didn't look healthy. Blue skin or not, her weight gave him more reason for concern than her skin tone, no matter how unnatural it was.
Regardless of the blueness of her skin, or how little meat she had on her, Daryl still found himself looking at her as she was dressing like any man would look at a woman who was getting undressed in front of them would do.
Daryl glanced over her bad leg, she wasn't so much standing without the brace on as she was just hopping occasionally then sitting down the rest of the time. Her leg was too weak to stand on without the help of the brace.
He could easily see where the damage to her leg had been done though, the area on her leg where she'd broken it was well healed over, almost invisible, but the part where she got hurt when she fell from the horse was another thing entirely. There was a large bruise on her thigh, it had a reddish tint, but was mostly darker blue, black, and purple.
It was strange to think that the red in her bruise made that very specific part of her skin look almost normal. He didn't give it much thought though, he was never really into a lot of women and he definitely didn't spend time with any of them, not like he was doing with Laura since they started to, and he would never dare say it aloud, and would rather kill anyone who got the idea, but they had connected somewhat.
Again, right now, he didn't care about his and her emotional ties at this very moment.
Laura was shimmying her pants off, by doing so, she had stood up, rather shakily, but she made it fine in the end and had bent over, facing away from him and the view was a little strenuous. He wasn't into sneaking a look when a woman didn't want to be seen, Daryl didn't invade privacy like that.
But in this small tent, Laura undressing so close to him, showing almost everything she had and even shaking it a little at a few times was not something he could see himself looking away from. She had to have known he'd see something, she had just removed her shirt and was standing in front of him wearing nothing but two pieces of thin underwear.
He wasn't excited about any of this, just watching a woman undress is enough to get Daryl interested, he was just a man after all. Laura was his girl and his alone, she wasn't about to leave for another man, there wasn't any one night stands in this tent; Laura was his and he'd be damned if he wasn't hers.
Still, it didn't help that Laura just removed her bra in front of him and he really, really did not want to look away.
The only part of this that kept Daryl from boiling over was that Laura still looked rather... rainbow-tastic with her amount of bruises. He just wanted to enjoy the moment, watching her as only he could. His eyes would roam over a smooth, unmarred part of her skin, clear areas on her back, waist, neck, legs and arms.
Interruptions only came from the occasional darkened parts of her body, he'd be enticed one moment, then reminded of his protective side the next. He was riddled with two completely opposite parts of the emotional-spectrum and Laura was the catalyst. He wanted to ride her for a second, then he wanted to go on a manhunt within the minute.
Daryl sighed tiredly, screw it, he wasn't going to have her like that anytime soon. She was still too injured, from so many things, he wondered how many more bruises and cuts she could get without just simply falling into pieces. It took so long for her to heal from the most superficial of wounds that Daryl began to believe that her injuries might never go away.
He still had her around, which was good enough for him. There wasn't a normal woman in the world, before all this anyways, that wanted him for more than a night or, if he got lucky, a few weeks. Laura was a new breed for him and, from what she'd told him before, he was the same to her.
The image was worth staring at her like a virgin boy who just got to see a breast for the first time in his life.
That had nothing to do with why he was staring at her right now though. He turned his attention from the aesthetics of her body and onto her distance to everything around her. She was unresponsive, nothing but the most basic of pleasantries, and her normal joking defense. She wasn't her normal self, he knew what she does, Laura was very easy to read for him.
She liked contact, a little weary about it, but she did want it. Laura never seemed to pass by a chance to interact with the group, trying to keep up her own standing in the group. She wanted to be close to people, to everyone, so that she felt a less alone when she was the only one like her out there.
Daryl could tell whenever she was bothered, upset, happy, or angry. That is part of the reason why he was better with her then most other women, they were all confusing and constantly changing their opinions, ideas, and mood too harshly for him too even want to keep up with. Even women he'd been with, the few he was actually with for more than a single night, the ones not so emotional were too off put by his normal person.
The world was different now, people too sensitive for this world died out, and those not strong enough for it were gone too.
Laura was simple, clear as glass, and never had any strange changes in her demeanor. She was always just Laura and he never once got lost when it came to figuring out what she was thinking or doing. He didn't know if anyone else was able to see her so clearly, he couldn't care less, just relieved that he could do it.
Right now, Laura was up, prepared, and had a look on her face that told him her head was busy. Like the last few days, she would stare off into space, her face would only rarely show some kind of reaction to anything, and it was very unnoticeable no matter how sudden it was.
He couldn't do anything about it though, he had to tell her that he knew she was bothered by something to even convince her that she was obvious. She knew she was, but didn't seem to keep the idea at the ready whenever he chose to bring up her staring into nothing.
As much as he didn't like emotional women bullshit, as his brother would put it, Daryl didn't want Laura going out with Rick and Shane being as distracted as she is now.
Ignoring the dull throb of his side, the wound was healing over well now and Daryl felt every last bit of the healing process.
"Laura," He almost sneered, he never said her name anymore. It was always some nickname he'd give her on a whim, none really stuck to her, he just never called her by her name anymore.
Her head jumped up, her straight black hair flying up with it. She seemed alarmed at his intrusion of her thoughts. Laura's strange eyes were completely wide and focused on him now, like a deer who just caught a scent of him.
"Yeah? Hey." She cracked a smile, "Didn't think you'd be up so early... I mean," She chuckled at herself, "You get up early, but this is way early, even for you." She was passing off her thoughts as if they never existed, instead choosing to hide whatever it was on her mind from him.
Laura was an open book, as he'd been contemplating for the last few minutes when he was watching her. Right now though, seeing her change so quickly from her thoughts, which were causing her some trouble, and now smiling at him as if the world had not ended and they all were not trying to survive against an entire world of flesh eating dead people roaming freely.
"Tell me." He was still partly asleep, judging that it was still dark out, Daryl could put together that he had only slept for maybe an hour or two. He woke up fast though, it was a good trait to have when you are expecting walkers to jump out at any moment.
Laura gave this humored, unsure sigh, her focus broken and she stared at her shoes. "I should've figured you'd catch on... You always catch on." She kept her eyes downward, not even glancing his way. "It's nothing really though, just havin' some small concerns about everythin'. Ain't helpin' that you're gonna be out here on your own all day without me watchin' your back."
Daryl ran a hand down his face and yawned tiredly, he was up, he would not be going back to sleep any time soon, but he still felt the effects of a rather restless sleep.
It was as if he had a manual titled Laura and within it was every one of her social cues, her ticks and kinks. She was never well guarded when it came to Daryl's hawk-like vision.
"I said it once, figure I gotta say it again." He could just barely see the sun coming up, she would be leaving soon for the farmhouse. "I can tell when ya ain't tellin' me the truth."
She shrugged, scoffing playfully. She was not going to take it seriously, Daryl could see that she would be avoiding this more than anything else he's called her out on. Anytime he mentioned her holding out once, she caved instantly.
Laura was not good at keeping secrets. At least, not her own.
To her credit, and his chagrin, she wasn't going to give way on this one. "Well, sorry, I'm not that deep." She gave him a wink before standing up, "I have to get down to the farmhouse, Rick wants to head out immediately after breakfast." She leaned in and gave him a kiss, only for a second, before leaving the tent. Daryl was a little tired, and fumbled about how close she was really getting to him.
A thought for a later time.
Right now Laura was on her way to the farmhouse to share a quick breakfast with the group before heading out with Rick and Shane to drop Randall off.
Out of everyone Daryl didn't want Laura around, the two he hated the most were going to be alone with her and Rick. He couldn't go, he knew that, the farm needed someone to defend them if something happens
Daryl did not want to protect these people anymore, tired of the many trespasses that Daryl would have killed a person for, under Rick's leadership, they got away with little more than a slap on the wrist and he could not stand it.
