Southern Sunshine

Part Three: Child In War

I stared up at the night sky as I felt Rum shift in his sleep as he snorted, trying to turn his heartbeat back to normal.

Gently placing my hand on his head, I scratched it and pressed my lips to his forehead- hoping to help him sleep when Red began to growl. I shifted to look at Red, trying to quiet her when the crunching of leaves sounded from a few feet away- that's when the voices came.

"Hey, hey- what the hell was that?" A thick growl came as the footsteps stopped, as Red continued to growl.

"Maybe, it's a bitter?" A females' voice suddenly spoke as Rum suddenly joined in on Red's growling.

"Sh! Shush, both of ya!" I quietly commanded but it was too late as the bushes were thrown to the side and there stood three men and a women- two holding AKs', while the others held either a pistol or shotgun.

Red and Rum's growling didn't stop, but only grew louder as I grabbed onto their collars, trying to quiet them as I stared up at the group- my heart sank as I saw the three men smirk.

"Grab the dogs, I'll grab her-"

"No!" I shouted as two of the men lunged at Red and Rum, trying to grab their collars only to be bitten by Red as Rum pulled back; trying to protect me from the other man.

Their aggitated growls became loud, harsh barks as Red lunged again at the men- her sharp teeth ripping into their skin as blood flung into the forest floor, and myself.

Rum snapped and growled at the man in front of me, who was covered in his own mens' blood, as he reached forward grabbing a fist full of my hair this making me scream out in pain.

Rum snapped his jaws onto the man's arm, ripping and pulling at his skin as chunks flew and blood flung from his mouth. This made the man release my hair as I fell backward.

"Red! Pull back!" I shouted as the pit turned her head- I could see her gorgeous black eyes stare at me with this... This pride, but that faded- quickly.

I watched in horror as the man who has the shotgun suddenly slammed the butt of it against her head- knocking her to the floor. It felt as if everything in this rotten Hell of a world suddenly began to move in slow motion.

My wet eyes widened as I watched the man continuously slam the butt of the shotgun into her skull, the high pitched whines of agony filling the air with each sharp strike.

Rum, who was still by my side, continued to bite and snap at the remaining women as I allowed a painful, angry screech to leave my throat as I pulled out my pistol; lining it up with the man's stomach- firing shot, after shot into him.

"You fucker! You motherfucker! What have you done!" I screamed as everything seemed to move at normal speed. Running over towards Red's fallen body, tears ran down my dirty face as Rum finished off the women with a snap of her neck.

"I-I-" The man stuttered as he gasped, blood filling the holes and over-filling as they spilled past his insides.

"Don't defend yourself, you bastard." I hissed as I suddenly heard the loans and groans of a horde making its way towards my small camp.

"Oh, Red... Oh, my sweet baby girl. I'm so sorry- why did it have to be my best friend?!" I screamed as I held her dead body in my arms. My tears gently hit her silk like coat as Rum let out a small whimper.

"I..I'm sorry, Rum... She... She's dead." I whimpered myself as I tried to catch my breath, taking out my knife as I slung my arm backward slamming it into the fallen mens' skulls- over and over.

Looking over my shoulder, I could see multiple walkers begin to move closer as I sighed and grabbed Red's dogtags, placing them over my head as I clamped my hand around it with a suffocated sniff.

Reaching over, I placed the loose, tattered rope leash around Rum's head as I began to walk away from the fallen- when I was pulled backward some. Looking over, I could see Rum looking over at his dead lovers' body.

I felt my heart break more, as I gave a small tug on the leash as Rum released a high-pitched whine.

"Sh, sh- I know, baby... I know." I whispered as I walked over to him, placing one of my bloody hands on his head as I wiped my thumb over his slight wrinkles as he hung his head low. We both left out camp with one less family member that night...

~~~~~~~~

We both made our way out onto the small dirt road- that's when I saw the prison... It stood tall and high, as I felt a wave hit me. It's been at least a couple of hours after our loss of Red.

Trudging along the road, I noticed a small creek that led into the prison- feeling my throat suddenly close, I clicked my dry tongue for Rum to follow as I moved toward the water.

"Get some water, buddy- you'll need it."

I rubbed his neck as he lowered his head and began to lap up the somewhat dirty water- yet we both began to lap it up. Not caring of the consequences that were yet to come.

Suddenly, I was hit by a wave of fatigue- passing out into the water with a small yawn of, "Rum?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I walked out of the prison gates, walking along the side as I started to stab pilling up walkers that were along the fence- that's when I noticed something off in the small creek?

Squinting my eyes and shading them from the high, bright noon sun that when I saw- "Rum..?"

"Oh my god..." I dropped my crowbar and began to sprint out towards the dog, as I yanked openly the gates- closing them behind me as I went; I noticed he was laying on top of something... Lilith?

"Jesus, Lilith!" I shouted as I ran forward, as I got closer Rum growled slightly but then began to whine as he moved some- now allowing me to see Lilith's unconscious state.

"Hold on, boy... We'll get her safe." I mumbled as I began to yank the passed out girl from her watery grave; that's how I noticed the blood running from her.

"Ah, shit- Rum, go! Attack! Do something!" I shouted as I hoisted the girl onto my back as Rum looked up at me and with somehow of knowing she was safe- he sprung forward latching onto walkers and yanking them to the floor.

My eyes wide with somewhat amazement as I shook my head and began to run back toward the gates- that's when I saw Carl and Michonne standing there.

"Open the gates! Open them!" I shouted, as Carl pulled in the rope opening the large metal doors as I ran inside- Rum trailing behind me as I sat Lilith against the gate; away from the walkers.

"Rick, who is this?" Michonne asked, about to unsleth her sword as I held up my hands.

"No, no, it's alright! She's a somewhat friend."

"And what about this guy?" She pointed over towards Rum, who was laying across Lilith's lap, his body language reading; anger.

"He's her protector, but she had-" I began to speak when loud coughing came from beside me.

"Lilith? Hey, hey, take it easy- what happened to you?" I asked in my most calming voice as she lookd up at me with tired, wet eyes as tears streaks were shown on her dirt face.

"I'm a child in a war, Mr. Grimes and... Losing one of my family members was not in my war plan at all-" she whispered, as I noticed she was wearing the two dog tags from Red around her neck.. That's when she passed out, not another word said or to be heard as she did.