rag doll | TWD

[35] self help

break my stride --- matthew wilder

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[POV]

The radio quietly played as Abraham drove. Rosita sat behind him, running her fingers through his hair, "it's getting a little messy for you."

"Gettin' ready for retirement. Relaxin' the grooming standards. Thinkin' about becomin' a plumber, a sheepherder, or somethin'."

"You ain't herdin' sheep now, Abraham. Eyes on the prize."

"Damn right. That's my girl. Maybe I'll let you shave me down all over, dolphin smooth."

Rosita playfully slapped his shoulder, "I'll cut it for you tonight."

"Yes ma'am."

Tara looked over to Eugene, "hey, maybe Rosita can give you a trim while she's at it. Party's getting a little long in the back. Or is it your source of power?"

"i ain't slayin' a lion anytime soon. I wouldn't be placing any wagers on seein' me dispatch a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass."

"Oh, so you'll just settle on saving the world, right?"

"yeah."

"What's up? Last night?"

"Yes. That and tomorrow. And I'm thinking about that preacher and what he did."

Abraham turned the music up louder, causing JJ, who was laying down in two of the seats, to groan. "Will you turn that crap down?"

"What's your deal?" Glenn laughed along with Maggie.

JJ sat up, "I'm just saying," she raised her voice so that Abraham would get the message, "some real music would be nice."

"Man, people were right. The ones who sit in the back are the most annoying." Glenn joked, causing JJ to roll her eyes at him and lay back down.

Maggie looked to Glenn, smiling, "maybe they're just behind us. Maybe Daryl and Carol came back. Maybe they took the map, found some cars and got on the road."

"They'll catch up." Glenn added, "clearing the way for 'em."

Maggie looked to Eugene, who was a seat behind the couple, "How long will it take? After you get on that terminal and do what you have to do?"

"Depends on the number of factors, including density of the infected around target sites worldwide."

"Wait, target sites?" Glenn clarified. "Are you talking about missiles?"

"That's classified."

"I thought we were over that."

"What if we all live?"

JJ scoffed, still horizontal in the seat, "like the secrets will matter then?"

"They might. Anyway, the speed with which things normalize will depend on a number of factors including worldwide weather patterns which were modeled without the assumption that cars, planes, boats and trains wouldn't be pouring hydrocarbons into the atmosphere this long. Changed the game quite a bit when it comes to air-transmissible pathogens."

Glenn stared at him, not wanting any more science facts, "Why the hair?"

"Because I like it. And no one is taking scissors or clippers to it anytime soon. Do you hear me, Miss Espinoza?"

Rosita laughed, "Yes, load and clear."

"Y'all can laugh all you want."

"No one was makin' fun." Maggie told him.