Red River Blue
Chapter 22
Sam tried not to laugh as he quickly packed his bag. He could hear his Uncle Merle yelling at him from inside the bathroom. It sounded like the man hadn't realized yet that Sam locked him in on purpose. Because despite the excessive cursing, he didn't sound angry. Or at least not any angrier than normal. At this point, he was just yelling to tell Sam the fucking door was stuck. Sam grabbed Merle's extra gun from his bedside table, thinking that since the man was already going to be level eleven pissed at him for stinking up the bathroom and then locking him inside, stealing the man's gun wouldn't make it any worse. Sam popped the clip out, checking to make sure it was fully loaded before he stuck the gun in the back of his belt. Then he grabbed the extra clip and stuffed that into his pocket.
"LET ME OUT OF HERE YOU LITTLE SHIT!," Merle hollered.
Sam cringed as he stepped over the chair he used to wedge the bathroom door shut and headed towards the door, swinging his pack onto his back. He grabbed his crossbow from the floor and swung that carefully behind his pack. The side pocket of his bag was already filled with extra bolts. And he had a large hunting knife in a sheath on his belt. He swiped his blonde hair out of his eyes and eased the door open, peeking outside to make the coast was clear before he stepped out and started hauling ass towards the emergency exit that led out under Hilltop's high walls.
The herd of walkers was easy to follow. Even someone without any training could have seen the trampled bushes and broken branches that came with leading such a large group of the dead through a wooded area. But eventually, the herd was broken off into smaller groups. Sam slowed down, making sure he was walking quietly and watching the area around him to ensure that none of the dead or the people that were controlling them were lingering around. The last thing he wanted was to be caught by these lunatics. Sam stopped at a shallow creek, leaning down and cupping a few sips of water in his hands. His mom would get fussy with him about not boiling it first. But Sam knew his dad did the same thing all the time when she wasn't around to scold him. The only person he'd ever seen actually get sick off drinking creek water was his cousin Harley.
Standing up, Sam used his knife to take out a stray walker that had wandered a little too close to him for comfort. The walker was a man. And he looked about Sam's height. As Sam watched the body flop in the dirt near his feet, he got an idea. Sam set his pack down and pulled his shirt off. Then he wriggled out of his pants. Carefully pulling the clothes off the rotted corpse, he took an experimental sniff. The clothes stunk like walker rot. He had covered himself in walker gore before, to escape their notice. Everyone he knew had done it at least once or twice. But hearing how Lydia's people blended in made him think. He was going to have to slip past a whole herd of the dead to get to Lydia. He knew he was going to have to do something to help him escape their notice. But maybe he didn't need to cover himself in disgusting slop? Maybe just the stink of the used clothes would be enough? Sam pulled them on, switching out his belt to hold the pants up since they were a little big on him. He packed his own clothes away in his bag. Swinging it back up into his back, he crossed the small stream. He could smell himself. And he actually stunk quite badly. Like rotten meat and walker funk.
Sam let the next walker he saw get a little closer to him. He gripped his knife in his hand just in case. But the thing just shuffled by him, not taking much notice of him at all. He grinned. His plan worked. They couldn't smell him. Now, he just needed to figure out where Lydia's group was. He assumed they were in the middle of this walker mess somewhere. But as he moved further into the woods, he still wasn't sure where. There were walkers everywhere. And he was starting to get nervous that people might be mixed in with the shuffling brainless beings, disguised as part of the herd. He didn't want to be caught by surprise by any of them.
When he spotted a tree that had a lower hanging branch, Sam jumped up and caught it. He pulled himself up into the tree, climbing high enough that he had a good view of the area. His eyes widened when the biggest walker he's ever seen passed by directly under him. He watched the creature, suddenly realizing that it was walking with more purpose than a typical walker. When the creature stopped and scratched the back of its head, Sam realized he had climbed the tree just in time. It wasn't a walker at all. It was a giant beast of a man, disguised as one of the dead. Sam climbed higher, watching where the man went. The man passed by two more walkers, stopping a moment and speaking to them in a low hushed whisper. They headed towards Sam, passing under his tree. While the big man kept going, heading deeper into the woods. As soon as he was sure they were far enough away that he wouldn't be spotted, Sam eased himself down out of the tree and headed in the direction the big man went.
Lydia pulled her shirt tighter around her body, tucking her arms in and she slumped down against a tree. She always chose a different spot to sleep. One that was as far away from the main living area of the group as she felt was safe. She tucked her legs in close, resting her chin on her knee. Her body had been running on adrenaline for most of the day. Her mother seemed convinced by the lies Lydia told her. But there was no telling what the woman might do. Lydia's arm still burned where her mother beat her. Punishment for getting herself caught. But Lydia suspected her mother was more angry that she showed back up with a full belly and clean clothes. That she accepted the kindness of those people. The only kindness anyone had shown her in as long as she could remember.
Lydia closed her eyes. She wanted to sleep, but her mind was swirling with conflicting emotions. She tried to force the thoughts away. But they kept coming. Images of what her life could be like in a place like Hilltop. What Sam's lips felt like pressed against hers. The gentle smile his Aunt River gave her when she set their breakfast in front of them. Sam's people were good people. She felt it. And they were willing to accept her. She felt that too. Their group was a motley crew, containing people from all different walks of life. Lydia could fit in with them as just another member of their oddly matched little family.
