The Walshs

Chapter 4

The morning crept in quickly and I found myself with Lori and Carol hanging up the camp's laundry. Shane had left to gather more water for the camp supply and Jason was off playing with the other kids, Carl promising me and Lori he would take care of his younger cousin. Rick emerged from his tent after Lori let his sleep in, he was still healing from his gunshot wound and any rest would help his recovery.

"Morning," I greeted him as he wandered over dressed in casual clothes that Shane had let him borrow. "Morning," he replied with a raspy morning voice. I watched his eyes scan the damp clothing in front of me and hanging on the line behind me almost as if he was confused by them. "They're still a little damp but the sun will dry 'em up in no time," I said referring to his sheriff's uniform I had just pegged up beside some of Jason's things. "You washed my clothes?"

I chuckled at his dumbfoundment and nodded. "Well as best we could. Scrubbing on a washboard isn't as effective as my washer back home," I explained making Rick chuckle. "That's very kind. Thank you Katy," he replied with a soft and polite smile. Speaking with my brother made me realise how much I had really missed him, we were very close as kids and only grew closer as we grew up. He always took the protective older brother approach to any boys I met or and people who harassed me despite there not being a huge time difference between us, he was only older by twelve and a half minutes. Rick wandered off to talk to Glenn who was watching Dale, Jim and a few others strip his car for gas and spare parts. I, on the other hand, heard Shane's jeep enter the camp and decided to go help him bring the large water containers off the jeep.

"Water's here y'all. Just a reminder to boil before use," Shane announced and hopped on to the gravel, smiling when he saw me approach him. Andrea lifted one of the large plastic containers off the truck and carried it off with the help of her sister. Shane pecked my lips once we were close enough to each other and his hands cupped my cheeks with a soft smile. "Where's Jase?" He asked in a quiet voice.

I stretched upwards to peck his lips again and placed one hand over his heart. "He's off playing with Carl and the other kids," I replied and we gave each other a third peck on the lips. Just as we pulled away from each other, we heard all the kids scream from a small clearing just on the edge of the camp. "Momma!" Jason yelled in a terrified voice making my head snap in that direction. "Jason? Jason!"

I sprinted in the direction of my son's scream with Shane close behind me, his shotgun gripped tightly in his hands as he ran. "Mom!" Carl yelled out causing Lori and Rick to follow us, Cody tossing Rick a weapon as he followed us too. "Baby! Jason!" I yelled before seeing his blonde hair over the top of a shrub. I knelt down and hugged him close, furiously checking his skin for any scratch or bite marks before his small arms wrapped around my neck to hug me tightly. Carl was close behind him and ran straight to Lori who was visibly panicked as she combed his body for marks.

Shane stopped momentarily to check Jason, his chocolate orbs locking with mine to search for confirmation that he was alright. I nodded and he quickly jogged off to investigate what the kids had seen with most of the other men in the group. Ryder was the last of the kids to come from the clearing, breathless and sweating from running in the Georgia heat. I looked at him and held my hand out to him. "Come here honey. It's okay," I assured him. It was evident he was shaken up, possibly having come face to face with one of those mindless monsters, and it broke my heart to see him like that. However, he did take my hand slowly and allowed me to pull him close to me. "Are you okay? Any bites or scratches?"

Ryder shook his head and just hugged me, shaking against my shoulder slightly. I cradled the back of his head and kissed the side of his head before doing the same to Jason. "Come on. Let's get back to camp," I said softly as I stood up straight with Jason resting on my hip and Ryder's hand grasped gently inside my hand. We followed Lori back into camp and the boys went inside the RV to cool off. I leaned against the outside of the RV with Lori and Andrea, a sigh of relief escaping my lips that my son was alright. "Merle! Merle! Get your ugly ass out here! Hunter! Ryder!" The gruff voice of Daryl Dixon rang out into the camp as he marched in with half a dozen dead squirrels slung over his shoulder alongside his crossbow. Ryder had heard him called and the boy jumped out of the RV, running to his father and hugging him tightly.