Randall, there was trash that Daryl really did not want Laura going near.
He may not know much about Laura's trauma, he could understand bad parenting, neglect, and a poor childhood; he had no experience in the field of having someone who survived being turned into a walker and it bugged him relentlessly.
Laura was learning something new, a new way to survive any situation, a new way to live, a new experience no one ever had in history. No matter what Daryl did, there was not a thing he could do to help with that struggle.
He could deal with childhood, abusive parents, neglect, anti-social, and outcast kind of situations. Her father, he wish he could meet, he had a few things to say to the man that turned her into what she is now. Neither alive nor dead, but not really in between either; if ever there was another specie of human, Laura was it. Only she hadn't the fortune to be born exotic or mixed heritage, she was something far far different.
Not to mention the men she had a run in with in Atlanta.
Daryl wasn't going to touch on that, worried he might actually shoot someone.
The group she was with before, with whom she remained safely for a while until being revealed as what she is now. Daryl could get it, he probably would've done the same, or have even shot her the moment he saw her instead of taking her 'outback' to be put down. He couldn't see himself doing that now by any means, unless she actually turned.
So far, he hadn't seen any signs of her turning into a walker, she only looked a little like a walker.
He didn't see so much of 'walker' in her appearance as he did a woman who was standing in the cold and rain a little too long...
Even if she was in the smoldering hot Georgia heat, dry as a bone.
Getting dressed quickly, he swung his crossbow over his shoulder, checked for his usual tools; hunting knife, crossbow bolts, and a rag or two, just in case things get messy. It did before and he hated walking around with walker blood all over him, he didn't care for getting dirty, just didn't want it on his face. That was just plain risky.
When Daryl exited the tent, he saw Laura already on her way down to the farmhouse, crossing the fields and following their usual path alongside a fence line. Neither of the fields were being used right now, the grass had reached too high for grazing, it was a tall grass forest around them. He could only see Laura's head above the golden overgrowth.
She was so lost in her head, something was going on and she wasn't saying anything. He could see when she wasn't too hard to break through, just a quick prod and she would tell him anything he asked her. On the other hand, this thing was different, at least she acted different about it. Adamant about avoiding this big, distracting thing on her mind no matter what he asked or how.
She wasn't giving this one up for a while and he wasn't the type to harass someone about their personal feelings. He preferred to just ignore it and if she wanted to talk, she would. Otherwise, he's fine with acting like it wasn't there just as she was.
Only... Right now, she was leaving with Rick, Shane, and Randall. A dangerous place to be distracted.
He wasn't joining the group for breakfast, he is self supporting, he had his in his camp already. Laura made her choice to go with them, to help them, and, while he didn't agree or like it, she was going anyways.
Daryl knew that saying no to it wouldn't change anything, she was going and watching over her like she needed him to survive twenty-four seven could actually come around to bite him; she may come to expect it from him and she really could need him for all survival as she may not know how to do so if he ends up dead.
Still an option he hadn't given a lot of thought to. Being cured like Laura, like Sophia, if he died from a bite and turned.
Would he really want to be like Laura is?
He huffed to himself, sitting down to his camp fire, ready to cook rabbit he hunted the night before. Laura had skinned and gutted it during the night for him, remembering that when he had something left over, a kill he made and brought back, he did that if he intended to have it for breakfast. It was a habit he made, to make sure he never got rusty and if there was an emergency, he wouldn't starve.
Laura had prepared it for him, because she never slept and still cared about him enough to try and do some things for him.
Still confused him, but he wasn't hung up over it. Daryl got over that idea almost immediately, it was new, but it wasn't unheard of. He chose to accept it when he took her with him in his tent and kept her close.
By the time he cooked his breakfast and started eating, he could see Shane coming out from around the corner of the farmhouse with Randall in tow. Daryl couldn't see what binds were on him, but he could see a sack over his head. They went to the car where Rick and Laura were standing, Rick was doing something Daryl couldn't make out and Laura opened the trunk, ready to load Randall in and go.
In light of what he knew about Laura, Daryl knew she could handle herself. She survived many situations before and she could do it again, without him around and she can continue doing so.
He didn't need to be there for her all the time, just occasionally when she really, truly needed him. He'd be there, but her choices were hers and while he may not like some of them, he was there with her, for her, not to keep her hidden away from the dangers she already knew about and the ones she'd faced.
As of this moment, the only thing he could do is wait to see if she made it back and if she didn't, take care of whoever's fault it is.
At the farmhouse, Laura was standing with Rick, getting ready to leave with Shane and Randall.
The group came around them, waiting to say their goodbyes and best wishes. Even the Greene family was there.
Laura didn't expect Daryl to come see her off, he wasn't that affectionate. He already gave her his concerns and it was a quick decision, Laura was going and Daryl couldn't change that.
We're going, perhaps even grab a snack there. Laura frowned at the Voice, it wasn't going to make this easy. She was going to support Rick, help him when he needed her. They never asked for much, most never came to her asking for help or someone to talk to. Laura never thought they'd reach that level of comfort with her, but she was going to try.
That meant when Rick asked for her help, she would give it the best she possibly could.
Shane was handling Randall in the trunk, he had a blindfold on, and they had borrowed someone's little mp3 player, hoping to deafen the kid to what's going on around him. It was an attempt at anonymity for the people and the location. It would work, Laura had no doubts the kid couldn't get them off as Shane taped them to his ears and knotted the blindfold.
"Are you sure about this?" Rick brought her out of her thoughts. Looking towards him, he stood with a hand resting on the gun in his holster, as safety and intimidation from when the kid didn't have the blindfold on.
Laura nodded, "Pretty sure." She gave him a reassuring smile, but kept her main focus on the trunk when Shane finished, he shut the trunk and leaned against it.
"It's alright if you don't want to go, I won't be mad if you decide not to." Rick was offering her a way out, but she had already agreed to it and was quite adamant about it. This is one of the few things she could give them and she would give them her all. Turning back now... was not acceptable for her.
Shaking her head, Laura rested a hand on Rick's arm. "It's okay Rick, I can do this. I want to do this." He grinned back at her, "You came to me asking for help, I wouldn't ever turn you down. I want to help and I can help."
"Alright," He chuckled a little, "But once we get on the road, no rest stops and no turning back. Might wanna tell Daryl that we're leaving now." He was smiling at her, despite the severity of the situation, Rick was trying to make a joke.
Laura glared playfully at Rick, "Daryl knows I'm leaving, he prefers long distance relationships sometimes. This is one of those times."
Rick cracked a wide grin, "We best get on the road then, don't want to waste daylight here."
With that, Rick stepped forward and nodded to Shane, who went around to get in the passenger side of the car. Rick was joined by Lori and Carl before heading to the driver's seat.
The rest of the group mostly stayed back, but what surprised Laura is that she had visitors too. She had expected to get in a go, not to have people wishing her a safe trip. It was a little strange for her, but it made her feel just that much more important and thought of.
"Hey Laura," It was practically the whole group, Glenn, T-Dog, Carol, Sophia, Andrea, all there to wish her well. They thought the same for Rick and Shane, but Rick had farewells with his family and Shane didn't like to socialize anymore.
"Hey guys, what's up?" She was still surprised, but wanted to say her goodbyes.
T-Dog patted her on the shoulder, "Just came to say be careful out there, I would know." He gestured to the cut on his wrist that had nearly killed him before. Laura looked at him sympathetically, from what she knew it still hurt pretty bad. "I will T-Dog, no worries, it's more like Rick and Shane y'all should be worried about."
"We are," Andrea spoke up, "But Rick's already getting a lecture in safety." She looked at Rick, who was getting a good talking to by Lori, who looked extremely concerned. With reason though of course, but Laura still smiled at the sight of the couple so scared of losing one another, the sentiment wasn't lost on the group either.
