HEART FOR BRAINS • the walking dead

018: left behind

The boy peered through the glass, watching as Maggie walked around the empty car park before knocking on Rios window. "Clear outside."

He jumped out the back of the car happily, glad to be somewhere other than the prison. It was bringing everyone down.

Rio walked up to the building, looking at the signs and trying to read them to see what they could find. The lettering was faded and some were even missing and the sale sign upon the outside hung sideways. He turned his head slightly to try and read it. The bottom floor windows were closed or boarded up so he couldn't get a good view of the inside either.

"All right, let's take a look." Glenn announced, slinging his gun from over his shoulder, holding it ready. Maggie grabbed his hand.

"Hey." She stopped him, kissing him quickly before pushing him back towards the door. She smiled at Glenn before he went in to kiss her again, longer this time.

"Ew." Rio complained making Maggie fail to bite back a laugh as she reached down.

"You're just jealous." She teased, wrapping an arm around him. "You want a kiss too?"

Rio tried to wiggle away as she kissed into his hair. "Nooo." He whined between laughs as she held him up.

Glenn pretended to try and pull him away, laughing as he did so.

"It's a beautiful day." Maggie said as she looked up at the sky. Rio made a noise of agreement. It was nice but it was also really hot.

Glenn walked back over to the car, grabbing a pair of large pliers to cut open the door, held together by thin boards and metal chains. It snapped easily and he unthreaded the rest from between the door handles. He swung the door open and Rio jolted back as wings flapped and birds cried from inside. They all came rushing out.

They all let out shaky breaths as they realised the birds weren't a threat. Rio even laughed.

Glenn headed inside first, Rio and Maggie following closely behind. He took a look around, taking in the size of the shop, Rio was about to head for one of the aisles when Maggie spoke.

"Glenn, get that duck." She said, just as they reached the shop entrance.

"What?"

"She said get that duck." Rio shrugged as he walked past the man, looking at the collection of toys at the front of the shop.

He laughed, turning to Maggie. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. A kid growing up in a prison could use some toys." She said. Rio hadn't thought about it until now, it felt cruel not to take it.

"I miss toys." Rio said as he picked it up, he turned it around, inspecting it.

"I'm sure we can find one for you." Glenn responded, clicking his flashlight on. The boarded up windows caused it to be dark, even in the middle of the day.

"This is a baby shop?" He replied, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Uh, yeah and you're a big baby." Glenn said, shaking his shoulder. The boys mouth hung open in mock offence.

"Maggie's my favourite, starting today."  Rio announced as he opened his bag, placing the wooden duck inside of it.

She made a small whooping noise as Glenn poked his tongue out.

They split up as they searched, Glenn down the left aisles, Maggie down the right and Rio through the middle. He looked up and down the shelves. There were baby clothes, formula and pacifiers. He scooped it all into his bag.

"You good?" Maggie called out from her side of the shop. Rio climbed onto one of the shelves trying to reach a product at the top.

"Yeah." Glenn called out.