southern charm |d. dixon|

1.3

Birdy wasn't one to ask God for anything. She always went to church, every Wednesday and Sunday with her parents, and prayed with them every night. Before every meal, she would clasp her hands together and silently thank some higher power for her meal.

But she stopped thanking God after she was in elementary school. She still went to church to please her parents, but she stopped being grateful.

After the death of her sweet Aunt Josie. 

She watched her beloved aunt die a slow and painful death. A woman who used to be so radiant,  so active around the farm, be trapped to her bed, never to leave until her last breath.

And they prayed so hard to God, asking him to heal her after doctors told them there was nothing they could do.

Why would God take away such a beautiful soul? Why would He tear a family apart?

He took a mother away, a wife.

She didn't want to ask God for anything after that. Because he wasn't listening.

And after the dead started rising and eating the living, Birdy began to think God wanted them to perish. He hated humans, and regretted creating them. And now, He's taking out the trash.

And her parents were part of it.

Of course she'll pray with Beth, to bring comfort to her younger cousin. But she wasn't speaking to God.

Headlights in the distance distracted Birdy from her thoughts. She watched as the old yellow car drove up the road and parked by the big oak tree that Maggie and Birdy used to swing from when they were kids.

The Asian man from behind and an unfamiliar face approached the porch, staring blankly up towards the front door,

"So do we ring the bell? I mean it looks like people live here." The Asian man asked,

They clearly didn't see Birdy sitting on the porch swing.

"We're past this kind of stuff, aren't we?" The other man responded. He looked exhausted, and a little sickly with the blanket around his shoulders, "Having to be considerate."

Birdy stood and cleared her throat, startling the two men, "Did you close the gate up the road when you drove in?"

The Asian man blinked for a moment before speaking, "Uh, hi. Yes, we closed it. Did the latch and everything." The two walked up the steps, the other man struggling a lot more, "Hello. Nice to see you again. We met before briefly."

"Look, we came to help. There anything we can do?" The other man asked.

Birdy observed him, spotting the bandage around his wrist. There was blood soaking the gauze, and her first thought was that it was a bite.

"It's not a bite." Her cheeks turned red at being caught staring, "I cut myself pretty bad though."

Birdy nodded, "We'll have it looked at. I'll tell them you're here."

The Asian man reached into his bag, "We have some painkillers and antibiotics." He took out a few orange bottles, "I already gave him some. If Carl needs any."

The blonde took them into her hands, "Come on inside. I'll make you something to eat." She opened the door for them, letting them in first before closing the door behind her.

Birdy led them to the guest bedroom, where Carl's parents, Hershel, and Patricia were. They were sitting there, waiting. That's all they could do, until Shane and Otis comes back with supplies.

"Hey." The Asian man spoke up, gathering the attention of all the residents in the room except for the resting boy,

Rick glanced up at them, still looking weak from all his blood transfusions, "Hey."

"Um, we're here, okay?"

Lori nodded, tears stained to her cheeks, "Thank you."

"Whatever you need." The other man commented before the three of them left the room,

Maggie was sitting at the kitchen table, her head in her hands as Birdy walked in, the men behind her.

She quickly stood, glancing between the two newcomers, "I didn't know we had company."

"They're part of Rick's group." Birdy explained,

The two introduced themselves as Glenn and T-Dog before Maggie began to make them sandwiches, insisting they must be hungry. The duo sat down while Birdy went to grab Patricia from upstairs.

The blonde woman came down to look over T-Dog's wound, grabbing her tool and began stitching him up, "You got here right in time. This couldn't go untreated much longer." Patricia stated, glancing at the orange bottles and reading the name on the prescription, "'Merle Dixon'. Is that your friend with the antibiotics?"

"No, ma'am." Glenn answered, holding down T-Dog's arm to keep him from flinching, "Merle's no longer with us. Daryl gave us those.. his brother."

"Not sure I'd call him a friend." T-Dog winced,

"He is today. This doxycycline might have just saved your life." She responded, "You know what Merle was taking it for?"

"The clap." Glenn responded and Birdy tried her best not to laugh, "Um, venereal disease." He corrected, "That's what Daryl said."

"I'd say Merle Dixon's clap was the best thing to ever happen to you." Patricia told T-Dog

"I'm really trying not to think about that." He groaned,

Glenn went outside and Maggie followed with a plate of food. Once Patricia finished with T-Dog, she quickly left to help Hershel with Carl.

They couldn't wait any longer.

Birdy sat in the living room, preparing to hear the screams of the little boy. She was also prepared to see her uncle carry the boy covered in a white sheet.

Familiar headlights filled the house with a bright light. Birdy scrambled to her feet and followed the others out the front door.

Shane was clutching the backpacks in his hands, staring up at the group as he limped over,  "Carl?"

"There's still a chance." Rick responded as Hershel grabbed a bag,

He paused before turning back towards the truck, scanning it for another figure. Birdy did the same, trying to find the other man who left on the mission.

But he wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Otis?"

Shane scanned the group, avoiding eye contact before he muttered one word, "No."

Hershel turned to the rest of them, "We say nothing to Patricia. Not till after. I need her."

He rushed back into the house and the blonde woman continued to stare at the empty truck. Once again, God didn't respond to her prayers. Another person in her life, ripped away before she could even say goodbye.

Rick stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his friend, trying to both thank him and comfort him at the same time,

"They kept blocking us at every turn." Shane stared at the ground as Rick pulled back, but Birdy could still see the wild look in his eyes, "We had nothing left. We were down to 10 rounds. Then he said.. he said he'd cover me and that I should keep going."

Maggie began to cry and Birdy moved to comfort her younger cousin, "So that's what I did. I just.. I kept going. But I.. I looked back and he.. I tried."

"He wanted to make it right." Rick told his friend, and Shane moved his gaze to meet his.

As Birdy led Maggie back into the house, she couldn't help but be prepared to hear Patricia's wails.

They came, but not until after she was in her bed, waiting for sleep t find her. But it never did. Not with the older woman's cries filling the house.