Sophia came up to Laura, giving her a hug. "I don't w-want you to go, Laura." Laura kneeled down and returned the hug, "I will be back before you know it, Soph, don't worry about me. Just keep your momma safe, she'll need you." Sophia smiled and released from the hug right as Carol came up.
"We just want you to be okay, come back to us, in one piece, will you?" Carol gave a sad smile, "And stay safe out there."
Laura reached over to Carol, hugging her with one arm. "I'll be fine, I survived in a walker infested city for weeks and I can make one more day." She giggled, letting Carol go.
"We know, just..." Glenn looked over to Shane through the car's windows. "... Keep in mind who you're going with."
Laura didn't miss the look Andrea gave Glenn, but it went away quickly, replaced by an understanding. "Yeah, I think you'll be alright with Rick there though. It should be easy in and out."
Laura nodded, "I hope we'll make it back before dark, I really don't want them to get caught out there in the dark." She shrugged, thinking about Rick and Shane surrounded by walkers in the dark. It wasn't a good idea, even if they did have a car.
"Good idea to rush it too, don't want that kid getting a handle on where we are. In case... y'know." T-Dog bit his lip, "But I suppose that's what the blindfold is for."
"Safety first." Laura mused aloud. "It'll be okay though, we'll make it back, no problem." She gave them all a bright, confident smile. They didn't have to worry about her, Rick, and Shane, they'd have enough to think about.
"Laura." She heard her name being called, it was Rick. Lori and Carl walking back to the group who was with Laura. "Time to go." She nodded, turning back around to the group.
"Oh hey," Glenn held up a backpack in his hand, "Take this. Rick said you may go and look around for something while you're out. Figured you might get some use out of it."
Laura took it and put it on, tightening the straps around her shoulders. "Thanks Glenn, I dunno if we are, but it could help out a lot." She leaned forward and gave him a hug, "I'll be sure to bring it back to you."
"You better, I've been using that since Atlanta, I love that bag." Laura smiled at his joke, giving him a pat on the back before letting go.
"I'll see you guys later," She gave T-Dog and Andrea a final goodbye hug. As she passed Lori and Carl on the way to the car, she waved and smiled at them. Trying to give them all assurance that they'd return, safe and sound. Laura wasn't too sure how the trip would go, but the plan Rick told her was very simple, a quick stop, drop, and run. Complications may arise, as they always do, but it couldn't be too bad. Laura would be making the final delivery of Randall.
Laura popped the door open, climbed in, and locked it behind her. She sat in the back, driver's side; even if she had to be in close quarters with Shane, she still would prefer to be as far as she could be.
Rick already had the car started and ready to go. They pulled away from the farmhouse and began following the long dirt road to the main road. It had been a long while since she had ridden in a car. The last time was the car that her dad tried to take her away in.
He wasn't trying to take you forcefully... The Voice came up again, Laura rolled her eyes. She wasn't in the mood for dealing with it, especially while in a car with Rick, her close friend, and Shane, the one person willing to actually kill her because of what she was before.
You still are a walker, at heart. Laura sighed lowly, kicking her feet up across the seats. "I don't want to hear it. I'm done with you."
The Voice cackled in her ears, it sounded dark and almost sickly. I'm not done yet, dearest. Laura ran a hand through her hair, "Stop calling me that."
Willingly, the Voice accepted her request. I don't mind, I'm just trying to let you know who I am. What I want to do with you and why it's only best for you. By extension, me. However, everything I ask you to do will only lead to your benefit. In the end result anyways.
"How would attacking and cannibalizing my friends benefit me in the end? I want them around me, I want them here, and I do not eat people." She shuddered at the thought, the images the Voice had given her before still were in her head. Vivid and disturbing.
This trip... it will help you. The Voice spoke vaguely, Laura wanted answers from the Voice, but all she ever got were more questions. This was a perfect example. "How will it help me? What do you know what will happen?"
Her arms were crossed as she had gotten comfortable from earlier, but her fingers tapped of their own freewill. Laura glanced around the car, no one was looking at her as she tried to regain control of her hands. The Voice stopped before Laura tried too hard though. I can make things happen. Or rather... I can make you make things happen.
"No," Laura hadn't forgotten this ability the Voice held over her, but she didn't want it to show on the trip."Just leave it alone and let me be. I won't do anything for you."
You don't really have a choice, do you? You wouldn't take my generosity earlier, wouldn't listen to me, just ignored me and swatted me away like a fly. Since you wouldn't take my advice before, I'll have to make you do what I ask of you. Laura flexed her hands, trying to keep herself. Mentally cursing herself for going on this trip, if the Voice wanted to do anything, Laura wouldn't have a choice.
She would fight as best as she could, but there wasn't much she was able to do when the Voice controlled her before, but she'd only taken a small part of Laura, not her entire body for use. She didn't know what would happen, but she was here for a reason, to help the person who saw passed her walker appearance. Rick looked beyond that and gave her a chance, because of that she has people around her who actually like her, care for her.
Nothing was going to ruin that, at least, not without the toughest fight Laura could muster.
There's not a thing you can do about this, The Voice chided, I can take control of you when I want and you cannot resist me.
"No one can just... do something like that. I bet it'll be as much of a struggle for you as it is for me. I won't hurt anyone. I'm not a monster." Laura frowned tightly, she didn't know for sure if she could resist the Voice in her head, the feeling of being controlled by it came so smoothly that Laura couldn't even feel it until she tried to resist. There was no pain, no sensations, it came without her knowing and could fade away just as numbly.
Apparently, The Voice was laughing darkly, I have news for you. You were born normal and raised as such. That part of you, your normal, average, human part of you died the moment you were bitten. You are not human anymore, you are a monster. To them, that is all you will ever be. They tolerate you now, because they can use you. They want your unique ability, but you are more of the walkers they use you against than you are one of them. Laura's hands tightened to fists, the Voice became louder and louder as it continued. You are not one of them, you will never be one of them. You are a walker, a flesh eating monster that destroyed their world.
"I'm not, I haven't hurt anyone." Laura ground out, but even her thoughts seemed quiet and small compared to the booming ideas of the Voice.
You will, soon, and they will know you for what you really are. It was enthusiastic, speaking louder, angrier, and with gradually more force. They are survivors, they lived through the beginning, but they won't survive you.
The car came to a stop. Laura's eyes shot open when a car door opened, alarmed and panting. Laura felt jumpy, terrified. The Voice went away, for now, but she hoped no one could catch on to her internal struggles. She had no idea how this all worked, it was new and frightening.
All she saw was the car at an intersection, Rick and Shane had gotten out of the car and were now talking. Laura couldn't hear them, but she was about to make a move to get out when Rick looked her way, giving her a look that told her to stay where she was. So she waited, they were obviously having a very dire discussion about something, but Laura never learned how to read lips.
Watching the two talk was like trying to bet on who was going to punch who first. Rick looked ready to jump and Shane was no less tense. The two men's heated conversation seemed to come to a halt eventually.
With that, Rick started heading back to the car, only to be stopped when Shane spoke up again. All Laura could hear was his voice, but couldn't make out any real words. Whatever it was, it meant something important to the two men.
When Shane was finished, Rick looked back at him for a moment, and began heading around the car and Shane followed him. The trunk popped open and Laura figured they were just checking on Randall now, seeing if he was either still alive or trying to get free. The ropes on him were pretty tight though, Laura may not like or trust Shane, but she still didn't think any less of him when it came to doing his job right.
The trunk slammed shut and the two were back in the car, closed the doors, and off again. The car was still dead silent, whatever their talk was about, it definitely wasn't about opening up. She was sure neither of them would utter a word without a good enough reason.
