Animal Gone Wild [DISCONTINUED]

8

WE CRUMBLE LIKE A FALLEN KINGDOM

I sat in my tree with a blank mind and a blank face. I felt numb.
"Dale could—could get under your skin. He sure got under mine, because he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought, how he felt. That kind of honesty is rare and brave. Whenever I'd make a decision, I'd look at Dale. He'd be looking back at me with that look he had. We've all seen it onetime or another. I couldn't always read him, be he could read us. He saw people for who they were. He knew things about us—the truth, who we really are. In the end, he was talking about losing our humanity. He said this group was broken. The best way to honor him is to unbreak it. Set aside our differences, and pull together, stop feeling sorry for ourselves and take control of our lives. Our safety...our future. We're not broken. We're gonna prove him wrong. From now on, we're gonna do it his way. That is how we honor Dale."
I stared at the graves from my tree. Trying to ignore people working down below to move into that house. 15 people under one roof? They apparently think I'm staying cooped up in that house during the night. So make it 14, unknown to them.
"June, let's roll out," Rick called.
I hopped down next to him from my tree and walked with him and Hershel. Swinging my bat slightly. I was quiet as they talked.
"June."
I turned my attention toRick.
"Hmm," I responded.
"When I'm out with Daryl, help Hershel keep an eye on things around here."
"You sure?"
"Shane's got a way of letting things get out of hand, especially when he's all torqued up."
"Pretty sure all of us are torqued up by now."
"If you're staying here permanently, he's got to understand that it's what Rick and I say," Hershel explained, "not whatever he wants."
"He's not a bad guy, just his own worse enemy. I'll babysit Shane, don't worry."
"Thank you, I need to make sure every time I leave the farm all hell doesn't break loose."
"Don't worry, I got him under control. But if I were you, I'd stop leaving base. Maybe he wouldn't get too out of control."
I patted him on his shoulder and continued walking.
"She's a weird one she is," Hershel sighed.
"Yeah, but she comes through," Rick sighed.
"Yes she does."
I started helping put people's items where they needed to be until everything got situated. After helping board up windows for a bit I decided to head out and do a little track and hunting. It was a bit difficult to hunt with just a bat, but I made it work. Sneaking up on squirrels and choking them out, then cutting their throats with a sharp rock. It was brutal, but at least they'd be unconscious when it happened.
I started my trek back but stopped short of the house when I noticed Shane dragging Randall with him into the woods. I walked up to the house and started skinning the squirrels. It took awhile, but by then Rick and Daryl were getting ready to take Randall. T-dog went to go get him. I tilted my headslightly in confusion. I figured Rick sent Shane to get him and to go into the woods...oh fuck me.
"He's gone," T-dog yelled, "Randall, he's gone."
I stood up and stormed towards the shed, bat in hand, following the boys. Then a whole commotion started when the others saw us, Glenn, and Andrea at the shed. I sensed a presence by the woods. I shot my head in that direction and tilted my head, squinting in confusion.
"What's up Red," Daryl questioned, taking notice.
"I thought...I thought I heard something," I informed, before shaking my head, "probably a critter."
Daryl nodded in agreement. It was common for little rodents and critters to scurry across the woods grounds. It was a common thing my ears picked up. I turned away from the woods until Shane called out. I tilted my head, seeing him come out of the spot I thought I heard a critter from.
"He's armed," Shanestated, "he's got my gun!"
"Are you okay," Carlasked.
"I'm fine. Little bastard just snuck up on me. He clocked me in the face."
"All right. Hershel, T-dog, get everybody back in the house. Glenn, Daryl, come with us. June, you guard the perimeter of the house," Rick ordered.
I nodded.
"T, I'm gonna need that gun," Shane stated.
"Just let him go. That was the plan, wasn't it, to just let him go," Carol informed.
"The plan was to cut him loose far away from here, not on our front step with a gun," Rickinformed.
"Don't go out there. Y'all know what can happen."
"Get everybody back in the house. Lock all the doors and stay put!"
I nodded at Hershel andT-dog.
"Lets go," I monotoned.
Everyone started back to the house. Before T-dog locked the front door he glanced at me who stood outside it like a guard dog.
"You sure about this June," T-dog warned, "once this door locks, you won't be able to get in."
"Lock the door. Don't think twice about it T," I ordered, keeping my eyes locked on my surroundings.
"June," Hershel cautioned, "c'mon, there's no need to be out there."
"I was told to guard the perimeter of the house. Lock the door. Don't think twice."
I started my first round of perimeter check, keeping my eyes and ears wide open. I kept my breathing to a minimum. Not too loud and not too soft. I made sure to keep my footsteps quiet as I surveyed the area. I made my rounds every 2 minutes. There was one singular gunshot and I shot my head in said direction. I reined my hearing as far as I could, but I couldn't tell what happened. Must be farther out that way than my hearing can go. Then a few minutes later another gunshot. In the same direction. I furrowed my brows in confusion, but decided to do my perimeter check once more.