memories ✯ carl grimes

one

MEMORIES
one | ❝got it❞

✯

MARNIE WAS AWOKEN UP THE sound of light chatter from outside her tent. She stretched her arm out, seeking her brother, but couldn't find him. She guessed he was already awake. The coldness of the ground seeped through the tent, and she felt herself shiver. It wasn't comfortable in the slightest. Jamie had given her his old hoodie to lie on in an attempt to make it easier, but the fabric could only keep so much heat out.

The camp was in a secluded area of a forest. Purple and yellow flowers grew in patches, and the sun shone through the leaves in just the perfect way. It was like a slice of heaven. If you're able to forget about the horrors of the outbreak, as Marnie tried to, then it's like paradise.

Bear was sat on a wooden log near a small fire, carving a large stick into an ominous spear shape. Marnie had always wondered why he opted for spears rather than knives, or even guns, as so many other members of the group carried. She supposed it might be a personal preference.

"Mornin'," Bear called out to Marnie. He shuffled down the log, making space for the tiny girl to perch next to him. She rested her head against his arm as he set his spear down. "You sleep okay?"

Marnie nodded. The thing she liked most about Bear, aside from his calming demeanour, was how he never pushed a conversation. Lately, Marnie found herself opting to stay quiet. Her mind was loud enough as it was, and she didn't want to listen to her voice out in the open if it was already torturing her on the inside.

She scanned here eyes around, looking for Jamie. She hadn't forgotten what she had overheard yesterday about being taught to fire a gun. Jamie had been putting it off for months, and it was only recently when Sasha had started pushing for it that he began to give him.

"If you're looking for Sam," Bear began, picking his stick up again, "they're near the firing range." Marnie nodded and stood up. Bear smiled at her, and she headed off. There was a large school bus, covered in blood and rust, which was kept as a sort of 'last resort' escape plan, though it hardly ran properly. Beyond that, behind a small line of trees, was a fence. Jamie and Sasha had set up cans along the top in order to train others on how to fire a gun.

There was about twelve people in the group in total. Most people had been trained to fire a gun. With Marnie only being twelve, Jamie was apprehensive on teaching her. As much as he wanted her to be able to defend herself, the idea of his baby sister holding such a destructive weapon seemed like an insult to their late parents.

As Marnie stepped over a branch, she saw Jamie and Sasha teaching Carly and Sam how to fire. Allen and his wife already knew how to shoot, and Bethany and Eloise were too young, at nine and eleven. The guns had silencers on them to prevent the walkers from hearing them.

"Marnie, I know you're standing there," Jamie said. He didn't have to turn around to know Marnie was watching them.

"How did you know I was gonna teach you to shoot today?" he asked, messing up her hair, "don't tell me you were pretending to be asleep last night."

"I don't know what you mean," Marnie lied, beaming at Jamie. He rolled his eyes, then held out a gun. She didn't know what type it was, only that it was heavier than she thought it would be. As soon as he dropped it into her arms, she felt the weight pull her down.