BITE ME ➼ C. G. 〖 #wattys2016 〗

Chapter 8

SOTC: See You Again by Wiz Khalifia feat. Charlie Puth
• It's been a long day without you, my friend. •

Mom tapped me on the shoulder. I looked up at her, before she sat down on the porch steps beside me. The darkness buzzed with fireflies.

She took an audible breath, then extended her arm. A police badge perched like a raven on her palm. It glinted in the silvery moonlight.

I looked back up at her. She pushed her hand farther towards me, and I warily took it in mine. "For me?" I asked unsurely.

She nodded. "I won't need it anymore, you know? I thought you'd want something to remember... What life used to be like."

A smile split across my face. "Woah," I breathed, clipping it to my breast pocket. "Thank you."

•••

The thing that roused me out of my thoughts was gunshots. Coming from the building.

Carl grabbed my arm. "How...?" He said, uncomprehendingly. "This was supposed to be an easy mission."

"I don't know..." I trailed off, rubbing my arms. The cold was creating prickly goose bumps on my skin. I wet my lips. "Did they say how Beth got lost?"

Carl shook his head. I scooted a bit closer to him, trying to get a bit warmer. Whiffs of his smell carried up to my nose. It had the sweetness of caramel, but the bitterness of burnt popcorn.

He blew out a long breath, which curled upwards and vanished like car exhaust. "What were your parents like?" His expression remained stoic.

"Oh, I don't know." A smile spread over my face. "My dad was a scientist, my mom was a police officer. Nothing special." The bluntness of that lie almost made me wince. I turned back to him. "How about yours?"

The corners of his lips twitched. "My dad was a police officer too," he breathed. "My mom stayed at home."

My eyes lingered to his face. "I've never asked where you got your hat."

"Dad gave it to me after I was shot."

My eyebrows caterpillered upwards. "You got shot?"

"Yeah," he said matter-of-factly. "It was in the first two or so months of the apocalypse. A hunter accidentally shot me through a deer." He laughed a bit. "Kind of funny, now that I think about it. How did he not see me?"

The sound of the door being opened echoed around the parking lot. I twisted my head around and blew out a puff of air.

My breath hitched in my throat.

Daryl was the first face that came out of the door. His cheeks were red and blotchy, as if he'd been crying. He had his arms carrying a girl with blond hair.

Blood was spreading over her shirt.

Carl wrapped his arms around me, looking away from the scene. Judging from the tears welling in his eyes, I suspected it was more for him than me.

I distractedly hugged him back, but my eyes were latched on the group. I heard racking sobs from Maggie, and the comforting words of Glenn. Daryl came closer, and I could see the tear stains on his cheeks. Dark circles ringed his eyes as he tried to keep the rest in.

Beth, now that I got a good look at her, looked peaceful. Several scars traced her face, clouded over with her wispy blond hair. A smile, of all things, played across her face.

A final defiance against the bullet.

I looked at Carl after withdrawing from the hug. He looked at me too, and when a tear dropped, I wiped it off with my thumb.

"It'll all be okay, Carl." I said, the coming sobs blocking my voice. A tear finally escaped my eyes, and I didn't bother to address it. If I tried to speak any more, I was afraid that the memories would surface and choke me.

"Dad!" I sprinted up to him, my backpack bobbing on my back as he opened his arms to reach me.

No. Shove it away. I felt the tears come quicker. My chest felt hollow, with my breath swept away. Calm the ocean. Don't think about it. Shove—

"Marshal, we should stop and see Dad. We're close enough, and you always say that we never see him anymore."

Marshal ruffled my hair and turned into the parking lot. "Okay, sure."

I choked, falling back into the hug. Carl's fingers pressed into my back, then relaxed. He didn't say anything, just squeezed tighter as I felt my sobs even into breaths.

He parted his lips slightly, whispering in my ear. "Kee, it's never okay."

My tears broke their dam.

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A/N: Short but sad. Tell me what you thought!

Omg guys thank y'all so much for voting on this! I luuuuuv y'all!!!!

QOTD: Favorite Christmas song?
AOTD: Carol of the Bells 🎄🎁🎅

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Word Count
817

Edited 12-30-15
Rewritten 2-29-16