new beginnings

Them

It's been two weeks since the deaths. It's been pretty uneventful.

We had the funeral for Jessie and Sam a day after they died. They were buried separately, Sam inside the walls and Jessie outside the walls in the woods. It was a short ceremony, Ron said a few words and Father Gabriel did a little thing. I wasn't paying much attention.

Ron has been sleeping at our house. We haven't separated the two beds and we cuddle every night, and I give him support and advice when he starts crying. His mood has gotten better everyday. We spend all our time together.

My leg is getting better. I've finally started looking at it. It's been scabbing a lot, and she did stitches over it, even though it was really late to do. It was finally closed so it could heal and it wouldn't get infected as easily. Now all we do is change the bandages on the eye, but we still have to disinfect the leg. The the cut above my eyebrow healed so Denise took out my stitches. Overall I've been feeling better, but I still have to be carried around. Ron's mostly been doing it, and the novelty still hasn't faded. Still embarrassed, but still happy that my boyfriend is holding me and smiling his dumb smile at me. I have to be carried until Dad says I can use crutches again.

Today, I woke up to what is now my usual. Ron curled up beside me, hair in all directions, snoring quietly. I reached over and stroked his cheek. His eyes slowly opened. He smiled at me and I smiled back. He groaned and got up, throwing on a t-shirt and a plain button down over his pale chest. He ran his fingers through his hair and slipped on his shorts. He didn't borrow mine because just a few days ago he 'moved' in. By 'moved' I mean 'brought all of his clothes over here from the other house'. Dad hasn't said one thing about us in the same room, which is surprising. He doesn't know we pushed our beds together because he hasn't been in the room since we did it.

Ron threw me my shorts and gray and blue baseball t-shirt. I put them on and grabbed my hat from the headboard where it was hanging and put that on after running my fingers through my bangs. Ron didn't wear a beanie today and just smoothed his hair out.

He picked me up and we went downstairs. He set me on a chair at the table and got two bowls and poured some applesauce in both.

Maggie's applesauce was really good, and everyone else who had a taste agreed. So, a few days ago she made more. Carol, and surprisingly, Daryl, picked the apple trees clean and Maggie made a whole day of making and canning applesauce. We got thirty jars over it and everyone was really happy, so that's been our breakfast (and sometimes lunch) for the past few days.

He sat down by me and we spooned some out of our bowls, still tasting as good as the first time we had it.

We got done and he put our dishes in the sink. He picked me up and carried me outside and we sat on the porch swing together.

"I just realized, we have barely done anything exciting lately. We used to do stuff that's exciting all the time. No drinking, supply runs, sneaking out, hunting." He said.

"Well, that's true, but you have to take some things in account. I am missing an eye and leg and can't walk at the moment, and your mom and brother died. I think that's a good reason. I do miss doing fun stuff, though." I said back.

"Yeah, but we can still have fun." He said.

"The last fun thing I can think of is when I lost my virginity to you." I said and smirked. He smirked back.

"Yeah, that was pretty fun." He said and laughed.

Some minutes of silence later, Dad walked up to the porch.

"Morning, boys. Sleep well?" He asked.

I gave him a quick look platonic enough Dad couldn't catch what I was looking at him for. Of course I would sleep well with Ron in my arms.

"Yeah." I answered.

"Okay, I have big news, and I've decided to tell you now. I've known for a couple weeks." He said.

"Known what big news?" Ron asked.

"Well, at the last supply run we ran into some people. We got to know them and they led us to their homebase. They call it the Hilltop. We met their leader and he seems like a great guy. He started negotiating with us, they have the supplies that we need, and we have the supplies that they need. We decided, with Deanna's approval, that we will become one group. While you were in the garage after the incident, Deanna and I went up there to meet them again. The agreement is that some of their people will move down here, and some of ours will move up there. The place is about ten miles from here. We'll obviously stay here, but I just waited to tell you boys now because you guys seem to have a lot on your minds." He finished.

"Seriously? Please tell me this isn't another Woodbury, please. Can you even trust them?" I asked.

"I thought hard before the decision, and I'm sure these are good people. I wouldn't hurt you, Carl." He said.

I thought for a while. "When will they be coming? How many of them are there?" I asked.

"They're coming later tonight, the entire group to meet us. There's about fifteen of them, so not a huge group. I saw a kid who looked your guys's age, and there's a few little kids, toddlers even. Judith finally might have a kid her age to play with." He smiled a little. I smiled at the thought of Judith having a playmate.

"Tonight?" I spoke.

"I know, it's sudden. But yes." He said then walked away.

"Well, there's that exciting thing you're wanting, Ron. Maybe this person our age is cool and wants to do stuff with us." I laughed.

"We'll be doing fun stuff the second your leg gets better, whether that person wants to join us." He smiled. I actually felt like an average guy with another average guy in an average world with no walkers.

"I'm not sure if I should chug whiskey again." I smiled at him. He grinned at me.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. We talked and joked about this person our age, just imagining if the person would be a huge dork who was afraid of going outside and had never killed a walker or even knew how to fire a gun.

It was late afternoon when Dad called us to be by the gates to meet the people from the Hilltop. Some trucks and cars came in and parked. People got out and shook hands with Dad.

Dad was right about the little kids. They stayed close to the assumed parents, probably scared. I wondered if they were born after the apocalypse broke out. Probably.

Ron and I stood together, me standing by myself, actually balancing well, and the rest in our group scattered around the general area.

Then we saw the person our age jump out of one of the trucks.

Ron and I looked at each other at the sight of the kid.

Or, to be more specific, a girl.