Her Soldier (Maggie Greene)

Chapter 3

Noel's POV:

I pull back my string and wait for the right opportunity then slowly let out a breath before releasing. The arrow flies through the air, heading right towards a Buck and it embeds into its neck killing it.

"Good to see you haven't forgotten your roots," Merle chuckles slapping my back proudly and I scoff. Lose my roots? Yeah right.

"Please. Hunting's in my blood, Merle. It won't just go away because I'm in the military," I respond nudging him slightly with a playful glare and Daryl chuckle beside me.

"That's gonna last us awhile," Daryl comments as we walk over to the dead Buck. I set my boot on the buck's neck and pulled out my arrow then cleaned it before putting it in my quiver.

"Yeah it will," I respond sliding my arm through my bow string so I can help my brother pick it up.

"So how's everything going, Noel? With being back home" Uncle Jess softly asks and I stop briefly for a second before continuing forward helping Daryl with the buck.

"It's been good so far. Just trying to get accustomed to being home and not in the war," I reply stepping over a log. We've been out here for two days. Friday, Saturday, and we're finally on Sunday.

So far we caught a few squirels and bunnies. Merle decided that we should hunt one more time before leaving and whatya know we got oursleves a buck.

"That's good, kid. Still seeing that therapist, kid?" Uncle Jess says then questions making me eye him slightly before glancing at my older brother who's staring at me in disbelief.

"You're seeing a bozo that tries to tell you how you feel?" Merle questions making me sigh heavily and lift the buck onto Daryl's truck.

I turn to face them. "Yes, Merle. It helps me cope with what happened. I've been getting better. It's slow but I'm getting better," I respond getting a little defensive of it.

A big hand slowly touches my back and I turn seeing Daryl giving me a soft smile. "I'm glad you're getting better, Noel. That's all we want," he says and gave a side eye to Merle.

"Yeah, Saint Noel. If you want to see those therapists then go ahead. As long as it's what you want not what somebody else wants," Merle spoke up making my eye twitch slightly from the nickname.

I shake my head with a small chuckle, "thanks and by the way still hate that nickname, prick." He laughs and messes up my hair.

"Yeah well, I ain't gonna stop anytime soon, Saint Noel," Merle responds with a smirk making me flip him off and fix my hair while rolling my eyes in annoyance.

Daryl just laughs at us with Uncle Jess. "Alright let's go before that buck turns south and we won't be able to eat it," Uncle Jess spoke up after having a small laugh. We all load up in the truck or in Merle's case his chopper before heading back to the cabin.

After a few hours of draining the Buck and cutting it into slabs of meat, I headed home with a few packages of meat.

There's a bunch of recipes I can try out with this meat. I hum slightly to the music that's playing from the radio of my truck.

Tomorrow I start my new job as an employee for the hardware store. It doesn't sound too bad. It's money so that's a good thing. And it helps to pass the time.

I pull into my reserved parking spot to the apartments and turned off my truck then got out with my things. Which consisted of the packages that I put my duffel bag then grabbed my tent bag, and my cross bow case.

I lock my truck before heading inside my apartment building. Yelling can be heard coming from the owner's office.

"You're a worthless piece of shit! And a sorry excuse of an owner!" I hear Charlotte yell out followed by the Jones.