Our Life (Sequel to "Remnants")

Old Friends

-Riley-

Carl and I walk for several more minutes in silence. I mentally contemplate my situation - when I get back to the camp, I'll be asked questions, most likely along with everyone else.

But what if someone saw me last night? What if the only thing they know is that I was walking around with a gun on the same night that Deanna's son - someone who I've had a history of hating - was murdered?

Things didn't look good for me, but at least I had people that would defend me. Carl, for starters, certainly would not let me get punished for something I didn't do, and I had also forged a strong friendship with Michonne, Tyreese and Sasha during the past nine months.

I suppose in this situation I should also thank my hatred toward killing other humans - if it came to it, I could defend myself by reminding everyone about how I reacted when I was forced to kill the old man yesterday.

Things could be worse, I suppose - but they could be a whole lot better too.

Eventually, the two of us came across a small collection of tents strewn around in a large, churned field.

Water-logged following yesterday's unexpectedly harsh storm, the two of us wading across the marsh-like terrain proved to be both difficult, but also pleasantly amusing for us.

We had nearly reached the tents, when Carl stumbled on a large tree root protruding from the ground. I couldn't control my laughter as he collapsed on his hands and knees in the thick mud.

"Ah shit," he groaned with a grin, glad that we were finally having some degree of fun.

And for me, at least, I was having fun - quite a bit in fact, given that I was now doubling over in laughter, struggling not to fall into the mud myself.

It was strange that I found myself having more entertainment in the part of the world that oozed with death, decay, and shambling corpses, rather than in the safe, peaceful confines of Alexandria.

"Need a hand?" I smirked, offering Carl a substantially cleaner hand than his. He accepted it with a grateful smile, but then reached over and grasped it with both hands before unexpectedly dragging me down with him.

I collapsed atop him, and now both of us were smeared in mud.

"We're supposed to be checking out those tents," I smirked as we both panted heavily, faces almost touching.

"Mm," Carl hummed in agreement, before once again taking me by surprise and throwing me off him. I fell down beside him, as Carl and I now switched around and he clambered atop me.

"I think we can wait a minute," he sighed with a grin, and I eagerly agreed, leaning up to him as my lips gradually met his.

Sadly, however, we were quickly interrupted as a rotting body stumbled out of the nearest tent, having heard Carl and I's... 'fun.'

"Then again, maybe not," I groaned in disappointment that it was ending so soon, before the two of us stood up to withdraw our firearms. I unsheathed a large knife - my replacement katana for the time being - and swung it forward into the walker, with instant and permanent results.

"Could be more," Carl pointed out at the cluster of ravaged tents, and I nodded in knowing agreement.

Traipsing cautiously toward the camp-site, I discovered the full extent of the damage. The tents were riddled with bullet holes - they varied inside, but the large murky stains of blood that lined the inside of the fabric showed that this camp was post-apocalyptic.

"Looks like whoever was here, isn't here any more," I remarked, ignoring the tents that were particularly bloodied and investigating the somewhat more hygienic options.

Picking one tent that was at least partially intact, I clutched my knife firmly in my right hand, before opening the entrance in a single, quick movement.

Clear.

I sighed in relief, holstering my weapon and crawling inside.

This particular tent was in a substantially better than the others, with a reasonably clean sleeping-bag and even a half-full flask of water beside it, which had me wondering if perhaps this tent was pitched after the others. It would make sense to do so, since the bloodied, ruined tents around it would provide cover and not many people would think of investigating a graveyard.

I lifted the sleeping bag up to see if any items had been stashed inside or underneath it, and I was glad I did.

Several useful items fell out of the dusty bag, including several magazines of ammunition and even...

Some chocolate bars!

Oh my God!

"Carl!" I yelled in happiness, "Carl, get over here!"

A bewildered and confused Carl promptly arrived at the tent entrance, with an expression that asked what he was doing here.

I smirked for a moment before raising a hand that clutched two wrapped Snickers bars.

Carl's expression changed from perplexion to utter amazement in a split-second, and without a second thought he rushed over a seized one with a guilty smirk.

As we began to eat our new-found wonders, however, I noticed the edge of a photo protruding from beneath the sleeping bag.

Picking it up out of curiosity, I was now shocked in a much less amusing, optimistic manner as opposed to when I found the chocolate bar.

This tent belongs to Simon's two cousins...

-

Duh duh duh!!!

Cliff-hanger! Sort of...

These will be our 'villains' for the time being, and they're on a bit of a revenge mission against Carl and Riley.

Things will get very cool soon, but regrettably I'm off on a holiday for the next week, to a place that doesn't have Wi-Fi. Obviously, that means I won't be able to update for the whole of next week, but I might just be able to get some chapters drafted up on Word so I can upload as soon as I get back.

Be patient guys ;) I'll get back as soon as I can.