Who We Are | TWD

.005

    Rick opens a can of pineapple for me before handing Michonne hers. She's already taken a few bites from her can. I sit crisscross, enjoying every morsel of the small meal. I haven't had pineapple in quite a while. As far as canned goods go, we can have a difficult time finding the fruit, not to mention it doesn't grow close to where we are. Then again, we also went through a stage back at the prison where we hadn't been able to find any canned goods for a while.

    Once I finish the can, I begin slurping the syrupy juice from the bottom. It's full of sugar, but so refreshing. Michonne distributes bowls in front of each of us and begins pouring in a cereal made of bran and coated in a sugary glaze. I'm baffled. We never have this much to eat because we're always saving up for the next meal. This distant thought doesn't prevent me from wanting to indulge, however.

    "What's all this?" I ask as she continues to pour a bowl for Rick. I listen to the plinking of cereal flakes hitting the sides of the bowl. I can tell that Carl was about to ask the same thing.

    "We eat what we have now and worry about getting more later," Rick replies. I can see a grin on his face out of pride he's able to give us a bigger meal, even though Carl and I foraged for most of this ourselves. Then again, it's not like we have much as it is, so finding more later really is the only option we have.

    "We need energy to scavenge," Michonne adds, waggling her eyebrows with a grin.

    I don't object to this.

    I immediately dig into my bowl, shoving pieces of cereal into my mouth with my spoon as if I've never eaten before. At times that I'm especially hungry, it feels like I haven't. Carl does the same, but Rick and Michonne manage to keep a more controlled look about them. Even so, in their eyes, I can tell they are just as excited as we are.

    I hate to break a good moment like this by asking such a thing, but the question has been on my mind for too long, probing my brain as much as it can. "So, where are the others?" Michonne and Rick exchange a glance before Michonne opens her mouth and speaks up. Something about their silent exchange makes me feel uncomfortable about what the answer will be.

    "I haven't seen them," she states plainly. "The bus was gone before I left." The same had happened to us. Unless the bus made it to safety, I guess they really are dead. It makes me feel worse as I eat, but I have to look at the good parts of it, even though those are dwindling at the moment.

    "At least you're here now," I point out softly.

    "I am." Michonne makes a point to create a link of eye contact between us to make sure I know she's with me.

    We keep eating until Carl breaks the silence with a joke. Secretly, I think it's stupid, but that doesn't keep me from laughing with everyone else. I finish my cereal, Carl close behind, and we both eagerly wait for the adults to finish theirs. When they do, Michonne's next concern is my leg, as most people's have been in the past few days.

    "I was shot," I explain calmly, "but it just skimmed me. I'll be fine." That doesn't seem to convince Michonne the same way it did Rick, even though I don't think he was fully convinced, either, so she has me stretch my leg out in front of her so that she can inspect it on her own. I lift my pant leg to reveal the neat, cloth bandage, proud to show that the blood hasn't soaked into the clean fabric. That's a new development for today, considering the fact it was far from that point yesterday, but when the bandage is unraveled, the wound does seem quite red. I don't have to be a medical professional to know that can't be good.

    I grimace as Michonne gently touches a tender piece of skin. I know she hadn't meant to hurt me, but the flesh is inflamed. "Sorry," she mumbles, not being very sincere since she's still focused on my wound. I shake it off easily, knowing it wasn't her fault. Still, at this point, the pain is much, much worse than earlier. "It'll need time to heal and we should do what we can to give it all the time it needs. We might have to find some medicine, but make sure to keep it clean so that any infection stays out. Otherwise, looks fine, for now."