Don't look back

Six

That night, Mary barely slept, unable to close her eyes out of fear of what could happen to Rick. In the morning, after eating some dry crackers and drinking some water, Lori came over to Mary and ruffled her dirty hair. "Come on, you. You've still not had that bath."
"Bath?" Mary asked confused.
"Yeah. In the quarry. Come on, I've got your stuff. I'll wash them clothes while you wash, and you can put your dungarees on after."
Mary nodded, and got up. She followed Lori to the quarry, and when they got to the water Mary pulled of her clothes and rushed into the water happily, splashing around madly, Amy and Andrea in the distance, fishing.
"Not too deep!" Lori laughed, shaking her head slightly. It was the first time she had seen the little girl experience pure joy.
Lori let her splash around and swim while she washed the shorts and soccer shirt.
"Come on now! Let me wash your hair!" Lori shouted. Mary paddles over, and sat on the pebbled floor as Lori washed, conditioned, and brushed her hair. "There. Now wash and get out, yeah?"
"Yeah." Mary nodded. She scrubbed at the dirt and blood on her skin with a sponge, then got out of the water and wrapped a towel round her, then dressed in a shirt and her beloved dungarees.
"Come on. Wellies on, and let's go back to camp. I don't like being this far away." Lori smiled softly. Mary nodded, and pulled on her boots.
"I like baths. I like swimming." Mary smiled happily as they went back to camp, surprising Lori. Usually someone else had to start a conversation with her.
"Yeah? Did you take lessons?"
"Yep! With my friend. Molly. I won a competition once. I got a medal. It was gold."
"Wow. Very good for such a little girl."
"I'm not little." Mary protested, then she laughed. "I am really."
As they arrived at camp, and Lori saw Sophia colouring alone. "Sweetie, go play go with Sophia. I've got to help with the jobs." Lori said kindly, and Mary nodded, and ran over to the older girl.
"Hi Mary." She whispered quietly.
"Do you want to play?" Mary asked, just as quiet.
"Sure. What do you want to do?"
"Can I learn checkers? Like you play with Carl."
"Okay. I'll get them." Sophia nodded. She left, and came back with the game set. They sat on upturned buckets, the checkers board on a crate, and patiently showed Mary how to play the basic game.
"Mary, look!" Sophia gasped as Andrea and Amy walked into camp, their arms full of fish.
"Baby will you look at that? Hey, check it out! Ladies, because of you, my children will eat tonight. Thank you!" Morales grinned happily.
"Thank Dale," Andrea grinned, "it's his canoue and gear."
"Mom, Mary, look! Look at all the fish!" Carl exclaimed, looking up from the book he was reading, holding some up to Loris face where she was washing dishes in a bucket of warm water.
"Thank you." Lori laughed, jerking away.
"Woahhhh." Carl whispered.
"Yeah, woah! Where did you two learn how to do that?" Lori asked.
"Our dad." Amy grinned. "Do you two like fish?" She asked Carl and Mary.
"Yes!" Mary grinned widely.
"Can you teach me how to do that?" Carl asked. "And Mary? Please?"
"Yes! I'll teach you all about nail knots and stuff. If that's okay?" Amy smiled, slowing down as she realised she needed Lori's permission.
"You won't catch me arguing." Lori shrugged.
"Hey Dale! When's the last time you oiled those line reels? They are a disragce!" Andrea teased.
"I... Uhhh... I don't want to alarm anyone, but we may have a bit of a problem." Dale sighed, pointing Shane over to his friend, Jim, who was on the hilltop, digging holes.
"Why's he doing that?" Carl asked in confusion.
"I... Erm, I don't know." Lori stuttered. She looked at Mary's fearful face, and smiled gently. "It's okay. Jim's okay, just doing something a bit strange. You're fine. He'll be fine."
"Let's check it out." Shane decided.
"You two. Stay with me." Lori instructed, taking Carl in one hand and Mary in the other as they walked over to where Jim was digging.
"Hey Jim? Jim, why don't ya hold up, alright, just give us a second here please?" Shane asked calmly.
"What do you want?" Jim asked, uninterested.
"We're all just a little concerned man, that's all." Shane explained softly.
"Dale says you've been out here for hours." Morales prompted.
"So?" Jim shrugged.
"So why you digging. What, you heading to China? Jim, what?" Shane asked with a smirk.
"Doesn't matter. I'm not hurting anyone."
"Yeah, except maybe yourself. It's one hundred degrees today. You can't keep this up." Dale said in concern. 
"Sure I can, watch me."
"Jim, they're not gonna say it, so I will. You're scaring people. Your scaring the kids. Carl and Mary and Sophia." Lori sighed, stepping forwards. Carol beckoned Carl and Mary over, and then she put an arm around both of them.
"They got nothing to be scared of. I mean, what the hell people, I'm out here by myself. Why don't y'all just go and leave me the hell alone." Jim defended.
"We think that you need to take a break, Okay? Why don't you go get yourself some shade, some food, maybe? I tell you what, maybe in a little bit, I'll come out here, I'll... I'll help you myself, Jim. Just tell me what it's about. Why don't you just go ahead and give me that shovel." Shane prompted, his voice becoming increasingly forceful.
"Or what?" Jim challenged.
"There is no or what. I'm asking you. I'm coming to you, and I'm asking you. Please. I don't wanna have to take it from you."
"And if I don't then what? Then you're gonna beat my face in like Ed Peletier aren't ya. Y'all seen his face, or what's left of it! See now that's what happens when someone crosses you." Jim argued. At the sound of Ed's name, Sophia began to cry softly at the harsh memory from the day before.
"That was different, Jim." Shane growled.
"You weren't there! Ed was out of control. He was hurting his wife!" Amy protested.
"That is their marriage! That is not his. He is not judge and jury. Who voted you king boss huh?" Jim shouted. The increased volume made Mary start to cry, Sophia was crying more now, and a tear fell down Carols face.
"Jim, I'm not here to argue which you, all right just give me the shovel, okay?"
"Oh no."
"Jim, just please just give me the... Jim!" Shane shouted urgently, then they began to fight. Carol ussered the children away, Sophia and Mary sobbing, and Carl fearful of what was happening.
Carol took the three children to camp, and sat them on the grass, then got them each a juice box and a rarity of a cookie. "There's nothing a nice treat won't fix." Carol smiled shakily. She sat down beside Sophia, and Sophia rested her head on her mother's arm.
"Is Jim normally scary?" Mary whispered to Carl quietly.
"No. He's nice." Carl assured.
"Is Shane?"
"Shane's a very good person. He's kind. He saved me and my mom."
"Like Rick saved me?"
"Yeah." Carl nodded, putting his arm around Mary. "We're all family. It's what we do."

