Can you See me up here, in the Trees?

Chapter 11

Rick shared everything with the group, and everyone convened around the fire.

"Kasa shared some information with me, which I have now shared with you. We need to have some sort of plan. Kasa, how have you survived winters before?"

"The snow that lands on the roads we use as water. It's safe to drink as long as it hasn't hit the ground. We use the snow that we gather to get through the winter, but we still have to ration. For food, we have to hunt carefully. Animals won't be out and about as much, the food you collected from the camp... will help. But we have to be cautious. Just like any other year."

"But this year... this year we have the walkers right?" Maggie said, gun in her hand.

"Yeah.. for some reason they haven't followed normal migrations. I'm honestly not sure why."

"Could it have been the camp? All those people in one area?" Michonne spoke. "I don't like to think about it but... that many people could have attracted them."

Carl sat down next to you, handing over your maps and journals. You opened them as everyone discussed options of what changed them.

"No, it wasn't that... the raiders had been there for years and never saw more than a dozen walkers during this time."

"How do you know that?" Rick asked. You held out a journal for him and he took it, looking it over. "So they kept track of them huh? Smart for raiders."

"So it wasn't the group?" Michonne asked.

"No, look," You handed her the map, "Blue lines are us, friendly road ways. The red ones are the usual walker patterns, see? Here is the camp." You gently put your finger on the black x. "It's relatively far from the walker's usual pattern. Even if they did have a wind that blew unfavorably, nothing like the.. Carnage should have happened."

"Then what? What is the cause? The source?" Michonne said, looking at the map. "Wait... you have a massive red x, here. And here. What are they?"

You looked down, shaking your head. Carl gently rubbed your back, giving you a minute.

"After the raiders were attacked... I didn't know. So when I went to do a normal trade. That's when I found the camp, ravaged. I... I scavenged what I could. Thinking everyone was either gone or dead. One of the raiders wasn't... he followed me up into the trees."

"What happened to him?" Daryl asked, his voice gruff but knowing what was coming.

"I shot him... in the head, or so I thought. Days later... he was a walker. I haven't been able to put him down. He stays in one area, never leaving it. Except a few times."

"He could be leading the others, we've seen it before." Carl said, giving you a sad look.

"I know I should have finished him off, so you don't have to say anything."

"We know how hard it can be, taking the life of someone." Rick said, his face showing sympathy. "That's one of the red x's, what's the other one?"

"Some place I haven't gone in a long time. When I first started to make roads, I found it. Something like an old base, military I think."

"Did you ever go in?" Rick pressed.

"No, it's crawling with walkers. The door was busted open, someone probably already raided the place."

"We need to check it out."

You nodded silently. It was time to face your past.

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As soon as the sun started to rise, Daryl, Rick, and you headed out. Carl wasn't happy about not coming, but he understood that he needed to keep an eye out for random walkers with Michonne and Maggie.

A quick farewell kiss was exchanged before you led them further into the forest. It took longer the father you went in. Some of the roads you hadn't kept up, not having as much of a use for them, and the amount of walkers doubled so you had to walk gently.

You made it to the area and motioned for them to stop. The three of you kneeled as you opened a small hatch like window to see down below. If you hadn't prepared them for what they would be up against, they would have been scared.

Walkers were everywhere, barely an inch of ground didn't have some sort of walker on it. They were swarming like a bunch of hornets after you kicked the nest. You motioned two the other two and pointed.

Both of them looked at the walker you were pointing to, the raider you had killed. He was clearly a walker, but he didn't look as far gone as the others. He looked like he still had some form of human consciousness as he stumbled through the crowd of walkers.

Rick motioned to Daryl, who positioned himself with his crossbow, ready to take the shot if needed. Rick then looked at you.

"You said military bunker?" He asked, his voice barely registering to your ears. You nodded in reply. "It kinda looks like one. Do you think if we kill him, then the rest will scatter?"

You shrugged, really not knowing what would happen. Rick took a second to think before he nodded at Daryl. You watched, as if in slow motion, as Daryl lined up the shot and pulled the trigger.

What happened after was three things. The ex-raider fell down, clearly dead. The walkers around it started to look around for the human who could have shot him. Then a blood crudely scream that came from inside the military bunker.

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The three of you had rushed away after that, unsure of what or who was in that bunker, but they clearly weren't happy. You stopped after a bit, taking a moment to catch your breath.

"What the hell was that?" Rick asked, looking at you.

"I have no idea, I've never been down there. But it sounded almost... almost human?"

"Not entirely human. We've heard a scream like that before.. From a walker." Daryl said, thinking. "The walker was seemingly intelligent, and was able to lead others. Maybe it's something similar."

"How would we be able to figure that out?" Rick asked, scratching his head.

"I have an idea." You said, thinking about what you had in storage.

The three of you went back to the huts, Rick sharing what happened and you walked over to your store room hut and started to look around. You had just started into a box you had in the back when Carl came in.

You looked around the tree at him as he closed the door, moving a box to stop anyone from coming in.

"Are we expecting anyone else?" You asked, curious about his actions.

"Wanted some alone time with you. Dad wants to call a meeting over dinner."

"Wanna help me look for something?"

Carl smirked and came over, helping you rummage through boxes till you found what you were looking for. A RC car, batteries and a camera. You put it in a spare box before attempting to stand up. You were however foiled in doing this as Carl pinned you to the floor.

His lips met yours in a searing kiss, making you moan into his mouth. Carl seemed to have gained some confidence as he pushed your pants down and your shirt up. He broke the kiss, gently kissing down the valley between your breast, down your stomach before getting to your core. You were a moaning mess, a willing victim to his ability with his tongue.

It wasn't long before you orgasmed, shuddering under his touch. He gently kissed back up your body to your mouth and the two of you shared a gentle kiss.

He helped you get your clothes back on before carrying the box back to the fire, where a knowing Daryl was smirking at the two of you.