Laura knew better than to initiate a conversation with the two of them. Rick would be fine, would talk to her freely, but Shane... She didn't want to risk making him angry on this trip. It was dangerous out here, they didn't need a pissed off ex-cop survivor trying to bully his way to the top again.
However, Rick found something important enough to bring up.
"We gotta start using our knives more." Laura blinked, it came out of no where, but she understood what he meant immediately. When they were in Atlanta, the only problem they really had was the gunshots. It attracted a horde and put them all in an extremely bad situation. Walkers followed their senses, smell, taste, and when they still had eyes, their sight. "If there's one walker we use our knives. Keep things quiet, save ammunition."
Laura was all for that, she hadn't really handled a gun for a while. Not since back when in Atlanta, with the Vatos. She could use a crossbow now, not expertly, but enough to kill a walker that came at them. They only had one crossbow anyways and Daryl is an expert with it. She needed to carry more weapons, she didn't have anything on her right now either.
Shane didn't seem particularly focused, but he did mumble an answer.
"We need dried goods, ahead of the winter. Warm clothes. Fuel." Rick glanced to Shane, but kept a very neutral and tense tone. Shane was not very talkative right now though, he was listening though. "Maybe we get a break. You gotta think the cold affects them. If it doesn't kill 'em, it's gotta slow 'em down."
Laura hadn't thought about the cold, what it does normally to humans in general can be bad enough. Achy joints, getting sick, hypothermia, just anything if they didn't have a way to warm up enough.
"Second week of January last year, we got all that snow an' ice. My cousin got stuck on eighty-five for twenty-four hours. Sittin' in the car with a birthday cake for his girlfriend at Georgia Tech." Laura grinned, she didn't get any snow in Atlanta though, but it sounded fun. "He just sat and ate birthday cake listening to the Lord of the Rings book on tape."
Shane was still silent, staring out the window. Laura didn't want to speak up with Shane around, it was more for insurance and protection than fear. "We get lucky it'll be the same winter as last year. By December... it's a different world. Safer." Laura felt like that was a long shot. The military couldn't deal with the walkers, she didn't believe enough snow or ice could either.
"Maybe we find some snow mobiles to make runs." Rick was clearly trying to stretch a hand out to Shane, let them be friends again. Laura guessed that could've been what they were talking about. "Sounds good." Shane wasn't going to take it though, he wanted to sit in silence and Rick wasn't about to force him to talk.
The car fell dead silent again, just like it was before. Rick was giving Shane space after their talk and Shane wasn't going to bother Rick or Laura, for which she was rather thankful of. She didn't want to know what Shane had to say about her anymore, it was tough enough just dealing with his occasional glare in her direction at the farmhouse.
Laura liked the company though, Daryl was just the kind of person she wanted to be around too. Quiet, but when talking had something to say and was honest. She knew Rick was almost the same way, if not had a much softer approach to things. Regardless of Shane being there, she was excited to help, even though she wished this risk never came to them.
This world was so full of dangers. Countless problems unseen, threats unknown to them and her. Laura was considerably safer, but she did care about them greatly and wanted the world to be right again. Give them a life, rather than making them run for theirs.
Of course, this is all obvious stuff that Laura's bouncing around in her head because she's sitting in the back of the car bored out of her mind. She knows she should be worried about the walkers out there, where they're going, what could happen, and the Voice plotting something for her. It's all worthy to think about, but there's nothing that can be done. Musing on what could happen, what may happen, and what she may or may not do won't help anything.
She'll be ready to face whatever comes next, Laura knew she can handle all of this. She just had to sit and wait for Rick to pick out a place.
Laura's attention was brought back to reality when Shane moved to look at Rick. This was more than Shane had done since he'd gotten back in the car. He was glancing between Rick and something else, but Laura wasn't a part of whatever they had spoken about, so she didn't know what was going on anymore than Randall did.
"There's more than eighteen." Shane finally said something with interest. Rick nodded, looking around outside the car. "Yeah, I'm looking for a place." Shane looked inquisitive, "A place for what?"
"Give him a fair shake, a shot." Rick didn't want to let Randall go just anywhere, he wanted to give him somewhere relatively safe. He was trying to be considerate and humane about it all. Laura didn't know if there was anything really humane that could be done, but if there was, this is the best it was going to get.
They continued on for a few more minutes before something caught Rick's eye. "There." Laura turned around to look out the window, seeing a sign as they turned in. Mert County Department of Public Works, it was part car graveyard from what she could see.
Rick parked the car in the open and they all stepped out, Laura preferring to stick to whichever side of Rick was furthest away from Shane. In her mind Rick was a barrier between her and someone who would kill her.
"This'll do. We'll leave the boy here, scavenge some supplies." Rick seemed satisfied with this area. Shane was watching their back, trying to keep an eye out for walkers.
"Psst," Rick got Shane's attention quickly, "Over there."
A walker had appeared from behind an old car, it was heading their way. The fence made that only a minor trouble, the walker could be taken down quickly with no immediate threat posed. Shane had his gun in his hand, checking to make sure the safety was off. He aimed it to the walker slowly limping his way to them. Rick caught this and raised a hand to stop him, "Wait."
Shane lowered his pistol hesitantly. "Like I said," Rick pulled out a blade from his pocket and cut his finger, Laura looked a little confused but Rick had his plans. He ran his bleeding finger over the fence and the walker came to it like a magnet.
When the walker was close enough, Rick positioned the blade and forced it through the walker's skull. The walker fell dead, permanently this time, and Laura grinned at Rick's ingenuity. Walkers are attracted to the smell of fresh blood, it had a particular scent, one that Laura picked up rather quickly and found herself thinking about nothing but it.
You can smell it... that's the smell from inside of them. It's strong enough to taste. The Voice asserted itself again, If you think that smells good, you should wait until we cut them open. They taste better than they smell.
Laura gulped, she was feeling hungrier. She shook her head and took a deep breath, "I'm no more hungry than usual. I'll just get some fruits from the farmhouse when we get back. I already ate breakfast, it should hold me over until then."
It would if that was the kind of hunger you felt. Laura watched Rick gesture to another walker on it's way to them. Shane took out his blade and followed Rick's example. The smell of even the smallest amount of fresh blood was intoxicating. You'd be kidding yourself if you think that this hunger is the same they feel.
She ignored it, this wasn't a part of her she wanted to acknowledge, not until she could control it.
Rick noticed the fence was locked, it was a heavy chain wrapped around the gates with a rather large lock on it. They didn't want to make noise so they'd have to find a way to open it up. Lucky for them, Shane had searched around the fence and a nearby booth for something to open the gate with. He came back with a large pair of bolt cutters which fit the job perfectly.
Enough force behind it and they were through.
Shane watched their back while Rick took point, Laura between the two of them as she had no weapons on her, but was the least likely to get attacked.
They made their way inside the fenced in area, there were a few small buildings around. Rick headed straight for the largest one, trying to get a look around and see if there was anything worth taking back to the farmhouse. So far, it was all piles of cardboard, old empty cans, torn of bits of metal and brick. Not to mention the amount of old, broken down cars that had met the end of their life long before the walkers ever appeared.
As Rick went down a small hill to investigate a pile of burnt corpses, Shane parted from them and went to look into the large school bus nearby.
Laura went her own way too, opting to look inside one of the smaller buildings as the door had been knocked in by something large. Inside was about as much as someone could expect from them. A lot of shelves filled with a lot of junk that wouldn't help them one bit. Some pieces of material, quilts, sheets, blankets, all rather old and torn apart, some stained with blood.
She was more interested in getting a way to defend herself, as she knew that walkers weren't a problem for her, they were a problem for Rick and Shane. She also wanted some way to protect herself in case someone decided they didn't like her. Either it be Shane or another survivor, she'd come across plenty before, it wasn't a stretch to believe that there may be someone out there alive.
