Dead Girl Surviving

Chapter 4: The Return

*First Person, Shelby's POV*

Everyone started talking about how they were going to break the news of Merle being left behind to his brother, Daryl. I honestly didn't care Merle was an ass but I felt rather guilty after thinking that, so shook the dreadful thought from my head.

"We could always lie..."Amy piped up.

"No, he deserves to know the truth after all it is his own flesh and blood." I argued causing most of them to nod in agreement.

"Let's just say we will have our work cut out for us when Daryl gets back from this hunt." Dale stated from beside me. I wanted to ask what this Daryl was like though I never plucked up the courage to ask. So after enjoying sitting with my two brothers, Rick and Shane I decided to call it a night.

"Umm...I hate to be a pest but what are the sleeping arrangements, because if there's no room I'll bunk in a tree...or a car." I asked Shane watching him silently laughing at me.

"There are two options you could share with me..." He paused trying to make that option sound better, "Or you could take the Dixon tent, Merle ain't here and Daryl is off hunting so...take you pick." He finished making me think to myself sleep in a tent by myself until this Daryl gets back or bunk with a person I've known for years who asked me I go to prom with him like a million times, which I rejected every single time because I was with Rick...plus never went to prom anyways far too girly...yuck.
I waited a second before scratching the back of my neck and frowning at him.

"I'll take the Dixon's tent." I said waiting for him to lash out as I could see it annoyed him. But instead he just let out a hearty laugh which mentally made the ground quake under my boots.

"Still after all this time you won't even spend a night with me." Shane laughed looking down at the dirt on his combat boots. I smiled at his memory of us when we were both still very young, in our teens. He would always ask me to every dance or party that was thrown at the high school and I would always decline. Instead I would be at home trying to stop my dad from beating my brother to death. Ever since my mom died giving birth to my brother Austin, my dad would blame him and take all of his anger out on him. I often go involved and ended up getting beaten instead of my brother. I would go to high school with bruises all done my arms, cuts across my cheek, black eyes etc... It all ended when I was 18 , before I left for the army my dad got drunk and tried to kill me...but instead he stabbed me in the abdomen. Rick's dad was sheriff and sent my dad to jail and ever since then I had lived a much better life.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Shane was waving a hand in front of my face.

"Earth to Shelby...Jesus where did you go..." Shane asked concern filtering his voice.

"Eh...nowhere....so are you going to show me where I'm sleeping of what?" I asked quickly changing the subject.

"Honestly, would you rather stay in a smelly old hill billy tent...than stay with me...no funny business." Shane asked making me look up at him.

"Yes, personal space and all that...I wanna have a bit of privacy and with Dixon junior out I have a whole tent to myself." I said looking at Shane smiling as he shook his head and punched me playfully on the arm. We walked across the camp to the last tent. Orange in colour and rather dirty on the outside. I laughed to myself trust a redneck to camp away from everyone else in a shitty tent.

"There ya go, if you need anything just give me a shout yeah?" Shane quoted making me nod my head showing that I understood. He was about to leave when I grabbed his wrist making him spin around to look at me. I didn't give him a chance to argue as I pulled him in for a hug, like the ones brothers and sisters share. I stood on my tiptoes to match his height and leaned forward so I was right beside his ear.