odiare - D. D

03

three

Everyone sat around the campfire, settling in for the day, relieved to see each other again. With her eyes fixed on the campfire, Harriet was lying on her mother's lap. The newcomer introduced himself as Rick. Rick was in a coma when this all occurred, and Shane believed he was dead. Rebecca clutched her knees to her chest and peered over at Rick.

Trying to figure him out, Lori had the same shocked expression as when she first saw him earlier today. Merle was handcuffed to the roof by Rick and left there, according to T-Dog's confession to Rebecca of what happened during the earlier run. She thought it served him right since he was an asshole to everybody in camp. She pictured Daryl, his brother, who was out hunting for the camp and was just as obnoxious as him. She rubbed her eyes, sighing.

As she listened to Rick explain how he got here, she tightened the blanket she had brought from her tent around her body. "When things started to get real bad, they told me at the hospital that they were going to medevac you and the other patients to Atlanta, and it never happened," Lori said to Rick, sometimes glancing in Shane's direction. "Well, I'm not surprised after Atlanta fell," With his arm around her shoulders, Rick responded, "And from the look of that hospital, it got overrun. Yeah, looks don't deceive."

Shane watched the flames, telling Rick, "I barely got them out." "I can't tell you how grateful I am to you, Shane, I can't begin to express it." Rick told Shane, his closest friend. Rebecca looked at Lori suspiciously.

"We're off to bed, goodnight," Claire announced as she gave Harriet a gentle prod on the side and assisted her to her feet. As she led her to the tents, everyone murmured "good night."

Everyone turned to look at Ed, who was far from the campfire that was already burning and was shoving a large log into it. "Hey Ed, you want to rethink that log?" Shane shouted out toward him. "It's cold, man." Ed carelessly replied, chilling out in his seat.

Rebecca rolled her eyes at the abuser, her heart racing every time she saw Carol return to the camp with new bruises. "It still doesn't change the rules, does it?" Shane continued. "Keep our fires low, just embers. So we can't be seen from a distance, right?"

"I said that it was cold. You should mind your own business for once," Ed repeated, unconcerned. With his hat in hand, Shane got up and went over to the fire that was going for Ed's family. "Hey Ed... Are you sure you want to have this conversation, man?" He softly questioned as everyone remained silent.

"Go on, pull the damn thing out." Carol recoiled at Ed's command. "Go on!" Leaving her blanket behind, she got up from her chair, made her way over to the campfire, and pulled a log out.

After that, Shane put out the fire by stomping on it while squatting down in front of them. "Hey Carol, Sophia, how are y'all this evening?" He asked them in a low voice. Carol glanced over at her daughter and nodded, "Fine, we're just fine." She responded under the watchful eye of her husband. Shane replied, "Okay." Carol continued, "I'm sorry about the fire." Shane smiled at them both, "No apologies needed. Y'all have a good night, okay?" Acting like the amiable, seasoned policeman he once was, he assured them. Carol smiled and murmured a thank you. "I appreciate the cooperation," Shane said as he walked by Ed after standing up.

Everyone around the campfire cast ominous glances in Shane's direction as he sat back down. "Have you given any thought to Daryl Dixon?" Dale asked Shane. "He won't be happy to hear his brother was left behind." T-dog suddenly spoke up, "I'll tell him, I dropped the key, It's on me."He said it while feeling bad. "I cuffed him. That makes it mine," Rick said, his arm still wrapped around Lori's shoulders.

"Guys, it's not a competition. I don't want to bring race into this, but it'll sound better coming from a white guy." Glenn told T-Dog, his eyes planted the fire in the middle. Rebecca chimed in, glancing at Shane and Rick, "Someone's gotta inform him whether his brother is out there or not."