No matter what, she needed protection. She knew Rick would protect her, Shane would only because of Rick. That wasn't enough for her though, in case things went sour, Laura had to have something she could use.
Now that she could remember her self defense classes and after being taught how to fight for herself, Laura only needed a weapon to even the odds with another armed person. She could utilize her training though, but in a fight against someone like Shane, she wouldn't stand a chance. He knew how to fight, really fight, she only knew how to defend herself.
All well and good until the person you have to defend yourself against is a very well trained cop who has used his professional and, sometimes, lethal training in action before. While her only experience was in class... on Saturdays, sometimes Fridays.
Laura searched around in the dark, knowing only she could find something in these pitch black buildings. Windows boarded up, no other light source available. She could scavenge these places for things that just fell through the cracks.
So far all she'd found was trash, torn up trash, and burnt trash. It was becoming a running theme of this place.
Clearing some shelves of this tiresome trash, she finally found something. It was a small hiding spot, clearly people had attempted to survive here. There were blankets splayed out all around, the old metal shelves were positioned to create a kind of wall, and a few old boxes had appeared to have stored food or some other kinds of goods, but it seemed all the cans were empty.
The stench of a rotting corpse hit her fast, the rest of the place didn't smell so great, but this was a strong odor. Whomever tried to survive here, died here.
Lo and behold, on the far side of the small makeshift camp was the body of what Laura assumed was the person who set this place up. It was long unrecognizable, definitely not a walker. This body never turned, it died and stayed that way. She thought it was rather lucky, but this body was decompressed, a hole had been blown through. Beside the body was a gun, a small, destroyed book that Laura could make out the title on the front. Journal.
She tried to flip through the pages, most of it was stained with blood or some other strange things. Pages had been torn out or torn apart, but some of it was legible. Laura sighed, this person committed suicide, unable to deal with the world around him or her. Laura couldn't tell gender by looking at the body. It hadn't been dead too long, but some walkers might have reached the body and ate the rest of it.
She tucked the journal into the waist of her jeans and took the gun. She knew how to work a gun, she'd seen some things about it and even handled a gun once or twice with the intent to use it. She popped out the clip and checked the ammo, it had about four shots left, and one in the chamber. It was enough to keep her safe.
Learning from previous experiences, Laura turned the safety on and made sure it was safe on her waist too. She didn't want to risk shooting herself in the leg.
Searching around some more, Laura found some cans that were unopened. This person killed him or herself before actually running out of food, which was lucky for them. Collecting the few cans around, she checked their labels. Thankfully, it wasn't all that long ago that walkers came around, the food inside was still good.
Laura slipped the backpack off her back and unzipped it, shoving what valuable things she could find inside. There were only about six cans of green peas, beans, and a few large cans of chicken and dumplings. They were all still edible, any food that was still good was welcome. They didn't want to stress the Greene's farm for food too much.
She ducked into the little bedding area this person made, pulling up a perfectly fine wool sheet that was stored away. It hadn't been cold enough to use it, this person kept it stuffed away in a corner so it was relatively untouched, save for the dust covering everything.
As she pulled up the piles of bedding, she felt a long, flat object underneath the head of the makeshift bed. Backing up, she pulled it out from under the old quilts. It was a leather casing for a bladed weapon, something to use silently like Rick said. Laura grinned, this was the sheath for it, but if this person kept the sheath so close, she wondered if the actual weapon that belongs in it was still around.
Laura began moving everything, finding a few bits here or there to stuff in the bag. A flashlight, some batteries, a small can of preserved peaches, and a small switch blade with everything from a bottle opener to a small dull knife.
So far though, no blade that belonged in the sheath she found.
Widening her range, Laura began to search all around the survivor's camp. There was an old radio, but it didn't look like it even worked anymore. Half of it was smashed in. Some broken glass on the floor, more boxes full of junk or nothing at all. One had clothing stored inside and Laura took a look inside, hoping to find winter clothes like Rick said.
A few old shirts, most couldn't be worn anymore as they either had holes in them or were ruined by other methods of blood, filth, or something unidentifiable. Laura did find some jackets inside. Triumphant, Laura found a jacket she could wear too. She wasn't susceptible to the cold though, as far as she knew. She was always cold anyways, only the sun or another person could raise her body temperature.
Sighing, Laura thought it best that these go to the group back at the farm. She didn't need to keep warm to stay alive, even though she did prefer to wear a hooded jacket. They needed them while she just wanted some kind of way to hide during the day. So she stuffed them all in her pack and moved on.
The backpack was getting heavier, but it wasn't full just yet. Laura wanted to find that blade, whatever it was that fit into the sheath.
There was another spot of bedding a little bit further back, it was hidden behind the first one, but Laura didn't like what she saw. It was smaller because it wasn't an adult. There was a human body torn up inside, but it was too small to have been beyond teen years.
Laura bit her lip, she knew why the other survivor here must've committed suicide now. This younger one could've been their child, relative, or just someone they watched over. This child died an it was mostly a skeleton now, walkers got to it as there wasn't much left and the other body had more dead flesh on it. Right beside it was the blade she was looking for though, it had been cutting through the cardboard box near it, the child's arm was pointing towards it, suggesting the kid tried to reach for it.
Carefully, Laura pulled the blade out, it was a machete that was still in decent condition. The blade edge was rather sharp, enough to kill a walker or a person if she had to.
She was done here though, in a dark way, Laura would've preferred it if the adult who killed themselves did so out of fear of the walkers rather than losing a child to them.
Laura made a beeline for the exit, she had somethings worth their own value. She was able to sheath the machete and stuff it in the backpack, only the handle of it stuck out of the mouth. Rick may like what she'd found, but she had to find out where they went first.
Exiting the building, Laura took a look around for them. She hurried too, she didn't want Rick to think she'd wandered off too far and got lost, like when she went to chase after him and Sophia. She admitted to herself that was rather embarrassing.
As Laura was about to make her way to the car, she caught sight of Rick around the corner of a large industrial vehicle. She didn't know what it was, but she knew Rick was there and that's all she cared about.
Jogging up to Rick, she slowed down and announced herself, hoping not to scare them. "Hey Rick." He spun around, seeing her approach. "Hey yourself."
"I went into that building nearby to look for stuff, hope you don't mind." He shook his head, "I saw you go in, honestly was about to tell you not to before I realized that even if there were walkers inside, you'd be fine." He gave her an almost shy grin, "Sometimes I forget."
She smiled, "I just wanted to see what was around. I found some stuff, not a lot, but every bit counts I guess." Rick glanced up to see the handle of a weapon from the backpack. "I can see that, what did you find?"
With a shrug, she leaned against the large truck. "Some canned food, not even hit their expiration date and all unopened. Found some coats and jackets to keep warm, a warm blanket, just some basics."
He gave her a sure nod, before catching a glimpse of the gun at her waist. He raised a brow and looked at her. Laura pulled it out, "I turned the safety on, there's five shots left. I didn't find any more ammo or weapons in there. This is all I got. I'd like to keep it if you don't mind, you all got a gun out here but I don't. Mind you, I won't use it unless I absolutely have to. That's why I found this machete."
She holstered the gun in her waist again and unsheathed the machete. "It's actually alright, pretty sharp... Sharp enough to fight back which is all that matters. This I would really, really like to keep. I can give up the gun, but I want this." Laura wouldn't lie, she did like having a weapon of some form, the gun was alright, but having a silent and relatively powerful blade in her hands. She didn't want to give it up.
Rick almost laughed at her excitement, she'd been in camp for so long, cooped up, that he didn't realize that she enjoyed being out of the camp so much. She wasn't in danger here, he understood that, even though he did forget about it as he said. She seemed more confident than she had been to him before though. "That's fine, so long as you know that once we get back we have to give up our guns."