Lydia liked the little fema trailers they were living in. It seemed somewhere between life before the outbreak and what her life was now. And just for a moment, she allowed herself to imagine her future there. Maybe she and Sam would get their own trailer someday. They would live close to his family, so he could still see them every day. And Lydia overheard one of the kids asking for a kitten. Maybe she could get a kitten. Lydia always wanted a pet. Back before the outbreak. But her mom would never let her get one. She said she wasn't responsible enough. For a moment, Lydia had a clear picture in her mind. She was cooking eggs for breakfast. She'd never cooked eggs in her life. But she was sure that she could learn. Her tabby cat was rubbing between her ankles when Sam moved in behind her and kissed her good morning. He smelled the way he smelled when he kissed her through the barred door. Like laundry soap and peaches. He smelled like home.
"Don't scream, it's only me…"
Despite the warning not to scream, Lydia shrieked, fighting against the hand that had come down unexpectedly over her mouth. It wasn't the first time someone attacked her while she was trying to sleep. A man in their group did it a few times. Lydia told her mother. And her mother told her she was weak and that the man did to her was her own fault. But Lydia didn't see the man around after that. She also stopped sleeping in the same spot. To make it harder to find her.
"I'm sorry," Sam whispered, jerking his hand away. "I didn't mean to scare you."
Lydia turned to look at him, her eyes widening. So many questions were running through her mind. How did he get here? And why?
"They'll kill you if they catch you here!," she whispered back.
"I don't care," he declared, pulling her against his chest. Lydia's body went stiff. But she quickly relaxed into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging Sam as hard as he was hugging her. Before she knew what was happening, her lips were pressed against his. Only this time, there was no barred door between their bodies. He released his grip on her momentarily, shrugging off the straps of his backpack and letting it drop to the ground behind him without breaking their kiss. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her hips flush against his. She felt like she ought to be uncomfortable, as tight as Sam was squeezing her. But in his strong arms, she found herself wishing instead that he would hold her even tighter. And that she was closer to him. The kiss they shared before was her first. And Lydia was shocked by how much she liked it. When his tongue flicked across her lips, she found herself parting them eagerly to accept it. He moaned into her mouth as their tongues tangled up together. And she could feel the vibration in his throat all the way down to the tips of her toes.
His hands slid under her shirt, stroking up the bare skin of her back. And then his hand circled around, slipping between them to cup her breast. She'd rid herself of her bra before he arrived. And when the rough pad of his thumb brushed against her nipple she rocked her hips against him. Lydia didn't object when he shifted his body, pulling her down onto the ground with him. But she gasped in surprise when he pushed her shirt up and sucked her nipple into his mouth.
"Did that hurt you?," he asked, pulling his head back. Lydia shook her head before she realized that it was so dark out now that he probably couldn't see her gesture.
"No," she whispered, "...it didn't hurt. It feels good."
Emboldened by her response, he ducked his head back down, burying his face in her breasts. He used his mouth and his hands, kneading her small breasts and flicking his tongue over her nipples until they were hard throbbing little points and her hips were rocking against his. She could feel his need, hard against her thigh. And instead of being afraid, she felt herself rocking into him, desperate for some friction between her legs. Her movements were unsure and timid. But she slid her hand down, gently grabbing him through his pants. Her hand on his dick broke the last bit of restraint between them. And the next thing she knew, her pants were being drug down her legs. And instead of fighting the boy off, like she thought she ought to be doing, Lydia was kicking her legs to get her pants off faster as she reached for his zipper.
She could feel the hard packed dirt against her bare ass when his weight came down on top of her. Sam kissed her as his hand slid between them, guiding his hard length inside her. She braced herself, remembering the pain that came the last time someone penetrated her. But this time, it didn't hurt. And instead of trying to wriggle away, she spread her legs arched into him.
"Are you okay?," he asked. "Do you want me to stop?"
"Don't stop," she gasped, her voice low and breathless. She felt him take a deep breath before he buried his face in her neck and began to move his hips. His movements were jerky and unpracticed. It took them both a minute to catch the rhythm in each other's hips. And then she felt a weird heated sensation flood her insides. Almost like she was having a muscle spasm in between her legs. The feeling was unfamiliar. But not unpleasant. Lydia held onto Sam as he pushed into her more roughly then before. He moaned into her neck before collapsing on top of her. When their breathing returned to normal, they both began groping for their discarded clothes. Lydia wasn't sure what he would do now that they engaged in such an intimate act. And she was grateful when he gathered her back into his arms and held her as tightly as before.
"I love you," he whispered. Lydia didn't respond, but she clutched him tighter as she felt emotions swell. The last person to tell her he loved her was her dad before he died.
"You better go before they catch us," Lydia warned, though she had no desire to release her grip on him.
"Come home with me," he said. He didn't order her. Or beg her. He just said the words. In the same tone as he said he loved her. And Lydia wanted nothing more than to do as Sam asked. And go home with him. Forever. But there was a problem with that. Her mother.
"They'll come after me," Lydia whispered, her heart nearly breaking as she forced herself to speak. "I don't wanna make more trouble for you or your family. I think you better just go. Maybe I can sneak away later to see you."
"Okay," Sam agreed. "Lemme hold you for just another minute and then I'll go." Lydia hummed her approval of this, snuggling in close and resting her head on his chest. And before she knew what had happened, it was morning. Lydia looked up to see her mother standing over them with a smirk on her face.