"She hasn't woken up in weeks."
I could here the sound of Hershel's voice outside the bedroom door. Who hasn't woken up for weeks?
"She better not be dead!" Dad. They were talking about me. "If she turned like Sophia I swear to God I will put a goddamn bullet between your eyes!"
Sophia turned? What in the hell have I missed. Why was I asleep so long? I couldn't remember much, only pain and last seeing Beth and Maggie leaving the room.
The door burst open and Dad stepped in the room. He sat down on the bed before shaking me to wake up. My eyelids were heavy. They felt like ten pounds were dragged on them.
Finally, I groaned. My eyes open and I stare into my dad's worried face. "Hi." I mumbled. His eyes were watery, but no tear dare fell, and a grin was spread on his face. He hugged me tightly and I hugged him back.
"Thank God you're alright." He says.
"What happened?" I asked, pulling away.
Dad explained to me what happened, how I was impelled and slipped into a coma. He also explained how they found Sophia in the barn as a walker. My heart sank at the fist mention of Sophia's name.
"So she's gone." I mumble, staring at my pale, weak, and tingly hands. "We didn't get to her in time."
" 'Fraid not." He replied. Hershel left five minutes ago to leave us alone. "Sorry, kiddo." He placed a hand on my shoulder.
"How's Carol taking this? Not so well I suppose."
He shakes his head. "No. I wish I could help her."
"Me too." I reply.
We were silent for the next few seconds, until Dad said, "Hey, how about you try using your legs for the first time in weeks." He stood up and I uncover the blankets. I place my feet on the carpeted floor, sending tingles through my leg, and stood up, stumbling at first from the numbness.
I stretched out a bit, listening to the sound of my body cracking and popping. It felt good to get up again.
Carl walked in the room.
"Could I have a moment with her?" He asked my Dad. Dad glanced at me, and I nod at him.
"Sure." Dad said as he left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Carl crossed the room and hugged me tightly. I winced from my stomach, and he released me. "Wow. Your hair has grown a lot." I say, ruffling my fingers through his hair.
"A lot can happen in a few weeks." He says. "Have you seen yourself?"
I lost my smile and look into the mirror. My hair was a disaster and slightly longer. My eyes were red and my skin was pale. I looked like a frickin ghost. "Holy shit, I look bad." I laugh. He laughs and places a hand on my shoulder.
"You look like a walker now." He smiles. I smirk, turn, and playfully punch him in the arm.
"At least I'm not a walker." I say.
"Thank God." He says, loosing his smile. He takes my hand and lifts my sleeve. The bite was pretty much gone. "Beth has been cleaning it every other day."
"That's really nice of her." I reply.
"Yeah, it is. Hey, check this out!" He lifts the hem of his short enough to show me a handgun sticking out of the waist band of his jeans.
"Damn, when'd ya get that?" I ask.
"Long story." He says, his smile disappearing again.
"I'm all ears." I say. He sat down on the bed.
"Dale's dead." He mumbles. Dale? Dead? It can't be. I sat down next to him. "I was throwing rocks at a walker, but it wouldn't go down. I figured if I left it, it wouldn't do any harm. But it got Dale. It's all my fault. Daryl had to put him down."
Carl sat there staring at his shoes for awhile. I place my hand in his, the way he used to whenever I'm upset about something. "Hey...hey look at me." I grab his chin and turn his head to look at me. "It's not your fault, okay?"
"It is, Steph." He says. I flinched at the way he said my name, cold and heartbroken. "And to top it all off, my mother's pregnant!"
Lori's pregnant! no way! "Really?" I ask. I didn't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Good: it's bringing another life in the world. Bad: Baby could die from infections, lack of food, or even bit by a walker. Bad. Definitely bad.
"With Shane's kid, too." He replies.
"Shane! No fucking way!" I said, wide eyed.
"Yes way! Shane finally got my mom to say I could handle a gun, and now he's been giving me lessons how to shoot."
"That's good. You any good yet?"
"How bout you see for yourself. Lessons are in a few minutes." He grabs my hand as we stand up and walked down the stairs.
*****
"Ready for lessons?" Shane asked as we approach him. He was standing outside by the barn.
"Yeah." Says Carl.
Shane nodded towards me and says, "You want lessons, too?"
I laughed with disbelief. "I can shoot better that you can." I say.
"Doubt it." He replies. Was he seriously challenging me?
"Wanna bet?"
"Sure. Get that bottle down in less than three tries." He points to an empty bear bottle sitting on a log.
"Easy peasy." I grab the gun from Carl's waistband and aim at my target. I fired, getting it down in the first try. I blow on the barrel for added effect. I looked back at Carl. He had a giant smirk on his face and didn't mind that I was using his things.
"That was a lucky shot." Shane points his gun at another bottle and shoots. The bottle fell on the first shot.
"Not bad, Sheriff." I say, lifting my gun and shooting down another bottle. Shane did the same thing for the next.
"You know what? Carl, grab that bottle and put it far out on the log over there." Shane pointed half way down the field. Carl grabbed the bottle and ran down the field. "Shoot it down in less then five tries. First one to get it down, is a better shooter than the other. Looser has to cook dinner tonight." He holds out a hand for a deal. I shake it firmly in mine.
"Don't go crying to your momma when you loose, Sheriff." I say, he laughs as Carl returns.
"Man, you really are your father's daughter, alright." He says, lifting his gun and firing.
