New Memories

New Beginnings

The faint pounding of rain pulled the girl from her sleep.  She rubbed her eyes with her middle fingers and let out a groan as her right shoulder muscle protested.  Must have slept on it wrong, she thought to herself.  Lace sat up on her bed, rubbing her sore muscle with her hand.  As she massaged the area, she remembered what had happened the day before.

              Rick placed a large but gentle hand on the crying girl’s shoulder.  She tensed at his touch but never lifted her head from her hands.  He knelt beside her chair.  “You are welcome to stay as long as you’d like,” he told her in a quiet voice once her sobs had calmed to small hiccups.  He wanted to ask her more questions but knew he shouldn’t push right now.  She reminded him a lot of Daryl.  Both didn’t like being touched and had quite the mouth on them.  He had a good feeling about the girl. 

            He stood and removed his hand, turning to Daryl.  “Stay with her.  When she is ready, take her to an empty cell.  Maybe Beth will have extra clothes she can change into,” he said, figuring the two girls were very close in size.  The younger man nodded and moved to lean against the wall, his crossbow rested at his side and a cigarette dangling from his lips.  When Rick exited, Daryl took out his lighter and lit the paper.  He took a deep breath, holding it as long as he could before exhaling.  His nerves began to calm down as the nicotine filled his body.  Lace’s head shot up at the familiar smell.

            Her eyes held a fire of need that Daryl recognized easily and smirked.  “So that’s why you been all bitchy since you woke up,” he grumbled teasingly. 

            “Gi’me one asshole,” she demanded, not finding his teasing amusing.  She stood and stalked over to the leaning man.  He shook his head and she groaned inwardly.  “Please gi’me one asshole,” she corrected herself, a smirk that mirrored Daryl’s played on her lips.

            Silently, he held out his opened pack to her.  She took one of the long white cigarettes and placed it in between her lips, lighting it expertly, and took a long drag.  She sighed and leaned against the wall beside the tall man.  They stood in silence until they both finished. 

 Lace stood and pulled on a pair of blue jeans and a shirt.  Both belonged to Beth who was kind enough to lend them to her.  The jeans fit almost perfectly but the shirt hung loose over her torso.  Out of habit, she felt for her knife that as sheathed on her belt and her gun that was tucked tightly in her waistband. 

The cell block was deserted when she exited her cell.  Through the small windows she could see the sun shining outside.  Pulling on her black coat, she bound down the stairs and headed outside.  She breathed in the fresh air and sighed.   Looking around the prison yard, she spotted Rick bent over a row of green plants. 

“Mornin’,” he greeted her as she got within earshot.  She gave him a smile and placed her sunglasses on her nose to shield her eyes from the harsh morning sunlight.

 “Daryl ‘round?” she asked, searching the yard for the familiar dark brown hair.  She spotted Michonne walking the fence line, Carl by her side talking away.  When Lace didn’t see Daryl she turned her attention back to Rick who was holding a shovel and leaning into it slightly.  A thin layer of sweat glistened in the sunlight on his forehead and neck.  He wiped at it with his sleeve and rubbed his graying beard.    

He nodded his head towards the north guard tower.  “He’s been on guard duty all night.  Think he might have fallen asleep,” Rick chuckled and went back to digging up a large rock stuck in the Georgia soil.  Lace thanked him before making her way over to the tower.