A Dead World.. • G. Rhee

Chapter Twenty-Five

(Gun training with Shane)

As I made my way over to where Shane was stood against his jeep I noticed Patrica and Beth walking over too.

"We'd like to join you for gun training today." Beth asked me and I sucked in a breath. "I'm sorry, Hershel's made himself real clear. I can't involve any of you in what we do without his okay." I told her.

"He doesn't like it, but he consented." She added and Patrica decided to speak up from her position at Beth's side. "Otis was the only one who knew about guns. Now that he's gone, we gotta learn how to protect ourselves." I nodded in understanding, although I still wasn't going to include any of them without his word on the matter.

"Her father saw that." She finished.

"No offence, but Rick'll kill me if I don't ask Hershel myself." The girls nodded. "He already hit me once today, I ain't looking for another." I muttered before walking off in the direction of the house to speak to Hershel.

"Hey man, what's going on?" I asked Carl as he stopped me mid-way to the house.

"I want to learn how to shoot too." He said in full confidence. "Can you teach me?"

"Well bud.. that's kinda up to your parents." I tilted my head to the side, wondering where this was suddenly coming from. I guess losing your bestfriend and getting shot will make you want to be more protected but still, it's odd for him.

"Can you talk to them? They'll listen to you."

"We'll see bud."

"Okay, my dad asked me to get a him a walkie from the R.V."

"Alright bud, you do that." I didn't think much of it until a few moments later as I was getting ready to leave with Shane and the others I heard Lori shouting at Carl and then Carl stomping past me up to the house.

"Hey, what happened?" I asked Rick as he ran a frustrated hand over his face.

"I just caught Carl trying to steal a gun." He told me and I furrowed my eyebrows before realisation hit me. Shit. He wasn't getting a walker for his dad, he was getting a gun because he knew his parents wouldn't let him do gun training.

"Why the hell would he want a gun?" Lori asked, clearly distressed by her son's out of character behaviour. I mean, if you just lost your bestfriend and got shot you'd be behaving differently too.

"It's my fault." I raised my hands in defence. "I let him into the R.V. He said he wanted a walkie and that you had sent him for one."

"So on top of everything else he lied?" Rick asked and I honestly felt bad for Carl, he had to lie because he felt like his parents wouldn't listen to him.

"What's going on with him?" Lori exhaled a deep breathe.

"He wants to learn how to shoot. Asked me to teach him. It's really none of my business but I'm happy to do it. Your call." I raised my eyebrows at Rick knowing full-well he was considering it. Carl was right, Rick does listen to me.

"I'm not comfortable with it." Lori shook her head and noticed the looks Rick and I were exchanging. "Oh come on, don't make me out to be the bad guy here. Rick?"

"I know. I have my concerns too but-" Rick started just to get interrupted by his wife. "There's no but. He was just shot." He stressed to her husband who really didn't see the insane issue with teaching his son how to properly use a gun.

"He's just back on his feet and he wants a gun?" Lori was acting like it was an insanely unreasonable thing for him to want, when actually in this world, the younger you learn the less danger you'll actually be put in.