Dark Meat-Continuation [Walking Dead]

Chapter Fourteen

"-one entrance. The Vatos, they go out, scavenge what they can to keep us going. We watch the perimeter night and day and we wait. The people here, they all look to me now. I don't even know why." I hear a voice. As I listen, I struggle to make sense of anything. I feel almost detached from my own body, as if my limbs aren't my own. There's a sharp pain in the back of my head and a buzzing in my ears.

The second sense I get back is smell. It smells like... Prunes and denture cream? My mouth feels dry and body leaden. However, I cannot feel my stomach. There's a heat there, but that's about it.

"Because they can." Rick? In an attempt to open my eyes, the small slits that I can muster are invaded by light, harsh and blinding. I groan inaudibly and shut them again. What happened anyway? The sound rustling fabric and metallic clunking fills my ears.

-Rick-

I begin to divide the guns and ammo between ourselves and Guillermo's group. The entire situation with Glenn and Miguel was a total misunderstanding. Although Daryl still wants to beat Miguel's ass for drawing attention to us whilst in the alley and causing Tessa to be knocked unconscious,

The 'custodian's' dark eyes linger over to the still sleeping girl. We share a look, one that clearly tells me he is confused. Tessa, the girl, is barely any taller than my boy with curly blonde hair, bruised and chapped skin, thin limbs and a sad look on her face. There is a large, enflamed scar on her upper arm and numerous scratches all over her body.

"What's the deal with the kid?" He asks in a concerned tone, staring at me intensely. I shake my head gently. I'm not to sure myself. Is she Daryl's kid? I can't be sure. Does she have a family? Maybe. Are they dead? Probably.

I sigh under my breath. "I don't really know myself." Guillermo gives me a strange look. "Daryl brought her along. She's been in the city before and wanted to help out."

"Tess c'n handle 'erself." Daryl growls to both his and Tessa's defense. I hand over a shotgun to Guillermo, noting as the redneck's eyes follow it the entire way. Either he doesn't trust Guillermo or is reluctant to give up the guns so easily. Regardless, he isn't impressed.

The other man shifts the weight on his feet and twists his hips to face Daryl. "That's weird, man. You don't let a child do such dangerous things, especially now that... Now that..." He trails off, allowing us to finish his sentence. "What are you anyway? Some dirty redneck. She your kid, or some stray you found out on the street?"

"She ai' no stray." Daryl snarls while approaching Guillermo. He speaks with a quiet rage, getting dangerously close to the custodian's face. Lip curling in slight disgust, he tilts his head and jabs Guillermo roughly, right above his heart. "Why don' yeh say 'at again, yeh faggot?"

"Now just calm down." I say, trying to pry the two apart. Squabbling will get us no where, and we really need to head back to camp. It looks to be getting late. "Now I don't totally agree with bringin' the girl, but she knows what she's doing. She's valuable."

He waves us off tiredly, glaring at Daryl hotly. "Argh, she's yours to look after. It don't concern me."

"Damn righ' it don'." He mutters under his breath. I shoot him a look and glance at Tessa. She stares back at me with huge indigo eyes.

"You're awake?"

"Don' 'ppreciate bein' called a kid." She says as a sort of reply. The girl then hisses in pain as she tries to sit up. Whether from her head or belly, I can't tell, though I suspect both. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow." Lifting up her grimy shirt, she reveals a network of bruises. They range from pluming purple clouds to streaks of an orcish yellow and stretch almost the entire breadth of her belly.