The Mini Badass

Chapter 23

The next morning we buried Dale next to the others we've lost. Rick was chosen to say a few words about the man.

"Dale could- could get under your skin. He sure got under mine, because he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought, how he felt. That kind of honesty is rare and brave. Whenever I'd make a decision, I'd look to Dale. He'd be looking back at me with that look he had. We've all seen it one time or another. I couldn't always read him but he could read us. He saw people for who they were. He knew things about us-- the truth, who we really are."

"In the end he was talking about losing our humanity. He said this group was broken. The best way to honor him is to unbreak it. Set aside our difference and pull together, stop feeling sorry for ourselves and take control of our lives, our safety, our futures."

"We're not broken. We're gonna prove him wrong."

"From now on we're gonna do it his way. That is how we honor Dale."

<3

After the funeral Hershel decided it's time for the rest of the group to move into the house. So I'm currently helping Carl move into my room where he's gonna sleep on the floor.

As I'm setting up the air mattress Hershel gave us Carl tells me he needs to go talk to Shane and he soon leaves.

I'm finished the mattress by the time he gets back but he looks a little shaken up. "You okay?" I ask, throwing myself onto the air mattress.

"It's my fault."

"What is?" I ask again, adjusting to get comfortable. "Dale, it's my fault." He repeats, sitting down next to me. 

"No it's not." I tell him but his gaze stays on the floor. "Carl, did Shane say something?"

"What?" He says turning to me. "No."

"The walker that bit Dale, I saw it in the woods." The blue eyed boy tells me, looking back to the floor. "I was going to shoot it, but then it got free." He tells me and my heart drops. 

"Carl are you-" I ask, cutting myself off as I can't say it. "I'm not bit." He says and relief washes over me. "I ran, I ran like a coward."

"If I had just-" I stop him, covering his mouth with my hand. "If you hadn't ran, you'd probably be bit or dead." I tell him, lowering my hand. "You did the right thing."

"But Dale's dead."

"And that's not on you."

<3

Afternoon hits when panic fills the farm.

Randall's missing.

"Missing how?" Lori ask T-Dog, her hands on Carl and my shoulders. "He ain't there." T-dog tells the woman.

"How long?" Andrea asks coming out of the barn. "Hard to tell, the cuffs are still there, he must've slipped em." Rick tells us and I rub my hands across my face.

"Rick!" Shouting from the woods make me jump. A bloody Shane emerges still shouting for his friend.

"What happened?" Lori asks, leaving Carl and I. "He's armed, he's got my gun!" Shane shouts, ignoring Lori and marching towards us. 

"Are you okay?" Carl asks and I grab my gun from my waistband. "I'm fine. Little bastard snuck up on me. Clocked me in the face."

"Alright Hershel, T-Dog get everyone in the house!" Rick shouts his orders. "Glenn, Daryl come with us."

"Ains I'm gonna need that gun." Shane says marching up to me. Keeping my eyes on the man I reach to my left, grabbing Glenn and giving him my gun.  "Don't freeze."