When The World Ends

Weak People

I was awakened at about four by Rick telling me that he was taking Carl and Michonne out for a run today to get more weapons, I hated to ask him, but I needed a gun and a knife. When I did, he laughed saying sure; he brought me in for a hug after I went to Carl's cell. The door was open so I just stood there letting my eyes adjust.

My small shadow covered his peacefully sleeping body. I walk in slowly making sure my steps don't echo and wake him up, I take a gentle place on his bed and rest my hand on his leg. I stayed there, watching him stir in his sleep.  I sigh getting up and going back to my cell when I'm about to turn in, a voice calls me.

"Why do you care for him so much?" I see Michonne against the rail.

"I don't know. I guess it was just a quick bond." I put my hands next to her, looking at the blank white walls of the prison.

"How long have you known him?" She looks at me.

"About ten years now babysat him for nine of them. After my case, Rick didn't want me going home, so he offered me a job had to meet my mother and everything."

"So you guys have that brother-sister bond?" Her eyebrow raises.

"Nah, he knows I'm not his sister. More like, best friends I have his back he has mine." The sky starts to wake up, changing from black to bright orange. I watch intently and seamlessly as it goes from orange to red to yellow, then a slight light blue.

"So why'd you come here then? Why get up in the middle of the night and check up on him when he is protected?"

"It's not that. I heard Rick's taking him out with you today. I wanted at least a goodbye." I twist, looking at the sleeping boy.

"Where were you when this started?" My face drops, remembering anything before this, the smell of sour burning and chalk in the air annoying music in the background.

"I was at a bar, alone, just waiting." I see myself on the stool at the bar, thighs sweaty and sticking to the leather.

"You waiting for a boyfriend?" She asks me. I shake my head side to side and laugh.

"No, my boyfriend left me after I told him what happened. He thought I was trying to make an explanation on how I cheated on him. I was trying to decide if I should get shit face drunk or not." I was very naive.

"What happened to your family?" She shifts awkwardly. The rail behind me seemed to get colder as the words left her mouth. The thought of my father serving the country comes back. Then my mom, god that whore, she got what she deserved.

"My dad died years before this happened, Jolene about a month before. She wasn't the best, not one bit." The smell of leather and cigarettes cloud my memories this time.

"You know. I used to talk to my dead boyfriend. Before Andrea left and I came here. We moved throughout winter, never stopping. I had him and his best friend on chains. No arms or teeth they were calm, kept the dead from attacking us. Strange, but they never needed anything. I was a bit crazy back then." We both let out laughs that echo throughout the cellblock.

"We all go crazy at some point." I bring down the laughter as we start to wake others up. The sunrise casting my whole shadow on Carl and heating my back, I decide it's finally time to head downstairs. I start to retreat to my cell but pause to look back to Michonne. "We are never safe, don't ever let your guard down." I finally go back into my cell, getting my weapons then meet whoever is up downstairs.  

"I think I want you guys to try and clear the yard today, takedown as many as you can without hurting yourselves," Rick asks us. Carol makes oatmeal, and I politely decline the bowl as Rick asks me to walk with him. Passing Hershel and Maggie, I greet them with a smile and give Maggie's shoulder a small pat, exiting the room we come to a stop by Daryl on the stairs; from the corner of my eye, I see a humble glance taken from me to Rick.