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Making New Friends From Old Enemies

I didn't know who chose the music, but it wasn't that bad. It was mostly tapes from the glove box of the bus, a lot of them about God or Jesus or praying. But they sounded nice.

Rosita leaned over her seat, running her fingers through Abraham's hair fondly. "It's getting a little messy for you."

He smiled through the mirror. "Getting ready for retirement. Relaxing the grooming standards. Thinking about becoming a plumber."

Rosita laughed, "I'll cut it for you tonight."

"Hey, maybe Rosita can give you a trim while she's at it. Party's getting a little long in the back. Or is it your source of power?" Tara joked to Eugene.

I didn't think he was listening until he said, "I ain't slaying a lion anytime soon."

I stopped listening to their conversation. My hair was starting to get a little long, I thought. It had been a few months now since Beth last cut it. But that wasn't what I wanted to think about. My mind kept wandering back to Carl. I wondered what he was doing right now. Was he safe? Did Daryl and Carol return? Were they behind us right now?

At my last question, I glanced out the back window, seeing nothing but empty road. Maggie seemed to notice. It had been the third time I checked in the last hour.

"Maybe they're just behind us. Maybe Daryl and Carol came back. Maybe they took the map, found some cars and they're just down the road." She told me hopefully. I knew watching out the window wouldn't change anything and I rested back in my seat.

We drove past a small herd, maybe about twenty or so, and I turned my head to watch as we went past. I sort of felt like I was in a trance, feeling like one of the walkers had stared directly at me. I was snapped out of it by a sudden bang, the bus wheels skidding as smoke rose from the front. As it cleared, Abraham saw we were almost at a car wreck, quickly swerving to dodge it. The bus tipped to the side as it sped, flipping onto the ground and coming to a full stop. I felt my head bang against the window, warm blood dripping into my eye. I blinked at it, my vision turning red.

"Eugene!" I heard from Abraham at the front. I sat myself up and winced at the pain in my head, pressing a hand against it to slow the bleeding.

"Here, let me look at you." Glenn coughed the smoke from his lungs, reaching across to inspect my head. He ripped off a chunk of cloth and held it against the wound.

My muscles ached as I pulled myself into a sitting position. Only now did I hear the walkers slamming their hands against the windows. I scanned the broken bus, seeing Tara helping Maggie up and Rosita checking Eugene. We were alive.

"We gotta get out of here." I muttered. I looked through the glass, trying to find a way out but we were surrounded.

"All right, you and I go first, knock 'em back." Glenn relayed his plan to Abraham in the front seat. "Clear the way for Maggie and Rosita to get out, then we all start hitting them, okay?"

Me and Tara would keep an eye on Eugene, making sure he got out safely and covering him from any walkers. Abraham kicked his feet against the door, forcing the walkers to stumble back as he and Glenn raised their weapons, stabbing the nearest ones. Maggie and Rosita followed, Tara standing by the open door as I waited back with Eugene.

Arms suddenly started grabbing at me, seeing a broken window with a walker trying to get in. I struggled against it, reaching for knife in my belt until Tara brought her weapon down, releasing me. I nodded in thanks before getting past it, encouraging Eugene to follow. He just looked around in fear. "Eugene, come on. It's sucks, I get it. But nows not the time to be scared."