❀ 𝐄𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧 ❀

~ Officer Friendly ~

Aoife sat in the uncomfortable camping chair, the nylon fabric rubbing against the underside of her thighs as the wind whipped her auburn hair in front of her face.

Letting out an annoyed huff, Aoife swept the loose strands from in front of her eyes and attempted to tuck them behind her ears, this action rendered useless as a gust of wind unfurled her work mere seconds later.

A pair of hands on her shoulders made her jolt, though she quickly recognised them as belonging to her mother, Jacqui.

“Relax, pumpkin.” she soothed as she began to work on taming her daughter's wild hair.

“Do you have to go today?” Aoife asked, cringing as her voice sounded more feeble and frightened than intended.

She didn't want to admit that she was scared, scared of being left alone just like she was so many years ago. Aoife was determined not to rely on anyone, but deep down, she didn't know what she would do without Jacqui. 

Aoife let out a sigh of relief as Jacqui scooped her hair back into a ponytail, using the rubber band on her wrist to secure it in place, welcoming a breeze to the back of her neck.

“I'll be fine sweetheart. It'll be quick, in and out, just like Glenn said.” Jacqui reassured her daughter, crouching down beside her chair.

She was one of the five who had volunteered to go on a supply run into the city that day, the group were slowly running out of supplies and hunting and fishing alone just wasn't cutting it anymore. 

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Despite her protests, Aoife watched as Jacqui packed up the truck with the others, standing back with a scowl on her face. As they prepared to leave, Jacqui made her way over to her daughter, suppressing a smile as she noticed her face of thunder.

“I'll be back before you know it.” Jacqui smiled, pinching her daughter's chin between her thumb and forefinger.

Aoife scoffed, wriggled out of her mother's grip and turned on her heel. Halfway on her route towards the RV, she stopped, turned, and ran back to her mother, wrapping her arms around her waist. 

“Please be safe.” the girl whispered into her mother's chest.

“I always am.” Jacqui reassured her, planting a kiss on the top of her head.

Eventually, Aoife had to tear herself away from her mother, moving to stand next to Lori, who placed a comforting hand on her back as they watched the truck start up and rumble off down the gravel road. 

“She'll be fine sweets.” Lori gave Aoife's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Aoife nodded slowly, blinking the tears from her eyes, and walked off in the direction of the quarry. None of the adults attempted to stop her, many had tried in the past weeks, but Aoife was a determined creature, a free spirit, and was adamant that she didn't need a babysitter to accompany her to the water. 

On her way down the hill, she stopped to pluck some of the daisies that caught her eye, their shining white petals sticking out against the grassy background. Her intention was to make a daisy chain for Jacqui, which she could present to her upon her return.

Taking a seat on the shore, ignoring the dusty rocks digging painfully into her legs, Aoife got to work on her creation. The sunlight bounced off the clear blue water before her, making it difficult to keep her eyes open for any length of time, but she persisted. 

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Half an hour and many curses later, she has managed to fashion both a daisy crown and bracelet.