𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 | 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞

It was silent, no one was speaking, laughing, they weren't doing anything they did the day before. Everyone just sat around a small fire, looking around or at each other, fiddling with their fingers or sleeping— like Andrea— it was a long, insufferable silence and it was killing the hell out of everyone.

I sat in a white lawn chair; Glenn's hands resting on each side as he stood behind me. I kept the headphones over my ears, not even worried about the muffled music that everyone could hear— maybe it'll make them stop looking like such downers, like dead people. I was trying so hard to not pay any mind to the sad faces ahead of me but when the two cops approached the group after a much needed sweep, I took my headphones off and paid very little attention.

"I've, uh, I've been thinking about Rick's plan." Shane spoke first, setting down his gun and sitting his foot atop of one of the rocks. "Now look, there are no— there are no guarantees either way. I'll be the first one to admit that. I've known this man a long time. I trust his instincts. I say the most important thing here is we need to stay together. So those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning. Okay?"

I crossed my leg over the other, leaning back into my seat before placing my headphones back over my ears. The group was met with another beat of silence, the awkwardness becoming too overwhelming for others causing them to get up and walk away.

Glenn sat beside me when everyone else was gone, a small and tight smile rising on his lips. I peeked at him, pausing my music and frowning when realizing what was about to happen— lecture.

"I didn't mean to be so blunt earlier, it just happens." I sighed, looking down at my hands. "I can't... concentrate without my music."

"I get it, I like that you're able to speak your mind, but sometimes you have to leave the adults to talk about it."

"Glenn." I groaned, scoffing at his choice of words.

"Somethings should be left for the adults to think about, for the safety of the children."

"I understand." I grumbled watching as the smile on the mans face grew bigger and brighter. "I won't be a bitch to the adults."

"Hey, language!"

"Language, yeah."

I was appreciative and there wouldn't be a time where I wouldn't be grateful for him. It was like having a best friend who was far older than you— maybe a father figure. It didn't take a lot for me to trust him, maybe because I was a kid or maybe because he had shown me reasons to trust him. It was all about action and he was the bravest and most authentic of them all.

At the first crack of sun we were all outside, some of us standing in a family group, others sitting on car hoods. Rick and Shane were in front of us, looking back and forth, looking like they were in charge of all of us. I frowned, leaning toward Glenn while shrinking in my spot.

"Everybody listen up." Shane rose his voice, making sure all of us could hear him from where we stand. "Those of you with CB's, we're gonna be on channel forty. Let's keep the chatter down, okay? Now you gotta problem, don't have a CB, can't get a signal or anything at all you're gonna hit your horn one time. That'll stop the caravan. Any questions?"

"We're, uh..." Morales begins, looking around his family. "We're not going."

"We have family in Birmingham." His wife spoke. "We want to be with our people."