Silent Fighter- ENGLISH VERSION

Walker Kid

It was no secret that Roderick wouldn't take Jodie's resistance silently. The broomstick incident had only partly been swept under the carpet and he made his own version of it. He claimed that his friends had taken a shower when Jodie attacked them for no reason whatsoever. That's why they had to fight back with the broomsticks. The fact that she punched Roderick in the face, he also kept quiet about, so he wouldn't look like an idiot. But with that story, he had managed within a very short space of time to turn all children, except for Carl and Beth, against Jodie. Jodie tried to ignore the bullying that was thrown at her face or the glances that she was given the best she could. She had more important things to do than deal with this childish stuff. She kept sneaking out to practice with the crossbow. She gave herself about half hour a day so nobody wouldn't notice that she was missing, and every time she got better. After about two weeks, she tried her crossbow on a walker for the first time. The first arrow hit his neck, but the next one hit his forehead and he fell dead to the ground. Jodie cheered inside, she had done it.

But then a kind of sadness washed over her, You shouldn't be happy when you've killed a person. This walker before her wasn't really human anymore, but he used to be one, and now he was just redeemed because she had chosen him as a target. I'm sorry, Jodie thought and gave him a sad look before she removed the arrows from his body. She had now managed to kill a walker with this weapon, but she didn't rest on her laurels and continued to train.

She also continued to bring Daryl cigarettes, his food, and recently even self-carved arrows, after memorizing how big his arrows had to be. Although Daryl always seemed surprised that she would come to him, bring him things, or just watch him, but that didn't bother him any further, as she didn't bother him with her presence. It didn't bother him because she just didn't talk to him all the time like maybe other kids would do or tried to influence him. She respected him in a way that not many people did, and so he just let her. Let it happen.

But he noticed too, that Jodie has been under increasing pressure from other children recently. He had not interfered in the past because he thought that the children would settle this shit among themselves, but by now he wasn't so sure anymore. Because the glances and the mean words have become more and more frequent, and it seems that Jodie had already become so strange for her people that none of the parents decided to reprimand their offspring. Especially not Roderick's father, who almost encouraged his son and seemed to see no mistake with him.

It was none of Daryl's business, but strangely, he realized that he seemed to care about Jodie when the other kids were mean to her. A few times, he was about to jump up and yell at the other kids, they should really mind their own business. He felt such deep anger inside him that he couldn't explain, which made him more confused and angrier.

Maybe because Jodie reminded him so much of himself when he was a kid. Maybe because he was slowly but surely getting used to the girl's company. She was always there, and she didn't really let herself be driven away from him, but with her quiet way, she didn't really bother him. She wasn't pushy, she was just there. Maybe she was looking for a protector in him or just a friend, but Daryl couldn't see right through her. But even though he'd never said it out loud, he knew inside he cared about her.

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Actually, Jodie wanted to go hunting again, but Carl had asked her if she wanted to play with him and the other kids at the meadow.

"Maybe they gonna stop when they see how well you can play soccer," he said, smiling.

Jodie smiled weakly; he was right. While Jodie hadn't liked to play with other children before the apocalypse, she had preferred to read, draw or exercise. But this time it would be a good chance to make better contact with the children.