"Mom, look!"
Edwin glances up from the laundry he and Lori are working on. The irrational fear of separation eases when he spots Carl sprinting up to them, Mouse close on his heels. The pair are beaming smiles and spattered with mud. Carol isn't far behind, a basket held against her hip and a content twist to her lips. Daryl split off at the treeline, beelining for the water pump where they'd set up a little table to make it easier for him to clean his kills.
When they asked Daryl to teach the kids survival skills, they hadn't expected him to be so accommodating, but the hunter agreed with only one condition:
"Can't take more than three out if we're gonna get any real hunting done," he explained. "Already gonna scare off most game worth bringing back."
Since a steady source of food is easily as important as making certain the kids can fend for themselves, they decided on Daryl taking the kids out every other day along with either Lori or Carol. Edwin wasn't shocked that Shane shut down any suggestion of him going out, but he was surprised by how upset Lori was on his behalf. When she came to tell him, she was nearly in tears, flipping between apologizing and ranting about how ridiculous it all was.
"I did try to kill you all less than two weeks ago," he pointed out, torn between enjoying the feeling of having someone on his side and not wanting to drive a deeper wedge between this woman and what little support network she had left.
Lori flinched, her mouth frozen open midword. She finally closed it, shifting uneasily before muttering, "You weren't in your right mind. You're no more a threat to the children than Carol is."
Then it was Edwin who had to clear his throat and look away, tears burning the corners of his eyes. He insisted it was alright, that he knew she and Carol would look out for Mouse.
Convincing Mouse to join the group without him was difficult, but Carl's excitement was contagious, and she caved. Edwin was more blindsided by his own reaction because less than twenty minutes after Carol and the kids disappeared into the treeline, Daryl leading the way, he curled up in the RV and sobbed.
Lori was the one who sought him out. She talked about everything and nothing, before finally requesting his aid with the laundry. Without Carol, there's even more for her and Patricia, whose time is already torn between farm chores and keeping an eye on Beth.
Seeing the joy in Mouse's eyes as she comes sprinting up to them makes all the worry worth it. The two children come to a stop in front of their guardian of choice, thrusting grubby hands filled with goodies up to be inspected.
"Daryl's showing us how to scavenge!" Carl gushes, showing off several broad-headed mushrooms. "These are meadow mushrooms, you can tell 'cause they've got the wide heads and dark undersides, see?" He twists them upside down.
"That's really cool," Lori grins. "Daryl checked all the ones you picked, right?"
"He sure did," Carol confirms as she joins them. "He's been showing us which mushrooms are dangerous too, just to be careful."
"Yeah!" Carl confirms, nodding excitedly. "Plus like, apparently dandelions are edible or something, so we picked a bunch of those, too."
"And nettles," Carol adds. "We're too late for mulberries unfortunately, but we found a tree. We can mark it on the maps, and head out to pick it next summer."
"That's fantastic," Edwin taps Mouse's nose. "Good job, both of you. I'm sure we'll enjoy everything you've brought back."
"You both had fun?" Lori queries, turning her attention to Mouse. The girl cried for a full half hour before reluctantly agreeing to head off without Edwin. Daryl took the time to go over how to properly hold a knife with Carl while they waited.
Mouse nods enthusiastically, holding out her own finds so Lori can inspect them. The woman gives her a warm smile, patting Mouse's cheek with a single finger. "How about you two give your finds to Carol and go get washed up?"
" 'k," Carl agrees easily, dumping his goods into Carol's basket. Before Mouse can do the same, he yells, "Race you!" And he's off.
Mouse squeals, tossing her load into Carol's basket and desperately trying to catch up. Even without his head start, it would be hopeless, the boy has far longer legs.
The adults chuckle, watching the children vanish towards the house with wide smiles. Before she can head off, Edwin turns to thank Carol profusely. He has no doubt that it took both her and Daryl considerable effort to soothe Mouse's fears considering what happened the last time she ended up in the woods.
"Oh please," Carol rolls her eyes. "I think I had at least as much fun as the children. Who knew wandering around the woods and learning to pick mushrooms could be such a good time?"
"Better than laundry?" Lori laughs. "Guess I'll get to look forward to my turn."
Carol goes to join Daryl, no doubt intending to take advantage of the easy access to water and do a little washing of her own before she takes their gathered food inside.