"Hershel still enforcing the no gun law on us?" Laura was just curious, she would give them up without a fight.
He winced, "Not really, not after the barn and the bar, but I would like not to push our luck. Try to show him that we can still be friendly and that we'd do as he asks even without him trying to force it on us."
She ran a hand through her hair, "Well, I've gotten so attached to it already, if you really want it... I guess I could give it up." She laughed, earning her an amused smile from Rick.
"Hey Rick," Shane called him, he was looking over two dead bodies in uniforms. The two walkers they killed entering this place, they had dragged them to the side of the asphalt.
As Rick came over, Shane removed the belts with gun holsters and radios on them.
"I don't see any bites." Shane looked them over, checking for any areas for a bite wound to hide. He wasn't satisfied, the bodies were virtually unmarred.
Rick stood over the other dead officer, "Must be scratches then. This ones hand," He pointed to the bloodied hand, "The other ones cheek. They had walkers here, burnt bodies down the hill."
Shane took a last look over the bodies, "Guess it's gotta be scratches then."
As Shane finished with the dead walkers, Laura helped Rick carry the gas cans back to the car. Most of the vehicles didn't have any gas in them, Rick and Shane had already gotten all they could. With all the gas they could retrieve, when they reached the car, they loaded up the cans in the back.
The gate was on wheels, it could be moved back and forth easily. Rick moved it back a ways, there would be enough room to get the car through. "Shane, take the car into the clearing in between those two buildings over there," Rick pointed to the building Laura came out of and the largest building that they hadn't gone in at all.
Shane nodded and headed to the car. Rick rolled the gate open enough to let Shane drive the car in. Laura stood on the side lines, her gun holstered, but her machete out and ready to cover their backs.
When the car was in, Rick shut the gate and rejoined Laura. He gestured her to follow him, she was going to anyways. She watched his back much like Shane did earlier, she was trying to be more tactically minded since she was with living people whom the walkers hunted. Watching over them since she didn't have to have anyone watching her back was good security, so long as she taught herself to keep on a strict look out.
They came up on the car, Shane was just stepping out as Rick popped open the trunk. Removing the sack from Randall's head, he tried to speak up, but the duct tape made that impossible.
Laura stayed back as they dragged him out of the car. She didn't want walkers sneaking up on them while they dealt with Randall.
After a little walk, they stopped with Randall between another school bus and a firetruck. They kneeled Randall down, he was stumbling on the way there so much that Laura thought he might just fall over if he tried to stand on his own.
Rick removed the duct tape and the mp3 player, he nodded to her and tossed away the duct tape, but handed her the mp3 player. She stuffed it in her pocket, it belonged to somebody back at camp. They would probably want it back.
"The hell is this?" She heard Randall speak for the first time, he looked around at the dead cars and old buildings. His feet and hands were still bound though.
As Rick and Shane turned around to head back to the car, Randall began to panic. "Aw come on, don't be stupid. I owe you guys! I can help protect what you got!" He shuffled around on his knees, "Why would you save my life only to kill me by leaving me here?!"
Laura blinked at him, he was getting loud and loud attracts walkers. She was uncomfortable, but since they were leaving and they didn't seem too interested, she figured it was best to leave it alone and get home before walkers do show up.
"One guy, one guy can't make it alone! That's why I was with those dudes, I was alone! Don't be stupid I'm not like them!" They paused for a moment, Rick pulled out a knife and dropped it to the ground. It was a way for Randall to cut his bonds and try to survive. Laura did understand his reason though, everyone she's seen makes it together, survives together, she didn't know if anyone was capable of living out here with walkers alone.
Aside from herself of course.
"I'm just... some guy! I used to watch football and screw around on the internet! I live with my mom!" Laura didn't like hearing any of this, she was more relaxed when Randall was a name with no face. Now that he was and he was begging for help... Laura wasn't really strong enough, but she wasn't going to go against Rick's decision.
That and she knew why they had to leave him, the people he was with before. They didn't have much of a choice.
"I lost her like you lost people!" He sounded about done, Laura was walking just behind Rick and Shane trying to keep out the sound of Randall's begging. "I went to school with Maggie for god's sake!"
The made Rick and Shane stop. Laura turned around and looked at Randall, he seemed surprised that caught their attention. "Went to church! Uh, rode the bench on varsity baseball!"
Rick and Shane were quickly on their way back to Randall. "You went to school with Maggie?" Rick demanded, but Randall was worried he'd said something wrong now. "Answer the question! Did you go to school with Maggie?" Shane was right behind Rick, both of them alarmed and angry that they had only just found this out.
"Ah, uh, she didn't know me!" Randall felt like he stepped over a line, but it may have gotten him out of being left here. "Didn't even know I existed. I mean, I knew her, I knew who her dad was..." He had an in, now Randall wanted to convince them. "There is no way I would ever do anything to hurt her or her family! Or you! Or your people! I'm not like the guys I was with!"
"Jesus..." Shane walked away, Rick couldn't even look at Randall for a moment.
Laura didn't see the problem with knowing someone, Randall may have known Maggie, knew Hershel's name, but it didn't mean he knew anything beyond that. However, there was a chance he knew more or something, enough to cause trouble for the farm and everyone on it.
"He knows where the farm is Rick, he knows." Shane was standing beside Rick, talking carefully. "Say he finds his way back to his people..."
The two of them remained silent, Laura came up to Rick, she hadn't spoken much because Shane was around, but this was important. "He knows Maggie, he knows Hershel. That doesn't mean he knows where the farm is. Even then, it's unlikely for a single person to survive out here long enough anyways. He doesn't recognize this place, he may not ever know where he is."
Shane gave her a death glare, but she wasn't backing down. Every decision like this, with such weight, should only be made when someone knows all the possibilities. Judging Randall based on that he knew Maggie, or just saw her at school sometimes doesn't mean he knows much more than that.
Before Laura could realize it, Shane had pulled out his pistol and begun to aim it at Randall. "Shane no!" Rick jumped at him, messing up his aim so he missed Randall. Shane fell to the ground, looking more pissed off than ever.
"Not now! Just not now!" Rick towered over him, he didn't want to kill Randall without a second thought.
Shane was sitting against the car behind him, "Well when Rick, when?" Laura gulped, Rick was better about it all and kicked the gun away from Shane. "When I've had a chance to think about."
"Don't let him kill me, please don't." Randall looked a little shaken by the shot, "Shut up!" Laura jumped a little. This was getting out of hand and fast.
"Laura," She jumped again, nervous as can be, "You're shaking." She nodded and shook herself down, trying to calm her nerves. She came up to Rick and offered a hand, resting it on his arm. "It's okay, this is rather serious. I don't know what to do from this point, Shane could be right, but Randall may not know many things. It's ultimately up to you, I'm right behind you."
He nodded, "We're going back, it's a man's life. I need a night to think it through."
Shane sneered, "You're gonna bring this piece of garbage... this piece of garbage back to where Lori sleeps? Where Carl sleeps?!"
"He'll be locked up in the barn," Rick went over to him, "Unless you bust it open!" Shane turned away, "Ah don't start this."
"I'm going to take the night." He was sure and Laura agreed, if Randall was dangerous enough to risk the farm, they would deal with it, if he wasn't then they could let him go. It was all circumstantial and none of it could be proven. Randall's word was worthless and no one else knows him.
"You take it, you think on it Rick. Keep- keep struggling with it!" The cop duo were tense, this was not the time or the place to begin arguing. "It ain't hard man, the right choice is the one that keeps us alive! It's always the same with you!" Shane stood up and Rick stepped back. Laura got a little further from the two men, she knew Shane's temper and wanted to make sure that they could both defend themselves in case Shane went out of control.
"Stop acting like you know everything!" Rick came back up to Shane, "Like you know the rules. There are no rules man, we're lost."
