Sneaky

Chapter 68

Eve's POV

Before I knew it, I was running towards the well, away from camp.

My muscles cried but everything else told me to go faster. My head, the prickle of every hair on the back of my neck. The paranoia even though I knew it was paranoia. The incessant feeling of being chased— all of it.

All of it pushed me faster & faster until I was panting a storm and came to a skidding halt at the well, kicking up dust in my wake that was swept by the wind and carried to be dispersed over the wide open fields, with grass too tall for my liking.

My eyes constantly moved. My head was on a swivel as I collected water, soaking it up into the cloth, and cleaned the blood from my skin like it was burning me.

I finally slowed down when my skin wasn't noticeably red anymore; though from the sting I probably scrubbed a good two layers off and it's almost undoubtedly an angry red. But red of a different sort I can handle over its predecessor.

I checked my throbbing shoulder but the bandage is still white, so it isn't bleeding. That means the stitches are intact; Thank Merlin's magical overalls.

I wiped the cloth over my skin, dipping it in the bucket a few times as I cleaned the blood and perspiration from my dirty skin.

Part of me wanted a shower, a stronger part wanted to be as far as possible from the house.

I have to calm down.

This place is okay. I can handle anything that pops up out here. It's alright. Breathe.

I won't be able to sleep like this, even if I go back.

Perimeter check?

I nodded to myself, and draped the cold damp cloth around my neck.

This time I started running with proper form, and kept a steady pace, still checking my surroundings in a constant sweep; like a sentry.

-

I ran a lap all the way around without seeing anything, and running put my mind at rest enough that I stopped feeling like I was being watched about halfway through.

Until I was coming back on the final length and stopped to breath, seeing an orangish light.

Daryl's camp is over there.

He isn't still awake is he?

My feet carried me that way before I fully made the decision and another short minute or so run later, I was slowing down at the edge of his campsite.

I was right. He is still awake.

He looked up from the fire he was staring at and I saw his hand go for his crossbow the next second.

My hands came up instinctively, in surrender and he relaxed; fully seeing me.

He shook his head, releasing a breath. "One a these days, ur gonna end up with a bolt between the eyes."

Yeah... I don't have any room to argue there. It's probably a matter of when, not if. And it'd probably be my own damn fault.

His eyes flickered over me, and I watched his shoulders tense so much it straightened his spine.

"Did somethin' happen?"

I glanced around before shaking my head; not entirely sure if he means 'something' like the camp is under attack, or someone died, or 'something' as in... yeah let's not go there again. I just got away, I'd like to keep it that way for a little while at least.