(Short chapter)
Melody stirs awake to find herself lying next to Shane, the night sky pitch black around them. She sits up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, and spots Rick sitting by a fire with the others. She listens in on his conversation.
"Disoriented. I guess that comes closest. Disoriented. Fear, confusion... all those things, but... Disoriented comes closest," he says, his voice heavy with emotion. It's clear that he's been through something traumatic, and the words he's using to describe it are telling in their own right. Melody's heart goes out to him, knowing that he's been through something difficult that he's still working to process.
"Words can be meager things," Dale says, his voice soft. "Sometimes they fall short." The group around the fire sits quietly for a moment,
Rick breaks the silence, speaking slowly and with a quiet intensity. "I felt like I'd been ripped out of my life and put somewhere else," he says. "For a while, I thought I was trapped in some coma dream, something I might not wake up from ever."
Carl looks up at his dad with wide eyes. "Mom said you died," he says,
"She had every reason to believe that," Rick says, his voice strong and confident. "Don't you ever doubt it."
Melody isn't sure how to feel about Rick. He left her brother and father behind in Atlanta, but he's also been kind to her and his reunion with his family is touching. But she can't help but wonder if she should still hold a grudge against him. Mellody sits up, sensing her emotional turmoil.
Shane's expression changes as Rick speaks. He stops smiling and his eyes turn cool and distant, as if he's holding something back.
Lori speaks in a sad, almost wistful voice. "When things started to get really bad, they told me at the hospital that they were gonna medevac you and the other patients to Atlanta, and it never happened."
Rick nods, understanding her pain. "Well, I'm not surprised after Atlanta fell," he says. "And from the looks of that hospital, it got overrun."
Melody notices Shane's change in demeanor and wonders what could be the cause. Is it because he's feeling gloomy about her dad and brother, or is it related to Rick's return? She doesn't want to press him, though, so she remains quiet.
Shane replies to Rick's words with a somber tone, "Yeah, looks don't deceive. I barely got them out, you know?" He sighs, looking down at the ground.
Rick continues his gratitude, "I can't tell you how grateful I am to you, Shane. I can't begin to express it." He says sincerely.
Dale finally breaks the silence
“There go those words falling short again. Paltry things.” Dale said
Nearby, Ed starts another fire. Mellody turns her attention to the crackling flames, lost in thought. Shane seems concerned and asks Ed, "Hey, Ed, you want to rethink that log?"
Ed responds, "It's cold, man."
Melody feels a chill run down her spine as she thinks about the men of the group, including Ed. She knows he can be mean, especially to Carl and Sofia. She isn't sure if Shane hates her dad and brother more or eD
Shane replies, "The cold don't change the rules, does it? Keep our fires low, just embers so we can't be seen from a distance, right?" He sounds annoyed now.
Ed responds, "I said it's cold, man. You should mind your own business for once." He leans back, clearly annoyed by Shane's remarks.
Shane stands and approaches Ed's fire as Mellody watches from a distance. She's not sure what is going to happen next, but she can feel the tension in the air.
Shane stands next to Ed, his voice rising, "Hey, Ed... Are you sure you want to have this conversation, man?"
Ed's reply is quick and harsh, "Go on. Pull the damn thing out. Go on!"
Carol, Ed's wife, steps forward and pulls the log out of the flames, as their daughter Sophia watches.
Shane responds with disgust, "Christ."
Shane stomps the flames out, putting an end to the tension between the men.
Shane kneels down and looks at Carol and Sophia, "Hey, Carol and Sophia, how are you doing this evening?"
Carol responds quietly, "We're just fine."
Shane nods, whispering back, "Okay."
After he finishes speaking with Carol and Sophia, Shane notices that Melody has sneezed and addresses her,
"Hey, Mellody, don't you think it's time to head to bed?"
Melody nods, realizing Shane needs to talk about something important, but he doesn't want her around to hear what he has to say.
"Okay," Melody replied, standing up.
Carl nods at her in response, wishing her a goodnight as well.
Melody waves at Carl and then turns to her own tent, unzipping it and climbing inside. She sees the cot that Archie has set up for her, and climbs into her sleeping bag. Taking her favorite doll, Charlotte, she pulls her close and snuggles into the fetal position. The tent's fabric rustles around her as she finds a comfortable position. She can't go to sleep just yet, because Daryl is still missing.
Mellody closes her eyes and begins to drift off, listening to the soft chatter of the rest of the group outside. After a few moments, she can no longer make out what they're saying. Despite the noise, she manages to drift off into a deep and restful sleep.