"No, no, no, man. I know exactly where I am." Rick had turned around from Shane, but came right back. "You don't know shit anymore."
"I don't think you can do it man," Laura got in a clear view of Shane, this tense situation was bound to get worse. She was on Rick's side and Shane had a tendency to take everything a few steps too far. "It's my call."
Shane looked pointedly at Rick, "I don't think you can keep them safe."
Rick paused, the two staring directly at each other, neither of them aware of their surroundings. Surprisingly, Rick threw the first punch, but Shane anticipated it, caught his arm, and headbutted him hard. Rick was disoriented from the suddenness of the hit and fell.
Shane acted, taking Rick's gun, but he wasn't fast enough. Rick got back up and pinned Shane against the car and threw his punches.
Laura couldn't get in, they were too close. She wouldn't kill Shane, which is why she didn't have her machete or gun out, but she wanted to defend Rick, let him know it's two against one. So far, Rick was on top. After the first two crackling punches, Shane got a grip on Rick and tackled him into the car.
The two began wrestling more than fighting, Laura couldn't help. She was useless at this close, she had to watch for Walkers and help when she could.
Rick was already taking back lead in the fight though, forcing Shane into a grate and punching the larger man in the ribs. She tried to come up, but with Shane pinned for the moment, Laura had to stay back. No walkers had come by yet, everything but the two fighting men were quiet.
Shane pushed back, finally getting a hit in on Rick who returned with more force than Shane did.
Unfortunately, Shane's punches were harder than Rick's, and tended to cause disorientation. When Shane threw Rick down, he pulled the motorcycle next to Rick on Rick's legs.
Laura could help now, Rick could lift the motorcycle, but Shane was going to go kill Randall and possibly Rick if he got the gun. She had to make sure he didn't get far enough.
Dropping the backpack, Laura raced up to Shane and leaped onto his back. She was smaller than him, but she could stop him if she had to. She quickly locked an arm around his neck, trying to interrupt his plan. He had a grip on her, but hers was better. Struggling to get her off, his breathing became weaker, but instead of going to grab her, he rammed his back into the firetruck where the gun had fallen under.
She wasn't going to let go so easily, but he kept bashing her into the truck until he got a hold of one of her legs from around him and forced her onto the firetruck's handle, which stuck her in the back enough to make her grip loosen. He pulled her leg and she couldn't hold on any longer.
He knocked her to the ground and went to try and get the gun again, but she grabbed his leg and, against her better decisions, bit him hard. Harder! Harder and you'll draw blood! All you'd have to do then is chew!
Laura couldn't bite through the material of his pants leg, but it was enough to make him crawl back out.
"You little-!" He grabbed her by the back of her head, taking a fistful of hair as he tried to yank her off.
She let go of her bite quickly, on purpose though. Shane hadn't gotten the gun yet, thankfully, she was sure he'd have shot her if he had done. He let go of her hair once she scratched his hands, but he came back with force, grabbing by her arm and punching her with enough force for her to start seeing white, it was enough for him to get the gun he was after.
Laura stood up behind him, stumbling slightly as she came back up, grasping onto the back of his shirt, he spun around and aimed the gun at her. She stopped, completely still.
Rick came up and pulled him away, his hand knocked against a car and the gun went flying. Laura took the chance to collect the gun so he couldn't go for it again.
Shane was forced to the ground with Rick on him, punching him repeatedly until Rick felt like he got the point. Shane lost and Rick wasn't going to do anymore damage for this.
"You're not doing this!" Rick was stumbling too, his leg was hurting from the motorcycle that was dropped on him, but he was able to stand fairly steadily. "You don't get to make these calls anymore! I won't let you."
They were both panting, Shane leaning against a grated trailer and Rick standing a little ways from him. Laura was at the tail of one of the cop cars, hoping that would be the end of all this, that Shane would stop and they can load Randall up and go home.
The injuries might be hard to make excuses for, but they were all alive and that's what mattered to them and the group at the farmhouse.
Shane stood up, looking at Rick with such rage that told Laura and Rick both that he wasn't done just yet. He wasn't going to stop.
With a roar of anger, Shane hurled a massive monkey wrench at Rick, who barely dodged it. The resulting crash through the window made them all stop for at least a moment. That could've killed Rick, Laura had no doubts that Shane understood that perfectly.
As they stood, Shane saw a very dead hand reach up the broken window, crunching the glass and old wood in it's fingers.
Rick saw it too, but they had to deal with the walker fast, before it reached either one of them. Rick was fast, he got up and took his knife out. Using his forearm to keep the head away from him and the range of his arms to keep it from grasping onto him, he stumbled into the trash heap and stabbed the walker in the neck, before aiming again and killing it for good.
Only a second passed before more walkers came out of the building, piling out so fast they fell out of the window. They had already seen Shane, he had to run. Laura couldn't help him now and even if she could, he took off too fast for her to help.
Rick pulled the dead walker over him, hiding him from the other walkers chasing after Shane now.
She couldn't give Rick away yet, she had to wait. Once the walkers had followed Shane far enough, Rick shoved the dead walker off of him. "Rick," Laura hurried to his side, "Are you okay?"
He nodded, "I'm fine, where'd Shane go?" Laura looked in the direction he went, but couldn't see him or the walkers anymore.
Another walker stepped out of the window, he was big and knew Rick was alive. With a wretched screech, it came down after Rick. "Run!" Laura stepped in between the walker and Rick, who did as she said and began to run away.
She stopped the walker from moving forward, but two more walkers came out, watching Rick run away was enough to tell them to go and get him. She stood in one of their paths, but they went to go around the car to get to Rick.
Laura reached for one of them, grabbing them by the shirt. She needed her machete.
She had a weapon, she remembered it now. It was sheathed in her backpack. She let the walker's shirt go and reached for it. With a weapon in her hand, Laura felt a little more useful.
With a grunt, she shoved the walker back, giving herself enough room to swing the machete into his skull, killing him instantly. With one down, two were now on their way to Rick. She could catch up with them, but one was beyond a few cars and she didn't know where Rick was.
Climbing on top of the cop car, she saw the two walkers and saw Rick a few cars away from them.
She used the cars to save time, jumping on hood after hood. She was glad they all had flat hoods and roofs, they were older designed cars, so they weren't very sleek.
Reaching one of the walkers, she jumped down and grabbed it, using the machete to cut into the leg, which made the walker fall before sinking the blade into its skull. The last walker was about to reach Rick, she wouldn't be able to make it to that one in time.
Climbing back onto the hood of the car, she heard a gunshot and saw the walker she missed fall. Rick used his gun on it, he was in a panic to get away. There had been so many walkers that Laura wasn't sure if she could've even helped them.
She came up to see Randall, having killed a walker, was trying to get away. Knowing Rick's wishes to take him back and contemplate the issue, Laura went for him. Rick is a good survivor, he'd be fine if he kept his head down. She didn't really want Randall to get eaten or to run off with the potential knowledge to risk the farm's safety.
Catching his shirt, she pulled him into a car, hiding him from the walkers a few cars down. "Stay down!" She shushed him, but Randall seemed more shocked at her appearance rather than what she said.
He swung the blade that Rick had dropped for him at her, trying to kill her like any other walker. "What the-" Laura grabbed his hand and pulled him down the side of the car. "Stop that, would you!"
Randall blinked, "You're alive? Like, really alive? You're the girl with them two guys, right?"
She nodded, realizing that she was out of Randall's view almost the entire time, he'd only have glanced her once or twice. He probably couldn't have made out what she looked like. Laura ignored him mostly, but held a machete in her hand and kept a hold of him for good measure.
Laura stood to look out over the cars, to see what was happening.
