Protector || Shane Walsh

Chapter 3

Wilderness by Active Child.

I'm usually an intuitive person, pretty good at reading people. But I'm doubtful now.

Can I really trust these two?

Had I been in the right headspace when I made the decision to come back to their camp?

Did I just come along because I was grief stricken and in a moment of weakness, didn't want to be alone? Or because I find one of these guys alluring? God, I hope it isn't the latter.

It's too late anyway. I'm here now and it's time for a meet and greet.

Please be decent humans.

As I climb out of the vehicle, I give myself a quick mental pep talk, reminding myself that despite the past twenty-four hours, I am strong and independent. I do not need to prove myself to anyone. These people mean nothing to me, as will their opinions. This is just a pit stop.

If they don't kill me.

I take a few deep breaths.

Glenn joins the group and says quick hellos.

Shane faces me, standing in between the group and I. He gives me a reassuring nod and I follow him to the group.

I'm still weak, but the apple, the water and the drive here have allowed me to become more stable and steady. I want to give a strong impression. A bit of a 'If you don't hurt me, I won't hurt you' vibe.

"..No, we didn't find anything. But we found a someone. Everybody, this is Mia." announces Glenn.

Everybody looks at me.

I stand there and make quick eye contact with each of them. There seems to be about an equal number of men and women. There's even a couple of kids.

That pulls a little at my heart strings. Poor things. What nasty horrors have they witnessed?

"Hello." says an older looking man with a short white beard. He's standing closest to me, by the RV, wearing a bucket hat and a white singlet, underneath an open button up t-shirt.

I decide to change tactics and stick with the  defenceless, innocent vibe instead.

"Hello." I say back, clearly but softly and with a hint of a smile.

There's a chorus of greetings from half the group.

I say hello to them collectively, while I do another quick scan of them, observing all their positions. Trying to get a first impression of them all, read their body language, their demeanour, their energy.

Glenn goes through and introduces them to me.

The man with the white beard and bucket hat is Dale. The man standing with him is Jim.

Two blonde women, sisters, Andrea and Amy.

A dark haired woman with a dark haired boy, Lori and her son Carl.

A woman with beautiful dark skin, welcomes me kindly and is introduced as Jacqui.

And behind her, a family, Ed, Carol and they're little girl Sophia.

"She was in town, walkers coming after her." Glenn tells the group.

"She's had a rough day, so let's be hospitable. Help her get back on her feet." Shane explains, a hint of authority in his tone.

Jacqui comes forward, her soft voice inviting me to take a seat and leads me to their unlit campfire.

Shane and Glenn go back to the Jeep and grab their things.