Protector || Shane Walsh

Chapter 2

I start to think maybe she's dead but then I see her chair moving.

"Mia!" Glenn yells in a whisper.

I look to my left and see him staring at me.

Shane, a bit further down, is looking at me with an expression that screams 'What the fuck are you doing now?' and I almost laugh at him.

I look back down the street as my dizziness makes a reappearance. I find it hard to get my eyes to focus and I can't see the woman in the wheelchair anymore. Was she even there to begin with?

I feel someone at my side.

"Seriously, you tryna get yourself killed?" Shane comments irritably, as he looks down the street and then back to me, shaking his head.

"No." I look back down the street and point. "I saw someone."

"I don't see anyone. We don't need another tag along, I'm already starting to regret bringing you. We gotta keep moving, it'll be dark soon."

With my head spinning, I'm starting to doubt whether I really did see a woman in a wheelchair. If she was wheelchair bound, how could she have survived this long? It didn't make any sense.

"Sorry." I say to Shane as I take one last look down the street.

I begin along the main road, towards Glenn and Shane matches my pace.

"You like a walker magnet or something?" he asks, his tone lighter now.

"What?" I ask him, confused.

"Walker. The dead ones." he clarifies.

"Oh. That's what you call them?"

"Yeah. What do you call 'em?"

"Um, the undead."

"You an undead magnet, then?" Shane looks at me with a half smile.

Did I really just feel butterflies?

I look ahead and try to focus on Glenn. "Maybe just a bullshit magnet." I mumble and Shane lets out a light chuckle.

My vision starts to go blurry and nausea begins to settle in. I stumble a little but steady myself and continue along, but I can feel Shane looking at me.

"You sure you're okay?" he asks. "Lookin' a little pale there."

"I'm fine."

"Ah, see I know when a woman says she's fine, she really means the opposite."

"Such a wise man." I remark sarcastically.

We keep walking as he waits for a proper answer. His staring is starting to annoy me. I'm trying to stay upright and walk in a straight line without throwing up, I don't need an audience.

"If my paleness offends you, then stop looking at me." I comment snarkily.

"Hey." Shane gives my arm a light tug to stop me.

I turn my gaze to his chocolate eyes. My goodness, they look lovely in the sunlight. Just an artistic observation.

"It's a risk for us to take you in. I need to know if you've been bitten. You say you're fine, but you don't look it." The sudden authority and care in his tone is intriguing. "I want to help, but not if it's gonna risk the safety of my group."

I feel myself getting soft at his protectiveness. Looking out for his group, it's sweet and admirable.

I have to remind myself that I'm doubting his and Glenn's intentions and trustworthiness.