Future Ghosts • TWD

36. Things Are Changing.

"It tasted so bad," Carl was saying, a small smile on his face as he thought of the memory. "I wish you would have been there."

I wish you would have been there. That was something Carl had been saying a lot lately, whenever he'd think of old stories about his old life to tell Rosie. She couldn't tell if he actually meant it, or if it was just another thing people said.

The relationship between the two kids had grown closer ever since they left the farm. At first, Rosie was avoiding Carl, not wanting to talk to him about Shane, but then they ended up having a short conversation about it. Surprisingly, Carl only asked a few questions, and then he was done with the topic. He hadn't brought it up since.

"What was the funnest thing you ever did at a birthday party?" Carl asked her, sliding one of the red solo cups over to her on the floor before filling his own.

"I don't think I ever went ta one," Rosie said, shrugging her shoulders. "Coach Smith got me a cupcake on my birthday, though. And my..." she trailed off, not wanting to think about Fraser. She pressed her lips together, her expression dropping slightly.

"Oh, well my birthday's on June 27th, 1998. Maybe we can have a small party then. If we can find balloons or something," Carl said. He lifted his cup and drank the root beer, savoring the sweet taste of the liquid on his tongue, before refilling the cup. "When's your birthday?"

"April 10th, 2001," Rosie replied before taking another sip of her Gatorade.

"So you're gonna turn ten," Carl said. Rosie nodded, wiping her lips clean of Gatorade with the sleeve of her green jacket. "I'm gonna turn thirteen next. I don't know what day it is, though." Carl got up and brought the two liter over to where his parents were, offering them some of the drink.

While Carl was gone, Rosie capped her Gatorade and put it in her backpack, not wanting to drink all of it in one day. Leaving her bag on the ground, she got up and left the gas station without a word. She headed towards the woods, but was soon stopped.

"Rose," Daryl's voice called out from behind her, sounding annoyed. "Where the hell ya think yer goin'?" he asked her, walking quickly to catch up to her.

"Over there," Rosie said, pointing to the tree line.

Daryl rolled his eyes. She never seemed to understand the point of questions, always giving an answer that was obvious. "Why?" he asked.

"Gotta go pee," Rosie said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Get Maggie or somethin'. Can't be goin' out there by yourself," Daryl said. He put his hand on her back, leading her back towards the gas station.

This was another thing that had changed ever since they left the farm. Daryl, for whatever reason, started paying close attention to Rosie, and it was confusing her. He suddenly cared whether or not she ate whatever food was found, whether or not she was warm enough, and whether or not she had someone with her wherever she went.

He was also just generally nicer than he used to be. He always offered to help Lori with whatever she might need help with, considering she was pregnant and all. He always shared whatever he found hunting with the rest of the group. And he often brought Rosie little things he found that he thought she might like- like the ankylosaurus.

As the two went back to the gas station, Daryl tapped Rosie on the arm with something. She looked up at him and he nodded towards his hand. In it was a pack of crayons. "Found 'em in the back," he said, holding out the crayons for her to grab.

Rosie found herself smiling a little, but quickly hid the smile away. "Thanks," she said, stuffing the box of crayons into the large pocket of her jacket.