infection | D. Dixon

chaper eleven

stunt

There weren't many rooms in the house we would all be staying in. Josef offered to take the couch since he would be sleeping alone, while the rest of the group paired off with three or four a room. I dropped my bags into the largest room with Tessa, Merle, and Daryl right behind me. Rick said he would stay with Andrea and Glenn to keep an eye on the fragile woman.

Josef had handed out bottles of alcohol to almost everyone. I walked around the houses in a kind of stupor. My thoughts kept sailing back to Amy, and how I could have saved her if I had done it differently.

Upstairs, on the master bedroom, there was a balcony. It overlooked the compound of houses and all the dead beneath us. I leant back against the house and shut my eyes. Maybe if I had cracked her chest— but I knew I couldn't have done that without putting her under.

The door to the balcony opened and two people pushed their way outside, leaving the doors wide open. They were making out, and didn't see me sitting in the corner of the balcony with a bottle in my hand.

I crawled through the doors. The room I was staying in was across the hall, but I wouldn't be so lucky to make it there without running into someone.

Merle and Daryl were standing by the door, talking quietly with drinks in their hands. I chugged some more of the bottle and went downstairs to avoid the boys. Downstairs had a large open-concept with hardwood floors and cheap artwork on the walls. I ran my hand along the dark grey walls and padded my way barefoot to the main bathroom.

When I opened the door to the bathroom, I saw Andrea sitting with her back against the tub. She had a bottle in one hand, and a gun in the other.

I thought about turning around, but instead I shut the door and sat across the room from her. I took another sip of whatever I was drinking and looked at the woman across from me. "I could shoot you." Andrea commented.

I nodded. "Or you could not do that." I replied, laying the bottle between my knees. "It would be a waste of a bullet." I said.

Andrea began sobbing. She dropped the gun. It slid across the ground and thumped against the wall. "She was all I had left." Andrea sobbed, burying her head into her arms.

I crawled across the bathroom and sat next to her. "I know, I'm sorry." I mumbled.

We sat in silence for the rest of the hour. When Andrea fell asleep in the tub I left the bathroom with both her bottle and mine. Lori walked past the door as I left, a giant hickey on her neck.

I giggled and walked back upstairs. The lights were out except for my room. Merle was sitting on the couch and Tessa was on the bed. I smiled when I entered the room. "I come bearing booze." I said, laying the two bottles on the dresser. "I may have drank some on the way here."

Merle laughed so hard he threw his head back. "Damn, girlie! You are drunk!" He hollered, slapping his knee as he laughed.

I shrugged and sat next to Tessa on the bed. "So what are we talking about?" I asked as Tessa handed me a glass of wine.

Merle took a long drag from a freshly lit cigarette. "Talking about that stunt you pulled with the bus." He drew, opening the window just a little.

I laughed. "That was pretty cool, wasn't it."

Tessa nudged my arm with hers. "I didn't know my sister was a badass." She giggled as she tugged my hair affectionately.