𝐇𝐀𝐙𝐀𝐑𝐃 │ 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐘𝐋 𝐃𝐈𝐗𝐎𝐍 ¹ [✔]

[12]: thank you

We had been at the camp for a two weeks now, and I had become quite accustomed to their agenda. I mostly did the washing and repairing of clothes. I usually had to repair my own clothes back when I worked at "The Castle".

I hadn't told anyone of my past, and whenever they asked, I tried my best to change the subject. I would usually talk about what I did before my parents died. My horse riding, my life in school, and anything that was before I turned sixteen.

I had grown close to many of the women, especially Lori and Carol. I got along with Carl as well. Shane and Glenn were nice to me. The only problem was that I found it hard to talk every day. I tried and I tried, but I just couldn't bring out any words. I didn't know why, but I think it's the fact that my brain went into survival mode. As if my brain was telling me not to trust anyone.

I did make a lot of effort to try to talk to Daryl though. It usually consisted of "Thank you"s for all the squirrels that he caught. I didn't see anyone else thanking him, but I always made sure to do it myself.

He didn't really talk to me as well, my efforts to talk to him, were usually replied with deep hmphs and mhmm. I didn't mind, though.

Today, Daryl was setting off early in the morning to go on a hunting trip, and later on, some people were going to Atlanta for supplies (and Merle would be one of those people, despite his inability to sometimes work with others.).

I wanted to see them all off as they left, and that meant getting up early.

+

I lay awake on my cot in my tent. It was dark, but I could tell that it was slowly becoming day. I put on a large jacket that Carol had given me, (over my jeggings and button-up) because the morning cold was setting in. The jacket was quite big, and went past my hands and reached my mid-thigh.

I walked out of my tent and stretched my arms. My sides ached every day, and I was sure that my injuries would be permanent. My black bruises had died down, and I was left with vain-like marking were left there. Kind of like the bruises you would see on a lightning strike victim. I thought that usually didn't happen when you got tazed, but I just put it down to me being pale and weak.

I looked round and saw that no one was up, but I saw Shane sitting atop the RV, taking a watch. He waved slightly, and I waved back yawning. I walked over to the put-out camp-firethat was nothing but darkened wood. I grabbed a water-bottle and drank from it, waiting for anyone to get up.

Soon enough, as I was staring aimlessly into the burnt wood, Daryl approached the campfire, crossbow and arrows in hand.

"Wha' you doin' up?" he asked. I was slightly taken back that he noticed that I normally alate-sleeper. I set down my water bottle, as he sat down across from me to do something with his crossbow... I wasn't really sure. I rubbed my eyes, and though of what to say.

"Seeing you off?" I tried. He looked at me through his eyebrows, then scoffed and smirked.

"Alrigh''" he said slightly amused. I adjusted myself to sit on the floor so that my back was against the log.

"Doing my usual thank yous," I continued, hoping he would hear my small voice.

"Like ya' always do," he said more confidently. He looked up to me from his crossbow for a moment, squinting his eyes before they returned to his crossbow.

"Are you staying out there the night?" I asked, and he simply nodded. He finished what he was doing and got up from his seat.

"I'll see ya' tomorrow," he said, and he looked conflicted and stalled like he wanted to say something more. I looked at him expectantly.

"I'll bring ya' back a rabbit," then he left into the woods.

I smiled to myself. Daryl knew that I preferred Rabbit to Squirrel, and we had been scarce of any Rabbits lately. I would have to thank him more than I usually did if he succeeded. I watched as his figure disappeared into the woods, turning into a dark shape, then turning into nothing.

+

Later on, it was time to wave off the people going to Atlanta. I first gave a small wave to Merle, who didn't return it. Then I walked over to Glenn.

I gave him a hug like I always did before he went anywhere. He didn't have any family, so I tried to be his family.

"Look out for DC, we don't have as much as we do Marvel," I smiled. He returned the smile and ruffled my hair in a brotherly fashion, before turning around and walking to the cars.

I had never been on a run before, and I didn't intend to any soon. I was much more of a help at camp than out there though I soon hoped I would one day be able to be.

Later into the day, everyone was going about their business. Dale was doing his rounds on the RV, some of the women were cooking food, and Amy was collecting some forest gatherings. Though she wasn't sure whether they were poisonous or not.

I was currently fixing one of Carl's shoes, whilst he sat beside me in on the ground playing with some toy cars. I knew he was young, but I didn't really think that toy cars entertained him anymore. That's why I tried to get him into simple and wordy games. Normally we would just discuss what we thought about things. Today we were discussing what type of people we would associate with certain names.

"What about..." he paused to think for a moment, "Tom?"

"Regal... kinda like a prince, but more down to earth. Very British," I said, pausing to look at him and smile.

"Hey, Dale, I'm heading out!" Lori shouted suddenly, making me jump, "Carl, I want you to see where Dale can see you... just stay with Marley, be good,"

He nodded at his mom, and I said from behind him, "I got him."

I knew what Lori and Shane got up to in the woods... I was just worried on whether they knew that I knew. I just made sure Carl never left my sight when they did so. I didn't want him walking in on anything.

"What about Lori?" Carl said, as soon as his mother was out of earshot. I thought for a while. I didn't want to tell him the whole truth of what sprang to mind when I heard her name.

"Mother, Pancakes... just the smell of things cooking... what do you think?" I replied. He shrugged his shoulders at my question and I laughed just as I finished fixing his shoe.

"Well, young sir, Thou shoe is repaired," I said. He turned around on his knees and took the shoe from my hands to put it back on his foot.

After putting his shoe on, he stood up and hugged me from where I sat.

"Thank you,"

"Your welcome young sir," I said, ruffling his brown hair.

+

Carl had been taken by Shane to do some rope tying or something... Whilst Lori hung up some clothes behind them.

I knew about Lori's husband, and how he died whilst in a coma. I didn't know what her relationship was like with her husband before. But it must have been rocky if she let him go so easily. But I tried not to snoop around too much.

The radio on the RV started saying things. We were all panicked, and the person on the other line said they were trapped in the department store. I was worried for Glenn, and Merle (for Daryl's sake). Daryl's hardly been gone a day and his brother got himself into some deep shit before the day could end. Shane demanded we not go after them, despite the fact that I would gladly try to muster the courage for us all to go after them. Shane demanded that it was for the sake of the group. Amy did not like this.

The skies were clouding over Atlanta from where I could see it, and I'd hoped that it wouldn't come to the woods, as Daryl would be soaked out there with hardly any cover.