𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒍𝒇 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 ➪ «𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛»

ch. XXXI pt. II

oOo

Glenn and the kids were sitting around the fire pit once Diana returned to home camp. Her heart lurched at the sight of them. The clear absence of mom and dad was painful and disturbing. Her eyes jumped to their tent, waiting for them to come out at any second.

"Hey," Glenn said, breaking her out of her staring as she approached. "I told them about Jim and... what you were doing."

Diana nodded and swung her backpack from her shoulder and onto a chair. She answered their expectant looks with a slow shake of her head. "There's not a lot I can do, or anything at all..."

"I see," Glenn whispered, and looked down at his clasped hands.

Diana stepped forward and plopped herself down onto a sitting log. "There's something we gotta talk about," she addressed her brother and sister. They both looked exhausted, like sleeping had had the opposite effect on their bodies. "You know about the CDC?" she started.

Felix nodded but Alice just looked confused. Diana explained shortly what she knew about the government organization and then added, "I heard from Jim that Rick's planning on taking him there."

"That means all of us, too," Alice stated, questioning without asking, leaning backward with crossed arms.

Diana shrugged loosely. "Only if you want to. We don't gotta go with them. We can stay a little while lon-"

"We should go," Alice interrupted. She bit the inside of her cheek and seemed to search for her words. She spoke hesitantly, awkwardly, "There's... nothing we can do here anymore."

Diana knew what she meant. There was not really a life to be lived in that quarry. It made for a beautiful resting place, that much was true, but they were alive.

Felix, elbows propped on his knees, rubbed his eyes hard and nodded with a dragging sigh. "It's not safe here. Roamers found this place once, they'll find it again." His nose scrunched and he added, "It smells so much of blood, it won't be hard."

"I know this isn't a matter that involves me," Glenn interjected, "but I agree with them."

There was little to no more discussion left on the subject after that.

oOo

Diana looked around. The remaining campers had gathered for a small meeting, if it could be called that, and everyone was awaiting the return of Shane, Rick, and Dale, who were doing a sweep of the surrounding area for any remaining walkers. Her heart clenched when she thought of how her dad would've volunteered to do go with them, his sense of duty and protectiveness never failing.

Felix laid his weary head on her shoulder as if sensing the void in her chest, dragging his chair a little closer to hers. His droopy eyes closed for longer and longer with each blink. Diana caressed his cheek lightly then started grazing her fingertips on the side of his neck and the edge of his hairline. His head only grew heavier.

Alice yawned inaudibly behind her hand. Once she caught her sister's eyes and saw what she was doing, she immediately rolled up her sleeve up to her elbow and gave her her arm for cóceguinhas.

Diana never conceded more gladly.

Among the other survivors, she saw Andrea napping on a chair, a deep wrinkle between her eyebrows, and bloody hands wrapped around a blanket. Diana had been saddened to hear about Amy. She'd been a nice girl; she hadn't deserved it. But then again, neither had Sam and Irene, but that had never stopped any disaster from happening.

She could empathize with Andrea, felt a little bit sorry for her even, because while Diana still had her siblings, Andrea now had no one.

A hand on her shoulder had her looking up – Glenn. His kind face reminded her that blood family was not the only family she had left, and that made Andrea's reality all the gloomier.