"Thanks," Edwin tells Lori, smiling as he watches Carol leave.
"You're gonna have to tell me what you're thanking me for," Lori states dryly as she returns to scrubbing a pair of pants.
"For paying attention to how touch averse Mouse is," Edwin clarifies. "Not everyone does."
Lori looks up in surprise, then shrugs. "You have any clue what's causing it?"
"Not yet," Edwin sighs. "I'm hoping when the next run happens, I can stop by a library. If I can get my hands on a copy of the DSM-IV, I might be able to narrow something down."
"Have you tried asking her?"
He stares at her in shock, mouth open. When he doesn't immediately respond, Lori continues.
"Carl said she doesn't want to say her name, but I figure she might have some idea what's going on," she pulls the pants she's working on out of the soapy water then shoves them back down with a grimace. "It's worth a shot at least."
It takes Edwin a long time to get his brain in working order. When he does, all he can do is laugh. Lori glances at him uncertainly and he gives her a grin, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I'm an idiot," he mutters. "I swear, if she tells me I'm going to owe you so much."
"How about a few rounds of laundry, and we call it even?" The bright smile Lori offers him does more to make him feel welcomed than most things have in recent days.
The children aren't assigned to help them out with dinner tonight, but Mouse pops into the kitchen like clockwork. This time, Edwin pulls her aside to the living room.
"Hey, Mousey," Edwin crouches down and squeezes her shoulders reassuringly. "I was wondering if I could ask you something? If you don't want to or can't say it's fine though, okay?"
Mouse pulls out the notepad Carl gave her, writing down, 'What?' She gives him a worried look as she holds it up for him to see.
"I've just noticed that sometimes you don't like to be touched," when her expression falls he rushes to add, "There's nothing wrong with that! Unless you're in danger and one of us is trying to protect you, it's always okay to need space."
She nods slowly, tilting her head and giving him a quizzical look. Crisis averted, Edwin continues. "Did you ever go to a doctor, one who specialized with kids maybe or—"
Mouse is already nodding, and before he can finish the question, she's writing frantically. She passes the notepad back to him when she's done, her body language far more relaxed than he expected.
'I have aspergers syndrome. Mama thought there was something wrong when I was little but the doctors said she was overreacting. Then I had to be homeschooled by my dad because I cried so hard I threw up all over myself at pre-school. So they kept looking and finally got a doctor to diagnose me when I was six.'
It explains a lot. Edwin lets out a heavy breath, giving Mouse a smile when she looks at him concernedly. "Thank you so much for telling me," he reaches up, lightly brushing her cheek. She leans into the touch with a hum. "I want you to tell me if there is ever anything I can do to help out, okay?"
She blinks at him before nodding slowly. He gives her time to process, and stays still when she steps forward to hug him. He folds her into his arms, kissing the top of her head with a smile. When she makes her first request of him that night, for him to remove the tags from Sophia's old clothing, he nearly breaks down in tears from happiness. She trusts him.
Word spreads through the group with actions varying between concern and confusion. Some don't even know what the condition refers to, and Edwin finds himself the most educated on the matter, which is frankly depressing given how little knowledge he has. Still he shares what he knows, that Asperger's is a developmental disorder characterised by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. When he's asked to explain further he finds himself wishing he could ask VI, but that ship has long sailed. He wonders if Mouse would have told him about her condition back at the CDC had he asked.
Although everyone has started to settle into a new normal, Carol suggests they offer to continue preparing lunch and dinner. It's one less chore their hosts will have to worry about, allowing them to focus on the more intricate farm chores and still listless Beth. The idea is met with acceptance, though Maggie and Patricia join in on occasion, and the groups still prepare breakfast separately.
"Carl used to run down the street to his friends," Lori shares over potato peeling one night. "If I couldn't find him, I'd just call our neighbors until someone said, 'Oh yes, he's here. We'll send him back before dinner.'" She chuckles, but her expression falls. "I don't think he's realized he can't just run off without telling anyone like that anymore."
"Candace's parents would threaten to put a GPS tracker on Charlotte," Edwin admits with a grin. "We finally got her to agree that to leave the house she had to tell someone, and one of us would walk her wherever she was going even if it was just across the street."
He half expects Carol to chime in with an anecdote about Sophia, but when the woman remains focused on the mushrooms, Lori pipes up with more of her own memories.
