Found Book One

Days

I meet Carol at the bottom of the stairs after I get dressed, I smile as we fall into step. "When it's warm out we eat outside," Carol says, I walk with her out one of the many rusted doors.

"Are you and Daryl together?" I ask before she can answer Daryl is walking our way. He throws an arm over my shoulder and one over Carol's.

He kisses my cheek before pressing his lips to Carol's, "Daddy!" a girl's voice calls from behind him.

He turns around as a girl with dirty blonde hair runs toward him. He smiles and lifts her up when she jumps at him. I smile sadly and back away as Carol kisses my father.

Carol grabs my shoulder gently, "Elaine this is Mika," she says. I nod and Daryl sets her back on her feet. I kneel down to her level, "It's nice to meet you, Mika." She smiles timidly and nods her head.

She latches onto Carol's pants leg, "How old are you?" I ask the young girl shrug. "She's going to be six next month," Carol says.

"Wow girly you're gettin' old," I tell her. Mika giggles, "Yup pretty soon you'll have arthritis."

I stand up straight, "I'm starving," I mumble and walk over to a line of people. Mika follows closely behind me. Daryl brushes his hand on my arm. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he whispers to me.

I shake my head. "Dad, you have nothing to be sorry for, you made a family here. And I'm proud of you for it," I say. He wraps his arms around my body and squeezes me tightly. "Okay daddy I like air," I mutter out.

He nods and pulls away, "Go get some food," he says, I get back into the line. It slowly moves up, my mouth waters at the sight of all the food, Carol laughs at my expression.

"You can have a plate now and I'll save whatever's left over for you. Cause you must be starving." I nod at her statement as a woman behind the counter loads up plates for us. Daryl waves us over to a table where he and Michonne are talking about who knows what.

"I'm sorry about Rick earlier," Michonne apologizes. I sit in an empty seat next to Maggie and Mika sits beside me.

I start eating and soon everyone at the table is staring. "What?" I ask with a mouthful of bread. Daryl laughs Carol smacks his shoulder lightly. "You have always been my little piglet," he says leaning across the table to hand me a napkin.

My face is dusted pink and I smile lightly. "Leave her alone, she's just hungry," Carol says trying to bite back a smile.

"I'm going out tomorrow, do I have any requests?" Michonne says placing her fork down on her plate and pushing it away. "Elaine?" she questions, I look up at her with a confused face.

"Anything you want. Books, comics, makeup," I shake my head. "You don't need to get me anything," I say.

She smiles and leans her elbows on the table, "If it's not any trouble I'll snag it for ya' just tell me," she says. "I- um well. I like to draw," I mutter, she smiles showing off her white teeth again, "See now that's more like it."

I walk around the prison until I find the library that someone mentioned at lunch. "Finally," I mutter to myself as I walk through the doors. The room is large and full of shelving with tons of books lining the shelves. I smile as I look over the worn spines of the leather books. "Hello Elaine," a worn voice says from behind me. 

I turn to see who it is. "Hi Hershel," I say to the old man. "Looking for a book?" he asks, "Why else would I be in a library," I say. The man chuckles, "Maybe try out this one, I've always found it a good read," he says as he hands me a dark red bound book. "Thank you," I say before he walks away. 

I go back to my room with the book in hand, I sit down on the bed and open the thick cover. I smile when I see the title of the book. Its the Chronicles of Narnia. I scoot back on the bed so I can lean against the wall to read it. 

"Hey, Monkey?" Dad questions from the hallway, I walk out of the room, "You don't have to but Mika wanted you to tuck her in," he mutters rubbing the back of his neck.

I smile and nod, he leads me down the stairs, "That's what I missed the most about you. I just didn't realize it until I saw it again." I smile again as he stops at a cell with a white-flowered sheet hanging over the door frame.

I walk past it to see Mika laying in the bed with a purple comforter draped over her, "It looks like you're already tucked in," I say. The girl shakes her head and kicks off the blanket, I laugh and grab the blanket and pull it up to her chin.

"Goodnight," I say rubbing her arm, I turn out the light and pull the curtain back to its original spot. "Remind you of anybody?" Daryl says I giggle and nod, "Yeah, she does," I mumble.

"She's not really mine, but I love her and Carol so much. My family just got bigger and I couldn't be happier," he says grabbing onto the railing to go up the stairs.

"Me and Carol are in the cell to the right of Mika's," he says kissing the top of my head. I smile and walk up the stairs, "Night dad," I say when I reach the top he nods and disappears around the corner.