Sightless

Shane Walsh and Lori Grimes

~ Today ~

Once Daryl lead me over to the fire, heat me down in my chair, and once I was settled he stood behind me, waiting for whatever Shane and Rick were going to say. Rick and Lori had gone into the RV to check on Jim and Carol, and Lori came out just a moment ago but I don't think Rick was out yet because Shane was saying some weird stuff. 

"I need you to help talk some sense into Rick. Look, this C.D.C thing, Lori, it's a mistake. So you're backing him?" I jumped a bit when Hendrix lay down on my feet, but focused back on what Lori and Shane were saying a few feet away from where I was sitting. I couldn't tell if Daryl was still behind me, or if he was even listening, but I wish he was, because this was super weird. 

"What else would I do? He's my husband."

"Look, it may be time for your to play the dutiful wife, but you can't tell me that fixing your marriage is worth putting people's lives at risk."

"I think folks around here can make up their minds without bringing my marriage into it. It's a habit you need to break."

"I guess I'll just add it to the list of habits that I'm breaking whether I like it or not." Shane growled out, but I heard the RV door slam open, and Rick's voice rang out around the camp. 

"What habits?"

"Just talking about my need for a plan, man. So what is it? Are we leaving or not? Maybe y'all just want to stay here. We could hang some more tin cans." Shane was getting angrier by the minute, and apparently the nerves were showing on my face, because a hand grasped mine. I jumped, but the cool ring on the middle finger of the hand, assured me it was Dale. 

"It'll be fine." He mumbled, and a hand squeezed my shoulder, for only brief second, and I knew it had to be Daryl, because it was my left shoulder, and Dale wouldn't be able to reach it.

"We can't stay here. We both know that." Rick argued, and Lori cut in. 

"I was just telling Shane I think we should trust your gut." 

"Let's go do our sweep." Shane growled out, and he and Rick stomped off into the woods, and Dale pulled his hand away from mine and I could hear his footsteps follow them. I heard a few quick steps, and someone sat down in the seat that Dale had been in before. 

"You wanna help me make some arrows?" Daryl's gruff voice said from my right, and I almost jumped. 

"Sure." I said, trying not to move too much so I didn't scare Hendrix. I held my hand out, and the knife that Daryl always gave me was placed in it, and then a moment later a long stick was put in my hand too. 

"So... how do I do this?" I asked awkwardly, moving the stick into my left hand and holding the knife firmly in my right. 

"Just strip the bark off the stick, and try to get it the same size all around, without making it too thin. Should be about the thickness of a pencil." He explained, and I nodded, and carefully started to push the knife down the stick.

I was on my fifth stick, which I had been passing to Daryl so he could add the point and the feathers, when Shane, Rick and Dale came back. 

"Gather up everyone!" Shane yelled, and I listened as everyone grouped up around the fire pit, and Max climbed up into my lap, and Daryl pulled the knife out of my hand before I could accidentally stab him. 

Once everyone was settled, Shane cleared his throat, and started talking. 

"I've been uh... I've been thinking about Rick's plan. Now look, there are no... There are no guarantees either way. I'll be the first one to admit that. I've known this man a long time. I trust his instincts. I say the most important thing here is we need to stay together. So, those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning." Shane explained, and when no one said anything Rick dismissed everyone, and I sat in silence as everyone disappeared to pack up their stuff.