Shane was trapped inside one of the school buses, all the walkers that had chased him out of the building banging on the door to get in, but Shane was strong enough to brace it shut, for now. With Shane safe for now, she tried to catch up with Rick, who was on another side of an SUV near the school bus.
"Aw no, no, no, no; we can't help them now!" Randall was still panicking, "They're too close, too many walkers over there! We'd get killed! That guy in the bus, he tried to kill you two! We can get away, they won't see us! We can just... sneak out the fence over there, take the car, get out of here!"
Laura wasn't going to leave Rick behind, with Shane's attempt on Rick's life, she wasn't too sure that Rick would even risk saving Shane from a walker surrounded school bus. There wasn't much of a chance for Shane, but it was Rick's call.
All she had to do is figure out which call that was and how to get to Rick.
"Come on, it'll be okay! We can make it out there, the two of us! We can even go back to your farm!" Laura really didn't think much of Randall now, but he was still just a kid. "Look, I know I'm not much of a looker, but neither are you! We can get along! It'll be fun, I promise! We just can't stay here, we gotta go!"
Laura's eyes went wide and stared at Randall with such intensity that Randall eventually stopped talking.
Shaking her head, she refocused her efforts to get to Rick. There was a path clear enough to move Randall through with no risk of walkers catching sight of them. She could hide a human, at least one, but if Randall continued to be... Randall, she'd never pass him off as a walker.
Her only option was to sneak around the cars to reach Rick, at the very least they could meet each other somewhere.
"Now, you follow me and you follow close. We gotta move and you're either one step behind me or you're walker bait." She grabbed the neck of his shirt, "Now let's go."
Laura crossed the area where they had originally dropped off Randall, she remembered the backpack she had to lose earlier to stop Shane from killing Randall. It was still where she left it and as they made their way through the cars, Laura picked it up and strapped it to her back again, Randall wasn't leaving her side so it seemed.
"Come on, go, go." Laura shoved Randall ahead of her, they were nearing where Laura had seen Rick at only moments ago.
Thankfully, it seemed he hadn't moved. They came up from behind him, Randall in front of her so when Rick turned towards the steps he heard behind him, he saw Randall standing there with his hands up.
Laura came up from behind him, "Rick, are you okay? I heard the gunshot." He nodded, "I'm fine, nothing I couldn't handle. Are you alright?"
She gave him a nervous smile, "No worse for wear, a little worried about Shane though. He's stuck in there and there's a lot in there, I can go kill them one by one if you want me too."
Rick gave her a thoughtful look, he was trying to decide if he should save the life of the man who tried to take his. Laura rested a hand on his shoulder, "It's okay to let him go now, if you want to leave, we can leave. What Shane did isn't acceptable, he tried to murder you; you owe him nothing. Whether you choose to save him or not, there is no wrong answer here."
He sighed deeply, taking one last look at Shane. "Let's go."
Rick took Randall's knife and pushed him ahead of them both. Laura followed Rick out towards the fence exit, looking on the school bus as they left. She could see Shane's growing fear as the three of them left his sight.
Laura definitely didn't like leaving someone behind, but she knew Shane, knew what he did and what he will do. Shane's actions are wrong and nearly killed them both. Risking the lives of others because they don't like each other anymore isn't something to let slide. It seemed this was Shane's punishment in some twisted, end of the world with no real justice system kind of way.
They were nearing the car when Rick paused, looking down at the two officers they had killed; they were both walkers and had to be put down. Rick saw them side by side, to their death, and he felt a very sharp pain of regret and nostalgia. He felt like he was looking at himself and Shane, Laura didn't know exactly how he saw them both as the deceased officers, but it was enough to change Rick's mind.
"Laura, can you drive?" Rick opened the trunk and forced Randall in, "Oh no man, not the trunk again! I can help!" Rick glared, "Shut up and get in." Reluctantly, Randall climbed in and Rick shut the trunk on him.
"Yeah, I can. What do you need?" Laura sheathed her machete, taking the backpack off and throwing it in the backseat. "I need you to drive, we're going to get Shane."
Laura opened the driver side door, they both got in and she waited to hear Rick's plan. "These fences aren't strong enough to stop a car." Laura blinked, she was going to run over the fence. "Hit it and drive around the back of the bus, right side to the bus, Shane will have to get out of the bus through the emergency door. But we gotta move fast, can you do that?"
She nodded, "I got this." He took out his gun and rolled his window down and he reached in the back to do the same to the backseat window behind him. "Drive."
Laura stepped on it, hoping to have enough force to break down the fence safely and have the time to get away from the walkers.
The fence snapped down when the front of the car hit it, bending like paper. Rick leaned out of the car window and fired on the walkers, hoping to give them more time to get Shane.
"Shane! Get to the back door! Jump in!" Rick shouted, still shooting down walkers. Shane heard him and ran as fast as he could to the back, kicking the door open and jumping in through the back window. "Go, let's get out of here!" Rick slid back in through the window, both Shane and Rick rolled them up.
Laura pulled back, reversing enough to get to the double gated entrance. The chains and lock wasn't enough to stop the car from ramming through it. They were on the road, heading back to the farm.
Releasing a deep breath, Laura looked over to Rick. "Oh shit, we did it." The two were panting, exhausted and sparked from the adrenalin rush.
Despite her usual self, Laura used the rear view mirror to see Shane, who seemed confused, alarmed, and relieved all at the same time. "Shane, you alright? No bites?"
He caught her eye for a moment in the mirror. "Nah, I'm good."
Once they were down the road a little ways Laura began to slow up, "Stop at the top of this hill. We have to deal with Randall."
She nodded and once at the top, did as he asked. Parking the car, both Rick and Shane stepped out. Randall was still in the trunk, but he wasn't bound, blindfolded, or deaf from the music they played earlier. If he was smart enough, he could pick up on things.
It was over, as far as she knew. It was a failed attempt to leave Randall behind, to get him out of their hair, but it seemed to be something of a progression. Shane did just try to kill Rick though, she wondered what Rick would do about that since he chose to save Shane.
She's also still wondering why the Voice wanted her to come along in the first place. She knew she bit Shane, but it wasn't a serious enough from the suggestion the Voice gave her earlier. Whatever the Voice had planned, it never came to be.
It wasn't the right time... I expected something... more. Laura frowned at herself, every time she thought about the voice, it appeared. I had something else in mind. However, they didn't give you the opportunity.
"What kind of opportunity are we talking about here?" She wanted to know what she should look out for, but she didn't expect the Voice to actually answer her.
I am looking for my outing, practicing my control; waiting for the moment to strike out. There was nothing there this time, nothing that wouldn't have gotten us killed. It sounded disappointed, like it believed this trip would have gone differently. My opportunity is a chance I get to assert my dominance over you. To show you what you really are and what you will become. This attempt on the boy's life wasn't the right moment, I had thought he'd be the perfect target for you; however, I now know that there is a better one. The one who tried to kill him.
Laura glanced out the window, turning around so she could just see Shane's shoulder and side from behind the car. "Shane?"
Exactly. She bit her cheek, Shane wasn't really someone she cared much about and neither did the group for the most part, but eating someone is still eating someone. No matter who it is, it wouldn't be good. Shane Walsh, the cop with so much bravado it's even driving him crazy. The best part is... if no one catches you... no one will miss him and there won't be a single person who would ever think you'd do such a thing. Only Shane would accuse you.
She shook her head, grasping the wheel tightly. "I don't care who it is, it isn't going to happen."
We will see. The Voice, again, faded away from her. It had found the person it wanted to finish off. She didn't know it's plan, or what it was ever thinking, but it was ahead of her in every sense.
Laura was worried she may do something she can't control.
Once they were back in the car, they were on their way to the farm again. Randall secured in the trunk and the two cops just as silent as before.
Almost like it never happened.
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FtDLulz:
I hope that's good! I'm a little rough returning to writing after so long. x.x