THE STORY OF CALLIOPE HART - The Walking Dead

Part 1 | The Quarry

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I never really felt like I belonged, I don't know why, I just felt like I was never very liked even though my Momma always told me I was a very likable girl. I don't think so. other kids at school used to make fun of me because I still play with teddies and sleep with a blankie. although, I still liked those kids even though they were mean. I think they're still good people, deep down.

I also used to get in trouble with my teachers and family for being too loud and talking too much. I don't think I talk too much, I don't see why people think so. My stepdad used to joke that I could be a news lady one day because I talk so much, but I don't see why he would say that. He knew I never wanted to be in the spotlight like that, I just wanted to help people. I've always wanted to be a nurse, It makes my heart feel all warm and fuzzy even thinking about it.

I don't think any of that matters anymore, though. not since the dead woke up. maybe in another life, I guess.

"Cal! I need your help with something!" A voice says from my left, I look up and see Momma standing not too far away from where I'm sitting on the dirt. I set my teddy down on my blankie to keep him from getting dirty and stand up, brushing the dirt off of myself before following My Momma down to the quarry.

"What's wrong, Momma?" I ask, wondering why she needs my help. I am only 10, after all. all the jobs around here seem too adult for me to do, but I follow Momma anyway, curious to see what she needs me to help with.

Once we get down to the quarry, I see Carl and Shane in the water, it looks like they're having lots of fun, maybe I'll join in later. but for now, I have to help Momma.

I follow Momma over to where Jacqui, Andrea, Amy, and Carol are. I've always liked Carol, we met her on the highway, along with Carl, Shane, Lori, Ed, and Sofia. Carol looks like she bakes yummy cookies, my momma never knew how. she usually just bought me some from the store and called it a day. Sofia's cool too, she's shy and she doesn't talk a lot but she's nice.

as we walk up, the women are talking about whatever they're talking about. I don't care too much about their conversation since I'm eager to know what my Momma wanted help with.

"Hey, Callie." Carol greets me and I give her a small smile, I wave to her and sit down next to my Momma.

My momma hands me a small basket of clean clothes. "do you mind sorting these for me baby?" she asks and I nod, smiling. happy to be able to help and to be able to hang out with some of the coolest women in the camp.

"Of course, Momma," I say as I take out some clothes and start sorting them into piles. The women continue talking, but I'm far too focused on sorting the clothes, making sure not to put the wrong clothes into the wrong pile.

"I do miss my Maytag," Carol says, and I look up, Not sure what a Maytag is.

"I miss my Benz, my sat Nav," Andrea says. I give them a confused look, furrowing my eyebrows the hell is a Sat Nav?

"I miss my coffee maker with that dual drip filter and built-in grinder, honey," Jacqui says. I know that one, my Momma had a coffee grinder back home.

"My computer. and texting." Amy says. I never had anybody to text, but I used to have the app on my iPad just in case anyone ever did text me. usually, it was only my mom, grandpa, or stepdad though.

"I miss my vibrator." My Momma says, What's a vibrator? is it a toy? maybe an appliance? I don't know, I'll ask Momma later.

"Me too," Carol says after a few seconds, and everyone starts laughing. I don't know why, It doesn't sound funny.

Ed comes walking down from the car with a cigarette in his hand. I don't like Ed, he scares me. He kind of reminds me of my dad. "What's so funny?" He asks, taking the cigarette out of his mouth.

"Just swapping war stories, Ed," Andrea says, looking up at him as he walks over to the six of us. It goes uncomfortably quiet as he gets closer. Part of me wants to speak up to fill the silence, but the other part of me doesn't. Instead, I just stay quiet and do my task.

"Problem, Ed?" Andrea asks after a few grueling seconds. I'm glad she spoke up before I did, it was getting very awkward.

"Nothing that concerns you. And you ought to focus on your work. this ain't no comedy club." Ed says, making Andrea scoff slightly.

I decide to look somewhere else to draw my attention away from what's happening over here, I look over to see Lori walking over to Shane and Carl, I furrow my eyebrows slightly, watching as Shane and Lori argue. why are they arguing? they were fine only afew days ago. Maybe it's because Carl's dads back? But why would Lori be mad about that? I continue to watch, Ignoring Andrea as she stands up to talk to Ed, but then I hear a slap and turn to Andrea and Ed, My eyes widen slightly as I realize what happened.

"Andrea, don't." Amy says, walking up behind Andrea but Andrea ignores her and continues what she was saying.

"What is your job, Ed? sitting on your ass, smoking cigarettes?" Andrea says as she walks closer to Ed. I bite my lip as my stomach bubbles with a familiar feeling, The feeling that Momma calls anxiety. I take slow breaths as I watch, doing what My Momma taught me.

"Sure as hell ain't listenin' to some uppity smart mouthed bitch, tell you what." Ed says, flicking his cigarette, I decide to look away and try to draw my focus to the laundry as I take afew breaths.

"Come on, lets go." Ed says, calling out to Carol, I feel bad for Carol. She seems like she doesn't want to leave but she gets up anyway.

"I don't think she needs to go anywhere with you, Ed."

"I say that's none of your business. come on, now. you heard me." Ed responds.

"Carol."

"Andrea, please. it doesn't matter." Carol says quietly, obviously just wanting to calm the situation by doing what Ed says. If I was big enough, I'd punch Ed square in the nose. He's a real ass.

"Hey, don't think I won't knock you on your ass just 'cause you're some college educated cooze, all right?" Ed says.

"Now you come on now, or you're gonna regret it later."

"So she can show up with fresh bruises later, Ed. yeah, we've seen 'em." Jacqui speaks up. my momma grabs me by my shoulder, pulling me away from the group.

"Stay out of this, come on!" Ed says, getting angrier by the second.

"Cal, get up. we can finish this later, okay?" My mommy says to me, Grabbing my hand and pulling me up, As we start walking away, Ed starts yelling at carol, and then finally, Slaps her.

I try to look back, but momma is now behind me, blocking my view. "Just keep looking ahead, Cal." she says as she leads me away from the yelling.

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Later that night, I'm laying in mine and my momma's tent, not able to fall sleep. Momma's laying next to me on her own sleeping bag and I'm cuddled up to my teddy and my blankie. My teddies old, so he's kind of messed up. My dog bit one of his ears off when I was 3. I wonder how she's going, we had to leave her at home. I hope she has food and she's found some friends.

I'm staring at the roof of our tent, with one thing on my mind that I can't seem to shake.

"Momma?"

"Yes baby?"

"What's a vibrator?"

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AN: AHHH I FINALLY WROTE THE FIRST CHAPTER !! I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE IT, PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE 🫶🏻🫶🏻 I'M ALSO TOO LAZY TO PROOF READ THIS SO IF THERES ANY MISTAKES PLEASE LET ME KNOW.