Lilly Watkins has always been the strong one compared to her twin. That doesn't change when the dead start walking. Taking care of her family during the apocalypse, she never relied on anyone else. When she meets Daryl Dixon, a more temperamental pe...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The group was indeed smaller than I had anticipated. There was Carol, her daughter Sophia, Rick's wife and son, Andrea—though her younger sister had unfortunately passed from an attack before then—Shane, Rick's friend, T-Dog, and Dale. Then there's Jaqui, Jim, and the Morales family. So still a decent size, but the recent attack had taken even more of them out. Right now, they're deciding the fate of Jim, a bit member of the group.
"Is your sister okay?" Carol asks me as we both do the laundry together. We look over at my twin, who's currently watching the kids learn to read under Lori's guidance.
I turn back to the short-haired frail woman. "No, not really. Though I guess none of us are really 'okay'." It's nice to finally be able to wash my clothes, and I wonder if I'll get a chance to bathe, but I don't want to around these strangers.
"That looks like a pretty bad gash," Carol says, pointing at the scratch on my arm after taking my jacket off.
"I cut it on a piece of glass. Probably should've stitched it but not really possible while you're running." I shrug, going back to my task. Carol stands up, leaving then coming back with a first aid kit. I hold still while she tends to my arm, and I thank her.
"It's fine. I've gotten really good at patching things up." It's then I notice all the bruises and scares on her body. Did her husband beat her? I heard no one cared that he died in the attack.
Ashley comes over then, and I wonder if I'll ever get another moment of peace. "Aunt Lilly! Lori is teaching me cursive!"
"That'll really kill those Walkers, huh?" I say, but immediately feel bad when her face falls. "Sorry, Ash. It's good that you're learning things. You deserve a normal childhood."
She nods, her smile not quite genuine this time. Her small body walks away and I still feel guilt at putting her down.
"Is there somewhere you guys bathe? I honestly feel bad making you guys smell me."
Carol smiles, pointing further down the creek, behind a line of trees. "It gets about waist deep down there, and we haven't encountered a Walker there yet. The forest provides privacy but if you run into any trouble, just scream and we'll come to get you."
I thank her again, hanging my clothes up to dry before heading down to the deep part with a towel provided by Carol. She also gave me soap and shampoo, and I'm forever in her debt for these little luxury items.
My clothes peel off of me in a disgusting display of how nasty they've become, between undead guts and sweat. I made fun of Daryl but he was probably cleaner than myself.
The water felt so nice on my body. I dunk myself a few times, laughing a bit at myself. Then I get down to business, putting shampoo in my hair, watching the grime wash out into the water. Then I lather myself in soap, extremely happy at the very moment.
I hear a splash, breaking me out of my euphoria, and I look towards the source. My dark blue eyes connect with his ice ones, neither one of us backing down from each other. Finally, his gaze flicks down my body, making me suddenly aware of my nakedness. With a red face, I sink down into the water, watching his shirtless self wash in the water.
