Consumed | 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐱𝐨𝐧

five.

Daryl sat closed off as he skinned the deer and chopped it up ready to make Carol some food. I sat with Dale as I tried my best to pluck the feathers off the bird which we shot down. "Roast pheasant is one of the best types of meat." Dale nods to the bird. That's what the bird was, a pheasant. I knew it looked familiar. My grandmother used to cook this bird for dinner almost every sunday me and my brother went to visit. "Yeah. My grandma used to make it every sunday." I agree with him.

"Your grandma has good taste." He licks his lips at the bird. Probably imagining how good it would taste. She did have good taste. She also picked it out because it was one of the few meat my little brother would actually eat. Even though she lied to him that it was chicken, he still ate it. "Deer is for Carol to help her grieve." I smile at Dale, "A good meal always helps." It was something I wish I had when I lost it all. Could've made losing my mind a tad bit easier.

-

As it got darker, we all began to wonder where Lori was. They were always back in time to put Carl to bed. Even Carl had become seemingly worried as he wandered around his pyjamas. "Where's mom?" He walks up to me timidly. I had been told by Shane and Andrea that Glenn and Rick went to find Hershel who could be drinking his liver away in a bar. So where was Lori? "Your mom is just fine." I assure him, "She's just gone out with your dad for a while. On a... uhm- date." Is that the only thing you could pull out your ass, Kaia? Really? A date in this fucked up world. There was no room for romance anymore. Carl nods, "Where'd they go?" Why so many questions? There was only so much I could pull out of my ass.

"Went for a little picnic. They must've been having such a good time they lost track of time." I rub his shoulder, "Come on. Let's get you to bed." Carl yawns and we walk over to the tent he shares with his mom and dad. He slips his shoes off before snuggling up in his sleeping bag. "Night." I say quickly before trying to exit the tent. I didn't want to form a friendship with this kid. Remember that. It'd be hard for him to cope when I leave. "No." He calls out to me, "Please stay. Mom always stays with me until I fall asleep." His blue eyes begged me to stay with fear of being alone. I couldn't leave him. What if something did happen while he was trying to sleep? What if he couldn't sleep? "Ok." I mutter before sitting next to him as he lays there. Shuffling, he moves his head to rest on my leg before he shuts his eyes and wraps his arm around my stomach. "Goodnight, Kaia." Carl smiles as his breathing calms.

"G'night." I placed my hand on the top of his head. His body becomes more relaxed as he begins to doze off to sleep. I find myself brushing his hair with my hand. Something I used to do to my brother when he couldn't sleep. After a while, his breathing becomes soft as he begins to snore lightly turning on to his back. I grabbed one of his mom's blankets and covered him with it before transferring his head onto a cushion so I could get out the tent. He looked peaceful at rest. His worries faded away from his face as he dreamt silently. I hope he can make it in this world. I hope Lori and Rick come back to him and give him and their little rascal the best life they can. It's what any child deserves. Exiting the tent, I spot Daryl picking at the fire with a stick. I quickly enter my shared tent with Shane and stuff my bag with my belongings.

Reaching into my bag, I rummaged for my jacket but grabbed out the teddy bear instead. My breath catches in my throat as I run my hands over it before stuffing it back into my bag. Grabbing the backpack without closing, I rush outside the tent as I fumble trying to close it. My shaking hands dropped the bag as everything fell out. "Fuck." I say a bit too loudly. Daryl spots me struggling to put everything in my bag and comes over to shove the stuff in there with me. Then he picks it up. The teddy lay in his docile hands as he looked up to me with questions in his eyes. My eyes brimmed with tears as I grabbed the bear from his hands and threw it into the bag before successfully zipping it up. Rushing to my feet, I swing the backpack on my shoulders as I begin to rush off into the distance. Footsteps were heard behind me rushing towards me. "That's it ya' just gonna leave?" The voice said from behind me. I could recognise that voice anywhere. Daryl. "Why?" He demands an answer out of me. I stopped in my tracks not bothering to look back at him.