"I swear I've tried to get Carl to do something similar," she shakes her head and sighs. "He's never been one for listening, and I didn't want to ask Rick to intervene when his work schedule was already so busy."
A flash of guilt tightens Edwin's throat. His wife loved their little girl, but no amount of love could pull her away from her passion for research. Edwin was torn between the two halves of his family: he spent half his life helping Candace reach new heights of scientific discovery, the other lavishing love on the precious little girl they made. Candace's parents practically raised Charlotte. No matter how busy Rick Grimes was, he was probably a more stable presence in his son's life than either Candace or Edwin managed to be for their daughter.
Here on the Greene farm, stability is something they fight hard to give the two youngest members of the group. Along with Daryl's lessons every other day, they schedule time for the children to learn math, science, English and even history. Although Carl often whines about how 'pointless' it is, even Shane supports the efforts since it keeps the children under close observation.
Beth shows little signs of improvement, and a rotating schedule between Hershel, Maggie, Patricia and Otis is arranged to keep track of her condition. She's talking some, though only rarely, and hardly eats.
One week after Hershel's disastrous trip into town, Otis comes down with a horrendous batch of food poisoning. The poor man is in a bathroom from dawn till dusk, and with Patricia and Hershel having to keep him hydrated, they reluctantly allow some of the others to take shifts caring for Beth. Glenn and Lori pick up the slack, although Andrea approaches Edwin to suggest he should as well.
"We're the only ones who have any experience with what she's going through," she points out. "Between the two of us, you've got the lighter touch."
"We're hardly the only people here who've lost family," Edwin disagrees, uncomfortable with the idea of trying to comfort a teenage girl grieving the death of her mother and brother. His own birth family was nothing to cry over. His parents probably died long before the world ended, and as much as it hurts to admit, the world would probably be a better place without his little brother in it.
"Yes," Andrea acknowledges. "The others have lost family, but none of them reacted the way we did. They grieved, but…"
"We don't know what Beth is thinking," Edwin contradicts her quickly. Although the girl is listless and plainly miserable, she's given no indication she's suicidal. Andrea raises her eyebrows at him, but she doesn't press the issue any further.
Thankfully Otis's illness clears up by evening well enough that he can join them all for dinner. He's pale and shaky and on a strictly broth diet, but everyone is relieved to see him recovering.
"I've been thinking," Rick pipes up once they're all settled at the table. "We should start up shooting lessons again."
"The kids definitely need to know how to protect themselves," Shane agrees.
"You know," T-Dog frowns thoughtfully. "Maybe we should think about getting some bows and arrows, or like a crossbow like Daryl uses. I mean, let's face it, noise draws 'em, right? So long as speed ain't a concern, we'll all be better off learning weaponry that don't make so much sound."
"Can make our own ammo as well," Otis agrees, wiping his mouth and nodding.
"Bullets will run out," Shane jumps in. "We should all start learning how to fight hand to hand, just in case."
It seems the concepts of lessons have spread from the children to the adults. Days are set aside and scheduled for the various skilled members of the group to offer training. Edwin doesn't mind that he's excluded from any of Rick or Shane's lessons, but Carol is livid.
"You need practice just like the rest of us!" She rants. They're outside the RV, Mouse and Carl up in the Greene house playing a board game with Lori, Maggie, Glenn, and T-Dog.
"Carol," Edwin pinches the bridge of his nose. "They're never going to like me. I don't think I'll ever like them. It's okay."
"It isn't!" She whips around to face him, her expression furious. "Don't you see? They just keep hoping something will finish you off, and then they won't have to deal with you anymore!"
He flinches, his own thoughts towards Shane rising up with wisps of guilt. "Look, once things settle down…" He closes his eyes and sighs, shaking his head as he tries to think of how to say it.
"What?" Carol's voice lowers, her body freezing in place.
"My parents-in-law," he finally admits. "They live in a walled community. They might—" He grimaces. "I've been thinking once things settle down I'll find a working RV, something that runs on diesel. Mouse and I can head up there, conflict solved."
Carol's throat works, her expression stunned. "You— You'd just leave?"
"No I—" He shifts uncomfortably. "Look, Shane's never going to accept me, and I don't know if I can accept him. Besides if— if Nelly and Olive made it… They deserve to know what happened to Candance."
