Weak//c.g ✔️

Chapter Two

Meadow Fletcher
April 23rd, 2017
12:30 AM

MEADOW looked at the fire as it crackled and popped. The hot rocks popping out of the fire. Winter was finally over. The air was warmer but it was raining almost all the time. Tonight was different though. Tonight it was warm and dry.

Meadow was sixteen now, her seventeenth birthday was coming up in a few days so Joy and Daniel decided they would go look for something for Meadow's birthday. Her heart raced at the thought of getting a present from her parents. It was exciting to finally have something normal.

Ryan walked around the perimeter, his gun rested in his arms. Meadow refuses to use the gun her father gave her last year for her birthday, it was too loud and too dangerous. She couldn't even think about touching a gun after it.

She accidentally shot another survivor who was merely hungry. "Accidentally". That's what her parents said, to make her feel better.

Every single night she has had nightmares of the man's face, his pleads, his limp body. She was traumatized. She didn't feel bad at first, she felt proud of herself. But then it sank in deeper after a couple of hours. She cried. A lot.

Her young self couldn't understand what drove her to do that and why. That man could have had a family. That man could have been a part of a community. He could have saved them.

Meadow continued to watch the fire, her home-made bow and arrows sitting next to her. The flame emitted in front of her, almost as if it were dancing.

"You know, a gun would keep you safer." Ryan finally spoke, breaking the silence between the siblings.

"No, it's fine." She muttered, picking up her arrows, examining the stone tip. "It's better this way for me anyway, quieter. It doesn't attract the freaks."

"What did Dad tell you about calling them that?" Ryan asked. "It doesn't matter what the hell I call them, they're dead, gone, never coming back." Meadow shot back, "It's better then thinking they're people. They're not people, they eat people. There is a big difference and you know it." She cleared her throat, sharpening one of the arrowheads.

"They can still-" Meadow cut him off, "You know damn well that those things can't be helped." Ryan looked down, "Yeah, I know." He looks back up at Meadow, "But it's good to have hope than to be heartless." He spat. Those words made Meadow's throat go dry. Her and Ryan have argued a lot lately.

Crack! A twig snapped, Meadow shot up, holding her bow and arrow out, an arrow already pulled back as she pointed her bow and arrow at the direction that the sound came from. Ryan stood behind her, pointing his gun at the sound.

From the dark emitted a shadow, scratch that, shadows. Not just two but four.

Meadow gulped, "We don't have much, you can have the fire and we will be on our way." She tried reasoning. The figures stepped out of the shadows. A man had his arms wrapped around Daniel's shoulder, a boy on the other side, he looked to be Ryan's age, maybe younger. Joy ran in front of them, "Pack, there is a heard of dead coming."

Meadow pointed her weapon away, "Sorry, we couldn't see you." Meadow quickly put out the fire with a bucket of water. It sizzled.

Ryan grabbed their bags, grabbing what he could. "There's a house. Maybe five miles up the road. Take Carl and clear it, We will be there." Joy said looking at Meadow and Ryan then the mysterious boy, Carl. Meadow nodded, grabbing her bag, her bow, and her arrows.

"I don't think I want to leave my dad." Carl spoke, "Trust us, we will be there, you kids need to go." Joy said, rushing around the tiny camp.

Ryan already booked it. Meadow looked at Carl, "We need to go, please." She pleaded, holding her hand out. "With my dad."

Joy nodded. "Take Rick, we will meet you there, I promise." She kissed Meadow on the forehead. "I love you."

"I love you to, Ma." Meadow said, rushing to Rick's side. He groaned in pain. "It's okay, Mister, we will get there."

The three began walking together.

Rick attempted to go fast but he was in way too much pain to even attempt it. "It's okay, it's not the far now, keep walking." Meadow said. Carl far ahead of us.

"Carl." Rick whispered. "Carl!"

Carl kept walking, ignoring Rick.

The house came into the clear, Meadow helped Rick inside the house. Ryan was already dragging two of the freaks outside. "I need a place for him to lay, he needs stitches on his forehead." Ryan nodded, moving the couch near the window. Meadow set Rick down and Carl watched, carefully. He watches her every move. Meadow rummaged in her bag, grabbing a thread and a needle and some bandaids, "This is gonna hurt, I am sorry in advance."

Rick nodded, "Give me something, to bite on." Rick said hoarsely. Meadow looked at the chair sitting in the corner of the room, she kicked the leg of the oddly placed chair in and a piece breaking off. She handed the wood to Rick, he put it in his mouth, biting down on it.

Meadow threaded the needle, her hand was steady.

Rick needed twelve stitches and Meadow did just that.

Rick breathed out heavily, "T-Thank you." He whispered. Meadow nodded, "Get some rest, we should be fine here for a few days." Rick nodded, his eyes fluttered shut. His breathing slowed down.

Meadow's hands were bloody. She noticed her parents were taking longer than they said.

"Thanks." A voice spoke, quietly. "Thank you."

"It's alright. It's okay." Meadow said, looking at Carl. "Sorry for looking like a dick right now." "No, it's okay, you're not."

"I am. I just," He paused, looking out the window, His eyes teared up, "I-I lost my baby sister." He sniffed, wiping his nose.

Meadow looked down, staying silent. "It's his fault, He couldn't stop acting like a coward. Hiding behind a fence."

"I'm sure he was trying to protect you both." Carl scoffed, "No, he was protecting himself."