Dark Days

For The Kids

"You don't need to go. Just tell Darrick, make a list, he'll get what you need the next time they go out scouting."

"They're my kids. I want to do this. I need to do this, for the kids." Reid lets out a sigh as he pulls me back against his chest and rubs his hand across my back.

"You're not gonna let this go, are you?" I sit up straight and look him in the eyes with a big grin and shake my head.

Cathy slides out of the bed and starts getting dresses. Reid had told her about Rachel and Becky's plan two days ago and she wanted to go talk to her before she left. She didn't need to do this. Steve grabs her hand, "Where are you going?"

"I've got to go talk to Rachel," she says smiling back at him lying on his side with his brown hair standing up in all directions and sleep still in his eyes, "Rachel is going on some special run and I want to help." Not exactly the truth but not really a lie either. Steve pulls her back down on top of him and crashes his lips to hers. "But, I don't want you to go," he pouts. Cathy pulls back and runs her fingers through his shaggy mess of tangled hair, smoothing it out some. "I'll be back," she whispers as she gives him one more kiss. She stands back to her feet and grabs her sweater, slinging it onto her back.

She was making her way up the street when she saw Rachel talking to Becky. She climbs the steps as they conclude their conversation. "Cathy," I turn to her, "What are you doing over here so early."

"What's so important that you can't just have Darrick pick it up while he's out? Why do you have to make a special trip, go out there on your own?" I walk over to the door and peek in at Reid with Gracie and the twins. "I just have to, for them." I look back at Becky who was looking down at her feet now.

"I'd go with you if I could," she said as she turns her head up, "I want to."

"You're sick. You're not strong enough," I tell her as I put my arm around Becky, "Don't worry, I got this."

Reid walks out onto the porch with a baby on each hip and Gracie clinging to his leg. He looks over at me, the concern written deep in the lines of his face. "You don't have to do this you know," he says in one last attempt to try and change my mind, "Darrick said he'd get whatever you needed." I place a hand on his cheek and smile at him.

"You know I do." Reid hands a baby to Cathy and the other to Becky. He knows there was going to be no arguing with me on this. He wraps his arm around my waist as he walks me out to the gate. "Just be careful out there," he says as he leans in and brushes his lips against mine. "I promise, Chief, I'll come back to ya." He rolls back the gate and as I slip through I shoot him a wink. Reid stands there with one hand on his hip and watches as I disappear from his sight.

Darrick had given me directions to a department store not too far away. I figured that would be a good place to start. It was probably pretty looted by now but maybe party supplies and toys had been left alone. Those things aren't necessary for survival so why should anyone loot them? Becky had given me a list of things that Mason would like if I could find anything at all. Luckily, the way there was pretty clear and I had no problems. There were just a few stray corpses scattered about. If I get really lucky and find the things I need I can be back before dark. My excitement seems to grow as I near. I can picture the faces of our kids when they see everything I find for them. I don't know if I'm even going to find anything but I still picture their bright smiles. This is going to work out.

I finally make it to the small department store, it was clear of any walking dead and as luck would have it through the ransacked mess the kid's section was untouched. Well, touched but not removed. People had left that and went strictly for the necessities. I look down at the list Becky had given me and at my own list for Gracie and the twins and then start rummaging through the toys on the floor. I start grabbing whatever wasn't broken and shoving it into my bag. I smiles at myself and the sack full of goodies I now have for the kids. I imagine the looks on their faces again, now that I actually have found the stuff. I have an overwhelming sense of pride at the success of my current mission.

The crunching of glass at the front of the store snaps me back out of my thoughts as I duck behind a still semi upright shelf. I hear the slow shuffle of footsteps. It could be a Corpse, it's most likely a corpse, but I can't really tell from the sounds of the footsteps at this distance. I peek around the corner, it's clear, so I move over one more aisle. I listen for any other sounds, a voice, a growl, anything. I hear nothing but those footsteps. I peer around the next corner, still nothing. I start to make a run for the next spot but something stops me. It's a voice. It's people, well a person. I wait and listen longer but I cannot make out what the person is saying, obviously talking to another and whatever the first person said did not sit well with the other because his voice boomed through the store. With no obvious concern about drawing any corpses to them, he screams obscenities and calls the other guy so many derogatory names for a minute. I slowly back myself away from the sounds of their voices. My back hits something causing me to jump and swing around. I let out a breath of air that I had been holding. The footsteps were getting closer now and I had to think of something before they find me. The last time I find people out like this it didn't end well, except for finding Conner I guess. I pull back the blue plastic tarp and peek inside the crate that is behind me. A rotted corpse reaches for me just as I pulled that tarp back, the rustling of it sounded as if it could be heard for miles. I bury my knife into its skull just before he lets out a groan to alert the new company I had but then he falls back inside the crate with a thump. "What was that?" I hear one of the men say as they creep closer. "It came from over here."

"Shi..." I start but don't finish that utterance as I quickly climb over the twice dead man in the crate to the back. I grab at the tarp quickly so it falls over the opening. The crinkling sound it makes as it falls sounds so loud and I cringe. 'Please don't let them hear that.' I think to myself as I curl up as tight as I can behind the corpse trying to pull him over to cover me better. 'If they heard please don't let them find me.' I try not to make too much noise as I move him, well try to move him, and I lay there as still as I can aa I wait for my inevitable doom, or for them to leave, whichever happens. I picture Reid's face. He was so worried that something would happen I can't let that worry become a reality. I start trying to think of ways to get myself out of this predicament but I've got nothing so far.