It's late afternoon, the air cooling from the hot peak. He isn't sure the precise date, although Hershel's people have been keeping track if he cared to ask. He thinks it's sometime in October, last he knew the day for sure it was late September after all.
"Okay," Carol says slowly, her lips still turned down. "Why don't we take a trip and make sure they're there before you take Mouse?"
Edwin winces, looking out over Hershel's golden fields. He can see the herd of cattle grazing in the distance, chickens roaming near the hen house. This place is practically paradise.
"They live in Virginia."
Carol's sharp breath is about what he expects. He shakes his head and chuckles. "That's not a day trip. It's one way."
"Edwin," she steps forward, grabbing his shoulder and gripping hard. "You can't."
"Would have been an eight hour trip before," he adds with a sad smile. "Trust me Carol, I know. But I don't think we can stay here forever."
"You don't know if they're there!" Carol insists, blue eyes watering with tears.
"It's a walled in community," he repeats. "They sold their old house when Charlotte…" He clears his throat and stares at the ground. "Anyways we bought them a quieter place, and it's off the beaten path. They'd have a better chance making it than most places."
She doesn't respond at once. Then she hugs him fiercely. He hugs her back, letting his forehead rest on her narrow shoulder.
"We'll figure it out," she insists. "Don't rush into anything, alright?"
"No rushing," he chuckles. "Promise."
Whatever Otis had, it's gotten worse. In the days following, he becomes lethargic and weak. Hershel orders him to take it easy, and the rest of the group does their best to pick up the slack. On the third day, however, he can't be roused, and Hershel calls a group meeting.
"I need medical supplies that can't be found in town," he states grimly. "Otherwise, Otis will die."
Rick volunteers at once, which draws cries of protest from Lori and a grimace of displeasure from Shane. As the quarrelling couple move outside the rest of the group resolves the issue on their own.
To Maggie's displeasure Glenn offers to lead the operation, and when Edwin offers to go Andrea and T-Dog swiftly step forward as well. Glenn doesn't want to take more than three people with him, something about a trip to Atlanta that went badly with a large group. Shane just seems relieved that this eliminates any chance of himself or Rick leaving the property.
They spend an hour going over maps with Hershel, pinpointing the nearest clinic that should have what they need in a town to the south of them called Griffin. Considering the urgency of Otis's condition they gear up and decide to head out at once.
Mouse proves the hardest to say goodbye to, despite leaving her in Lori and Carol's capable hands. She screams and cries and tries to scratch herself, beating her fists against his chest and finally collapsing into a sobbing heap. He rocks her in his arms until she's unconscious, then lays her down in the back of the RV.
"We'll take care of her," Dale assures him. "I hope you know that. You're both members of the group."
Edwin isn't sure he believes him, but he thanks Dale all the same. As they pull off the property, he can't stop the tears that come.
They run into trouble almost immediately because nothing can go easily in this new world. The place that Hershel suggested is more than overrun, it's swarmed with so many walkers, they run one over while trying to backtrack. Worse, Otis needs these supplies now, not tomorrow, every hour of delay could cost his life.
They check the backup location, a vet-clinic. Hershel told them the medications and surgery supplies used on animals are mostly those made for humans adapted to animal use. It's not ideal, but their options are limited.
Here, they hit the jackpot, and rather than trying to determine what they can use, they just load everything into the big white truck Rick and Shane brought back from town. When they're close to being done, Edwin pulls everyone into a group huddle.
"I think we should get another car and load that up with the leftover supplies. There's also a library on the east side of Griffin I want to check out."
"We don't have the time to spare," Glenn disagrees. "It's nearly dark, if we hit another place we'll have to stay somewhere until morning."
"I know," Edwin acknowledges. "That's why one of us should head back to the farm with what we already have."
It's a controversial idea. Glenn is clearly uncomfortable with splitting the group. Andrea is all for it, pointing out that they will need information about electrical maintenance and other esoteric subjects if they expect to maintain the lifestyle they have on the farm.
In the end, they persuade Glenn to take the truck back after they've secured a new vehicle for themselves, though he insists that the rest of them stick together.
"Besides," Glenn points out. "You're going to have to stay the night out here, and with only two people, it will be hard to keep watch."
He reviews the route back to the farm with them, then gives final admonishments to be careful. "I mean seriously guys," Glenn grumps, "Mouse is going to kill me if you don't make it back."
"Mouse wouldn't kill you," Andrea objects. "She'd just drown you in tears."
