Losing Hope *EDITING*

Chapter 24; Claire Curvel

I jolted awake with a start, my eyes wildly searching around me as a cold sweat poured down my forehead and the back of my neck. Slowly my eyes adjusted to the blinding brightness of morning. I placed a hand over my heart, trying to take slow breathes in as I realized where I was. Just another stupid nightmare Claire, calm down. I closed my eyes, wiping the back of my hand across my forehead.

I sighed, opening my eyes and pushing the damp strands of hair out of my face. I pushed the blanket I was sharing with Beth off of me, scooting away from the log we were using as a very uncomfortable pillow. I looked around, seeing hardly anyone up, but Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog. I stood up, stretching my arms above my head tiredly. I took noticed that the fire from last night had died out and everyone else that was still sleeping were cuddled close to each other to keep warm.

I snickered slightly at how cliché they all looked. Even with dirt smeared all over them from sleeping on the ground, they looked content to be asleep.Happy to not be awake. I stared down at the faces, lingering on one in particular.

Glenn. A frown played on my lips as I looked at him. He was curled up into a fetal position and was clutching onto a green blanket for dear life. He probably wouldn't be so cold if I had accepted his offer to sleep next to him last night, but I still couldn't find the need to be around him after yesterday.

"You're up pretty early kid," Daryl commented as I walked over towards him, Rick, and T-Dog.

I shrugged my shoulders tiredly, zipping the jacket I had on up and wrapping my arms around my waist. "Did you guys even sleep last night?" I questioned as I stared at the bags under their eyes. "You all look like shit."

I yelped as Daryl flicked my shoulder, making me glare at him. "Watch your mouth sunshine."

A tang of guilt hit me at the word sunshine. Shane used to call me that. Shane was definitely crazy, but it isn't wrong for me to miss him now after getting over the shock of yesterday and how Rick told us he leered him away from the farm to kill him. "Sorry," I apologized.

"We're going to go try to siphon some gas, you coming along?" Rick asked.

I nodded excitedly, glad to get away from everyone. Like Rick said last night, this isn't a democracy anymore so I want to show I can pull my weight around here. "Should I tell Maggie or someone I'm going with you?"

"They don't really need to know, we'd be back before they woke up," T-Dog spoke.

"Might want to tell Glenn though," Daryl suggested.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't need to tell Glenn anything," I retorted.

I ignored their confused expressions as I walked back towards where I was laying at. I guess they don't really understand my anger towards Glenn. Honestly I don't understand it myself, I just know I want to stay angry at him. I bent down, grabbing my knife in its sheath. I looped it around a belt loop and jogged back over to the others. "Ready."

"Al'right let's get going."

I followed behind Rick and Daryl, T-Dog walking besides me. I bumped his shoulder, smiling at him goofily. "How's your morning Theodore Douglass?"

T-Dog scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Who told you my full name?"

"A little birdy told me."

"Hmm, well my morning could be better," He answered.

I stared at the side of his face confused as we neared the cars. "Are you still bothered by Rick's confession last night?" I asked genuinely.

T-Dog looked at me for a split second before nodding his head quickly. I pursed my lips -deciding not to push the topic any further. I don't like how everyone thinks Rick is just going to up and kill them in their sleep. That's probably the real reason T-Dog didn't sleep and everyone that did huddled together.