Complicated ✔

Ch. 7 - Daryl Dixon

KATHRYN’S POV

I woke up the next morning alone, Carl had already gotten up and went outside with the others of the group. Getting up, I got dressed in a grey fitted crop top and a pair of blue jean shorts before putting on my Timberlands and walking out of the RV. As I walked out of the RV, and over to where I spotted Carl, I pulled my hair back into a ponytail to keep my neck cool in this early morning Georgia heat while looking around for Dad. “Morning Carl,” I said smiling down at him as I ruffled his brown hair causing him to glare up at me playfully while trying to fix it, “Dad up yet?” “No,” he said shaking his head. “Okay well go play,” I said as I walked around looking for something to do. “Morning,” I heard Glenn call out ahead of me as he waved at me and smiled. “Morning,” I said when I got to him, “I didn’t get to ask you yesterday or last night but did you get me a hat like you promised?”
He laughed before shaking his head and motioning for me to follow him as he walked over to where his own tent was. Once by the tent, he disappeared inside for a moment before coming back out and pulling my own baseball cap out from behind his back. “Thank you,” I said smiling as I sat the hat on my head and pulled my ponytail through the hole in the back where you’d adjust the fitting of the hat to your head. I smiled up at him before glancing over at where Lori was standing by the laundry to see that Dad was finally awake and standing in front of her with his back to me while talking. “You glad you’re dad’s back,” Glenn asked drawing my attention away from them and back to him. “Very,” I said nodding just as we heard a scream.

GLENN’S POV

I looked to Kathryn and she glanced back to me with panic clear in her eyes. “Stay here,” I said and went to run by her but she started moving too. “Kathryn,” I said grabbing ahold of her arm and stopping her, causing her to look at me as well. “That’s my little brother’s scream Glenn,” she said trying to glare but I think her worry had the best of her at that time. “Please,” I said, “stay here where it’s safe.” I watched as she managed to pull a glare at me while crossing her arms, but didn’t make a move to follow me. I managed a weak smile in her direction before turning and following after Rick, Lori, and the others towards the screams back in the woods near the camp.

KATHRYN’S POV

Lori, Carl, Carol, and Sophia came back up to where I stayed put upon Glenn’s request shortly after Dad, Dale, Jim, Glenn, Shane, and Morales went to find the problem. As soon as his eyes landed on me, Carl pulled out of his mother’s arms and came running straight for me. I opened my arms in time to catch him as he threw himself into my hold and held on tightly. I felt him burry his head just under my chest as my hands instinctively wrapped around the back of his head to hold him close. “Carl what was it,” I asked in a quiet whisper. My fingers absentmindedly running through his short brown hair trying to calm him down. “I-i-it was a walker,” he whispered against me as he held on tighter around my midsection. “It’s okay Carl,” I said trying to calm him down, “it ain’t gonna get you. You know that buddy. Go on over to the RV with your mom, I’ll be there in a moment.”

At that moment, after pushing my brother in the direction of his mother, when I turned back around to face the direction everyone had went in while I waited for Dad and Glenn to come back, one person came into my line of sight first, Daryl Dixon. I normally tried to keep from getting caught staring at him, and really I wasn’t exactly staring this time, but for once I managed to lock eyes with the man as he passed. My eyes moved with him, never breaking eye contact as my head turned to the side to watch him pass by. The contact only broke when he was too far out of my sight. When I looked back to where I had originally been staring, Dad was walking up out of the woods, Glenn not too far behind him. “I’m alright,” Dad said as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders while I leaned into him as we walked after Daryl.