"You think I could survive that?" Glenn scoffs. "I'd kill myself from the guilt."
Edwin and Andrea stare at him for a long moment, watching horror dawn in his eyes. "Oh God," the young man mutters. "I mean not like— not 'kill' kill myself, um—"
Andrea bursts out laughing, and Edwin soon follows. Even T-Dog starts chuckling when Glenn stammers, his cheeks flushed with red. They reassure him it's fine, and with a few pats to his shoulder, they send him off.
They stop by a hunting store on the way to their destination and clear half the remaining inventory. Battery run headlamps, all the remaining bows, arrows and crossbows regardless of quality. Heavy duty backpacks, socks, hiking shoes. They have to leave room for their planned stop at the library, but they try not to leave anything of value behind.
By the time they reach the library itself, it's nearly dark, so they close themselves up in one of the offices and take turns keeping watch. When morning comes, they're sleep deprived but eager to get started. Equipping the headlamps, they secure the building, then search for any books covering the subjects they need.
"I'll find us some good history books," T-Dog offers. He pats Edwin on the shoulder. "What do ya say you grab us those electricity books."
"Not that type of scientist," Edwin states dryly. "But sure, I'll do what I can."
"I'll check out the sections on hunting and camping," Andrea says. " I know Daryl knows most of that stuff, but it couldn't help to have more sources."
He meets T-Dog back in the entrance hall, carrying armloads of books. They found boxes in the administrative section to carry them, and there's already a box sitting in the entryway. The titles suggest subjects ranging from water purification to native Georgian plants, with a few philosophy ones tossed on top. Presents for Dale, no doubt. There is no sign of Andrea.
"She's probably off getting more," T-Dog suggests.
"Let's go see if she needs help," Edwin nods.
They find her in the fiction section, holding a novel in hand. When they reach her, she looks up with a sad smile on her face.
"My sister…" She hesitates, staring at the worn cover of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , which shows three characters on the back of a flying creature with the head of an eagle and back of a horse.
"She loved these books," Andrea explains. "I was 'too old' for kid things by the time they came out, but she grew up on them. She would always beg me to go see the movies with her but I never…"
She looks up, her eyes distant. "Do you think they'd have the movies here? Did they ever even finish them?"
Edwin leads the way to the DVD section of the library. They dig up six films, and no evidence that the seventh book was ever made into one. They grab more DVDs for that matter, figuring they can rig up a projector outside to watch in the evenings along with a large selection of novels the three of them can recommend. No one wants to continue struggling through Dale's skimpy collection of subpar literary works he happened to have on hand when the world decided to end.
There's actually another vet clinic just across the street, but it proves a bust. It looks like someone raided it long before they did. They grab whatever supplies escaped notice, extra bandages and clean towels are never amiss, then start their way home.
They pull up to the Greene farm in the middle of the day. When no one rushes to greet them, a frisson of fear swirls in Edwin's gut. He scrambles out of the driver's seat, only to see Daryl waving them down from the top of the RV.
"Mouse is alright," Daryl shouts, nodding to Edwin. "She's in—"
The RV's door bangs open and Mouse crashes into Edwin's side. Her eyes are red, cheeks raw from crying. He crouches down, hugging her tight in relief. Before he can demand to know what happened, Carol emerges, soothing at least one more of his fears.
"What's going on?" Andrea demands, jogging over from the car. "Where is everybody?"
"Oh, it's awful," Carol says, her voice shaking.
"Otis," Daryl calls down.
"Glenn didn't make it back in time?" T-Dog's expression is grim as he joins them.
"Nah, he did," Daryl shakes his head. "Just didn't make a difference."
"He must have drank water contaminated from the well." Carol adds. "It's just a miracle no one was bit."
"Wait," Edwin straightens up. "What do you mean he 'drank contaminated water'?"
"Well, he turned," Carol explains.
The bottom drops from Edwin's stomach. He tries to think back. Surely he told somebody?
"Jenner?" Andrea steps forward, her expression concerned.
"It—" He chokes, looking around at the people he's come to care for in the past weeks. It takes him several deep breaths before he can get the words out.
"It doesn't matter how you die." He rasps, his eyes burning. As they look at him in horror, he adds, "We're all going to turn."
END NOTE: As always any and all feedback is welcome, including critique as long as it is politely worded!
