Solitude -> The Walking Dead

62

"Brought you some casserole that Carol made."

Abby handed it to me as I lowered my rifle. I've been on patrol for a couple hours now. Took down a few walkers but other than that, it was quiet.

"Thanks," I opened the container, "shouldn't you be at school or something?"

I leaned against the watch tower wall and started eating. A hum of delight left my lips at Carol's cooking. The woman knew how to cook.

Abby smiled. "In the afternoon."

Her hair was braided into one long braid. I didn't have to ask to know it was Dakota who had braided it. She was always more skillful in it than I was.

"Anyone caught your eye? I think Carl mentioned an Enid." I spoke up.

Abby rolled her eyes before leaning on the wall opposite of me. I took another bite and glanced at the walls making sure everything's in order.

Last thing I need is something going wrong on my watch. I'd never hear the end of it.

"Carl mentioned Enid because he totally has a thing for her." She explained.

Huh, I don't think I've ever seen that boy interested in anyone before. But to be fair, I was rooting for him and Abby most of that time.

"And you don't?" I shot back.

Abby shrugged. "She's kinda odd, not my type."

I hummed before putting down the container with casserole so I could shoot down a walker I saw coming closer to our walls. Abby waited for me to do one more sweep of the area before speaking again.

"I've been hanging out with Tara a lot, though."

My eyes narrowed as I continued eating my food. I didn't think I'd have to worry about Abby's love life for at least a couple more years but it was bound to happen eventually.

"Uh-uh, way too old for you." I argued.

Not that I could throw much of a fuss there, Rick was older than me. It wasn't a huge age difference but it was there. Maybe we just had a thing for older guys. Or you know, girls.

Abby groaned. "Hanging out as friends, you pervert."

I shrugged at her annoyance. If she wanted to make gay friends that were older than her, she could've gone with Aaron and Eric.

Though Aaron and Daryl had gone on their first recruitment trip together already.

Abby looked around before sighing. I finished my casserole and wiped my mouth. That was a sigh that I was quite familiar with. There was something on her mind.

"Do you think we can live here? Everyone seems kind of... soft." She said.

Soft, weak, pushovers. If they were put outside these walls, they would be struck down immediately. Yet they got lucky with this place.

"They're different, haven't had to go through what we did so they live by different morals." I said.

Or as I like to call it, living by the standards of a forgotten world. Their morals, though somewhat admirable, weren't fit for this world.

Not anymore.

Abby frowned. "What if we can't adapt to them?"

I swallowed a lump in my throat as she asked the one question I've been asking myself this whole time. The truth is, I was scared to find out what they would do to those of us who couldn't play along.

"We have to try if we want something better. I don't agree with most of their propaganda but if we can keep this as our home, then it's worth it." I said.