When The World Caves In |C.G.

six

Carl's going to make it. Last night after I went to bed, Shane made it back with the supplies needed to save him. The man he went with though, Otis, never made it back.  

I'm glad Carl will be okay. I can't imagine losing him, he's the bestest friend I've ever had. I'm really excited for him to be able to explore the farm with me too.

I'm sitting on the rocking chair on the porch, reading some book Beth lended me when I hear the familiar sound of a motorcycle . I look over, seeing it's my daddy and the others. 

Dadd y gets off the motorcycle and I run down the porch to greet him. He picks me up and holds me tight, one hand on my bandage thats's covering my stitches. I'm so relieved that he's okay. 

"We'll talk about this later." He mumbles, then he sets me down on the ground. "I'm glad you're safe Aurora." 

"Me too Daddy." I tell him. "Thanks for sending Mr. Tubbins with Glenn." 

"Thought you might need him." He tells me and I almost tell him that I needed him more but, the funeral that's being held for Otis commences. It'll be an empty grave though, apparently he sacrificed himself so that Shane could get back to Carl. Daddy and I are standing near the edge of the group as Hershel speaks. 

"Blessed be God, Father of our lord Jesus Christ." Hershel prays for Otis while the group remains solemnly quite. "Praise be to him for the gift of our brother Otis, for his span of years, for his abundance of character. Otis, who gave his life to save a child's, now more than ever our most precious asset. We thank you, god, for the peace he enjoys in your embrace."

I lean against daddy, whose rubbing my back softly. I don't even think I saw him. I feel bad about his death, but I'm thankful that Carl will pull through. How he's safe for now. 

"He died as he lived," Hershel speaks while I notice Shane fidgeting. It's like he's itching to leave or something. The least he could do is chill out and give the family some respect. "In grace, Shane, will you speak for Otis?" 

Shane looks around nervously. When I woke up this morning, all his hair was gone. Shaved right off. Something is going on with him, he's changed drastically since we left the CDC. 

"You were the last one with him." Patricia tells him. "You share his final moments. Please? I need to hear. I need to know his death had meaning."

Lori's looking at Shane harshly. They're doing that adult thing, talking with their eyes. It makes me uncomfy cause everyone is staring at him, waiting for him to speak. 

"We were about done, almost out of ammo. We were down to our pistols by then." He says, biting his lip. "I was limping, and it was bad; ankle all swollen up." 

He pauses, and thinks. I stare at him for a second, my eyes real squinty. It's like he's making this up on the spot. Like it's some bedtime story. 

"'We gotta save the boy.' See that's what he said. "He gave me his backpack, he shoved me ahead. 'Run' He said 'I'll take the Rear I'll cover you' and when I looked back.." He doesn't continue but instead walks up to the wheelbarrow and takes out a rock. "If not for Otis, I'd have never made it out alive, and that goes for Carl too. It was Otis, he saved us both. If any death had meaning, it was his." 

Patricia nods, holding back tears as Shane places the rock on the pile and walks away. I stare after him, wondering what really happened with Otis. His family doesn't seem to pick up on the strangeness of Shane's mannerisms so I let it go. Maybe it's just me. 

Daddy places his hand on my shoulder, leading me away from the rest of group and towards the RV. He turns my around, to look at the bandage covering my stitches, running a calloused hand over my head.