Firecracker ➝ Daryl Dixon

Chapter 4: Empty

If someone had asked Arden a year ago where she would go if zombies showed up and starting eating people her list of answers would have been short.    Top on her list was a Wal-Mart Supercenter, because that place had just about everything, next was a Costco for the same reason she would camp out in a Wal-Mart.  In her head those places sounded perfect- food, water, weapons, entertainment- if the dead ever walked the Earth she would pack up her car and head for a Wal-Mart or Costco and live out the rest of her days in safe comfort.  The last place Arden would have thought to camp out at was a prison, though that’s exactly where she was.

Daylight had aided in illuminating her current surroundings, which happened to be in an area right next to a row of prison cells.  As she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes her mind turned to the people she had met so far.  Hershel, Glenn, Maggie, Rick, Daryl- where they all convicts who had been sentenced to this prison before the outbreak?  Maybe Daryl and Rick, but definitely not Glenn, Maggie, and Hershel which raised the next two questions.  How did all these people find each other, and just how many people lived here? 

Arden certainly was curious but in the end it didn’t matter, her only goal was to get out of here.  Brown eyes scanned around her cot, searching desperately for her orange hiking bag but to no avail.  First these people abduct her then lock her up and now she finds out they stole her stuff.  Just as her anger was building she heard Maggie’s voice saying something about breakfast. 

Breakfast.  Arden began salivating as thoughts of bacon and eggs circled through her mind.  It had been a long time since she last ate, though judging by the IV that sat next to her cot someone had been giving her fluids which would explain why she didn’t feel like complete and utter death. 

“You hungry?”

It was the stupidest question Maggie could have asked, because of course Arden was hungry.  She was nearly starving and it took a lot of self-control to not snatch that plate out of Maggie’s hand and shovel those eggs into her mouth.  After taking the plate and sitting down on the cot Arden picked up some egg between her pointer finger and thumb but hesitated before placing it in her mouth.  “It’s not…” gratefulness for the food kept Arden from asking outright if the food had been poisoned.  Realization made Maggie’s eyes go wide before they softened with sadness.

“I just,” Arden shrugged, “You never know now-a-days.”  Powdered eggs were nothing to rave about but as the food slid down her throat Arden was about ready to cry with happiness.  A thin film on her teeth was all that remained of the morning meal, that and the staring gaze of Maggie Greene.

“I tried to brush your hair out, got most of the knots out but still needs a wash.”

Arden pulled her hair over left shoulder and began running her fingers through it.  Dried blood and dirt still lined her strands, strands which Arden hadn’t even realized had been matted together.  The silence that accompanied her toying with her hair was growing awkward but Arden wasn’t sure what to say.  She sure wasn’t going to say ‘thank you’ because she had never asked Maggie to brush her hair.  Also, the thought of a stranger combing her hair while she was asleep made Arden feel very uncomfortable.

Arden cleared her throat and flicked her hair over her shoulder, “Where’s my bag?”

It obviously wasn’t where Maggie was hoping the conversation was going, but she was kind enough to not call Arden out on her rude behavior.  “We have it, I’ll go pick you out some clothes while you shower.”

Thoughts of an actual shower made Arden nearly shiver.  She couldn’t recall the last time she bathed, but once she got out of here she would make sure to find a river or stream to clean up at.  “I just want my bag.”