Sneaky

Chapter 107

I coughed onto the back of my hand as I turned back, watching T-Dog, Glenn, and Daryl come through the other side facing the road with the fire stuff and some of the gear we managed to save.

'Please tell me that's not all of it.' I watched them set down a couple backpacks, including my own, but I distinctively don't see the ammo bag with all of our guns (aside from the ones each of us are carrying).

Daryl met my eyes and apparently Eve speak is a two way street because that face says exactly what I don't wanna hear.

I licked my lips between my teeth, biting the into a tight line as I forced in a deep breath. It gave my lungs a deep, aching stretch. Reminding me how much of a position I'm not in to deal with this right now.

"What's over there?" Beth looked behind me curiously.

I swallowed the dry lump in my throat — at least attempted to — and hoarsely cracked, "Water."

"Here" Glenn took the cap off a bottle and handed it to me.

'Why'd he give me this?' I took the bottle and drank some of it nonetheless and great googly moogly does that taste good. Water never tasted so great but we don't have a lot of this left — .... I'm dumb. I literally just found more.

So we should probably actually drink what we've got and fill up our supply while we're here.

I felt eyes on me as I lowered it from my lips again and Beth is still looking at me like she's expecting something. Carl too.

I looked at Daryl and even he — oh.

"Water, as in a stream." I jabbed my thumb over my shoulder.

"Oh" Glenn nodded, catching on now.

"That's good right?" Carl took the bottle as I passed it to him. "Means we don't have to go find some?"

I hummed, ruffling his hair with a little less enthusiasm than normal but I could fall asleep on my feet at any moment so give me a break.

"Good. You should go get this crap off ya then." I almost jumped as Daryl swiped his finger down my cheek, looking at it in disgust.

I didn't think there was anything on my skin. I thought I only got it on the gut jacket.

"Yeah, you startin' to smell real ripe there." T-Dog grimaced, and normally where I'd expect to see hints of amusement or a smile, there isn't. Not even from Glenn or the kids.

Jesus help us. If we can't even find the fact I apparently smell like the wrong end of a skunk, we're in serious trouble.

I turned my nose down towards my shoulder and coughed, choking on a gag.

Yeah I'll deal with morale later, they aren't kiddin' about that smell.

"Dig a pit first. It'll be safer." I pointed at the spot on the ground where the fire should be and left it in their hands while I hobble down the slight hill to that stream.

The leaves crunched under my feet even in the darker looking spots where they're a little wet.

That's not so good for moving unnoticed, but at least sneaking up on us will be difficult. So at least we don't have to worry about that.

That puts my mind at ease a little. Now if only everything else would just get in line so I can take a 15 hour nap.

I used a small tree, not even 5 years old I'd guess, to get on my knees and plunge my hand into the water.