THICK SKULL , twd [ 1 ]

24. don't be stupid

                      "You didn't wake us up!" Carl announces himself. "Which is fine with me, by the way!" Koa adds. Rick chuckles, approaching the duo, "'Cause I knew you were up all night reading comics with a flashlight and you just like sleepin' in," He gestures to Carl and then Koa.

                         Koa throws her hands in the air, "I knew it!" She playfully shoves Carl, earning her a shove back. She scoffs, stepping away and leaning over the wire part of the fence. Her eyes land on Violet, her and Carl's favorite pig. Except unlike yesterday where she was walking around the mud, now she's slumped in the corner coated in mud.

                     "What's wrong with Violet?" Carl asks. Rick sighs, tired of having to repeat this for the millionth time, "Carl, I told you not to name them. They're not piglets anymore. They're food." Koa waves a dismissive hand towards Rick, "That's Violet. I think she's dying but.....that's Violet." The pig doesn't acknowledge her, she just rolls her eyes back, already looking dead. "Yeah, I just thought, you know, until....," Carl starts but Rick sends a disapproving look towards him, "Okay," He sighs.

                    "Violet looks—dead," Koa comments, pouting at the hurting animal. "I don't know what's wrong with her. Could be sick, could be nothing," Rick shrugs, clicking his tongue at the farm animal but it doesn't move, "Feel better, Violet." Rick watches the teens and how their faces light up at the use of the name. Koa nudges him with her elbow, "You're getting soft in your old age."

       Rick sighs, "Old age? Let's calm down." Koa puts her hands behind her back, skipping backwards from him, "You're an old man!" She shouts as she gets closer to the gate.

                       Across the prison in the courtyard new residents from Woodbury are gathered for breakfast. Sadie has finally emerged from her own cell, Nellie is already up and probably working. She drags herself over it where Carol and Daryl are talking under a tent. Walking feels more free for Sadie. No more cinder blocks tied to her ankles, no more drowning in the smallest of puddles.

                    But, The Governor isn't dead as far as Sadie or any of them know. Just Milton and Andrea. He's still walking around freely.

                      "She's awakened," Carol quirks as Sadie tiredly walks over. "Can barely sleep anyway," Sadie shrugs, "Squirrel for breakfast, Daryl?" He scrunches his nose and merely grunts at the blonde, even a hint of a chuckle. "That's a yes, Sadie," Carol laughs, handing her a bowl of deer, much to Sadie's surprise, "But you," She points at Daryl, "I need you to see something. Patrick, you want to take over?"

                    Sadie glances over at the boy, enjoying the deer much better compared to the squirrel she's used to. Patrick is only about a year younger than Koa but he's scrawny and very obviously not good at sports. Round frames sit on his face as he adjusts them with one finger, "Yes, ma'am!" He says, making Sadie giggle at his formalities.

                    "Uh, Mr. Dixon," Patrick awkwardly calls out, "I just wanted to thank you for bringing that deer back yesterday. It was a real treat, sir." The other three share an amused look. It's little things like this that Sadie is thankful to have back. The ability to chuckle without feeling like it might be interrupted with a bomb. At least she'll feel like until she's alone and Sadie feels the impending doom of the Walsh/Finch curse.

                      "I'd be honored to shake your hand," Patrick says with a dorky smile. Daryl gives the other two a quick mischievous glance before he licks his fingers of his breakfast, each with a loud popping noise and shakes Patrick's hand. Sadie gags in disgust but Patrick still has a bright smile across his face like he's meeting Luke Skywalker.