I Am Here (TWD)

Part 11

I rubbed the dirt and moss off of the rock I picked up, putting it in the wheelbarrow. That's when I hear the engine of Daryl's motorcycle, followed by Shane's new ride and the Rv. I make my way back up to the porch where everyone was gathering, it's like a family reunion without the fights.

"How is he?" Asked Dale.

"He'll pull through." Lori says and I smiled. "Thanks to Hershel and his people-"

"And Shane." Rick says. "We would have lost Carl if it weren't for him."

Dale looks at Shane as if he's reading him, he must know then...Shane is suspicious, always. Don't think I didn't notice the little marks on his head, I know what pulling hair looks like. Someone was holding on for dear life.

Lori gives Carl a hug, Dale gives Rick a hug, I raised my brows at Daryl.

"You want one too?" I asked, He scoffed with a slight smile and I chuckled. "I'll hug you one day."

"Yeah, we'll see about that." He says, I think I'm making it through his soul.

"How'd it happen?" Asked Dale.

"Hunting accident. That's all. Just a stupid accident." Rick says.

~
I take out a sharpie and write on the small rock in my hand. Only my brother would be able to read it, its in Thai. I placed it on Otis' mural, rest easy. I turned back around and most faces questioned me, especially Shane, he is all types of suspicious right now. I stand next to my brother again, leaning on his shoulder for support.

"Blessed be god." Hershel began. "Father of our lord, jesus christ. Praise be to him, for the gift of our brother, Otis, for his span of years, for his abundance of character, Otis, who gave his life to save a childs, now more than ever, our most precious asset. We thank you god for the peace he enjoys in your embrace. He died as he lived, in grace. Shane, will you speak for Otis?"

He looks startled by Hershel, now that's suspicious. "I'm not good at it. I'm sorry."

"You were the last one with him." Patricia sobbed. "You shared his final moments. Please. I need to hear. I need to know that his death had meaning."

"Okay." He kinda whispers. "We we're almost done. Almost out of ammo. We we're down to pistols by then. I was limping, it was bad. Ankle all swollen up. 'We've got to save the boy'. See that's what he said. He gave me his backpack and shoved me ahead. 'Run' he said, 'I'll take the rear, I'll cover you.' And when I looked back...if not for Otis, I would have never made it out of there alive."

He picked up a rock and put it on the headstone of other rocks. "And that goes for Carl too. It was Otis. He did that for both of us. If any death ever had meaning, it was his."

He stares at my rock for a moment, before turning back, sus. After the service, we needed to get camp set up, we also need to search for Sophia its been three days and we are a mess.

"Hey, can you grab that?" Asked Glenn.

"What? Yeah." I grabbed the wood next to me, handing it to him. "Firepit?"

"Yeah, it'll keep us warm during the night since winter is coming." He says.

"Its almost winter?!" I exclaim.

He makes a face. "Yeah?"

"It's almost our birthday." I clapped excitedly.

"I'm confused..."

"My brother and I, I'm about to turn 17, he will turn 18." I smiled.

"But you said 'our'.." he's more confused than before.