Back: A Bethyl Survival Story

As Months Pass

As Months Pass

It started out as me simply follow wig their tracks for a few days. I tracked and tracked and tracked, but never caught up. Eventually the snow can and I lost all hope. I will never see that blonde girl that I fell in love with.

It's been about a two years and a month since I last seen Beth. The house seems to have by passed the sadness as Judith now is three or four and Bentley has grown in not only height but now weight too. He looks like an actual ten year old now.

Carol and Tyreese have been sneaking around together. They try to pretend they aren't for my own sake, but I know it's true.

Sitting in the kitchen I can't help but find life dull. Walkers have finally diminished to nothing in our area, the house is still in top condition and we've found farm animals to help us survive. Everything is perfect. Except for my broken heart.

I never found out what Beth wanted to tell me. I never found out who those men really were. All questions I have could only be answered by her and she's simply gone. Taken.

My facial hair has grown slightly longer and has a little bit more grey to it. My hair is also slightly longer, but I don't mind. I end up having Carol cut it every so often. We've all changed. Carol's hair reaches her shoulders, Tyreese has a bit of grey in his fro, Bentley's hair is more moppy, and Judith's hair is now sandy blonde with small freckles on her cheeks.

"Dad, did you ever play sports?" The questions of the day from Bentley. Lately that's all he's been interested in. Sports, hunting, fighting- typical boy things.

"No. I wasn't really a popular guy. I kinda kept to myself and stayed out of people's way.

"Oh. Can I ask you another question. I know it's usually one a day, but... never mind." He starts to walk away, but I grab his shoulder gently.

"What is it Bent?" Sitting down on the couch next to me, he seems befuddled by something.

"Did you ever have... parent problems?" I sit up and look at him curiously.

"What do you mean exactly."

"Like did yer parents ever, ya know hurt you in anyway?" I sit back and remember all my old man ever did to me. Looking at him, he seems small.

"Yes. My dad used to beat me everyday up until he got taken to jail for drug dealing. Why? What's this about?"

"Promise you won't get mad?"

"Kiddo, I would never be mad at you, if someone was hurting you. I'd expect you to tell me." He looks at me with wide eyes.

"I don't remember all too well, but when I was little, my mom used to do stuff to me..."

"What do you mean?"

"You know how Uncle Ty and Aunt Carol do stuff, but they think we don't know?" I let my face drop.

"Yes..."

"My mom used to do that to me. My dad was never around cause he was in the military, an well, mom always told me she was lonely and missed him and that I looked just like him..." He stops for a second an I feel my heart pumping. Bow could a woman do that to her kid. "She used to touch me... An one day she started making me touch her, but soon after they said my dad was missing in action, she started making me do a lot of what Uncle Ty and Aunt Carol do."

It's obvious, he had been bothered by this for years. Looking up at me, I can't offer him really any solace, but a hug and a hand on his shoulder.

"That's why I was always scared of my new mom. She was really nice and I miss her. I wish she was my real mom, like Judith." I sink back into the couch and think of Beth. She was so bothered by the fact that Bentley was afraid of her, that if she would've known why, she too would feel as sick as I do now.

"Thank you for sharing that with me Kiddo. I'm glad we can both be honest with each other."

"Dad..."

"Yeah, Bentley?"

"Do you think Mom will ever find us again?" He gets up and looks at me directly. I feel my heat ache with all the possibilities.

"I don't know bud. I hope so."

"Me too." He gives me a hug before running off to play with Judy. Sarg looks up from the floor, with big smokey eyes and a gray chin.

"I sure hope so." I say that to Sarg and he lays his head on my foot.