Lori sat in between Carl and Mary, watching Mary slowly copy writing letters, and helping Carl with his maths work, as Carol helped Sophia with hers. All of the children, however, kept glancing over to look at Shane, who had tied Jim to a tree nearby, and both him and Dale taking to him.
"Sorry if I scared your boy, and your little girls." Jim shouted over to Lori and Carol.
"You had sunstroke. Nobody's blaming you." Lori replied shortly.
"You're not scared now, are you?"
"No sir." Sophia replied quietly and quickly.
Jim turned to Carl and Mary. "Your mommas right. Sun just cooked my head is all."
"Jim, do you know why you were digging? Can you say?" Dale asked Jim, his voice full of concern.
"Had a reason. Don't remember. Something I dreamt last night. Your dad was in it, you two. Both of you as well. You were worried about him. Can't remember the rest. You worried about your dad?"
"They're not back yet." Carl replied slowly.
"We don't need to talk about that." Lori replied firmly, as Mary began to cry.
"Your dad's a police officer. He helps people. Probably just came across some folks needing help that's all. Now that man, he's tough as nails. I don't know him well but I could see it in him. Am I right?"
"Oh yeah." Shane nodded, smiling at Lori. 
"There ain't nothing gonna stop him from getting back here to you two and your mom, I promise you that."
"Alright," Shane interrupted, "wants to help me clean some fish, huh?"
"Sweet! Come on Sophia, Mary!" Carl grinned, eager to be with Shane.
"Stay with Carol, alright?" Lori called after her son - who wasn't listening.
"You keep your boy and little one close. You don't ever let them out do your sight." Jim warned, as Lori walked away. She just nodded. 

After eating so much fish she couldn't mannage anything else, Mary curled up on the floor by Loris feet, resting her head on Lori's leg, half asleep. Then, she heard the scream, like everyone else, and jumped awake. Everyone began to scream, and Lori grabbed Carl and pulled him close to her.
"Lori get down!" Shane yelled, and she began to shoot over their heads. As they got up and began to run, Mary lagged behind, Lori pulling her to make her keep up.
"Shane! Shane, what do we do?" Lori panicked over Mary's wails.
"Follow me! Mary, stop that crying! I can't hear myself think!"
Then Mary went quiet, and ran behind them. It was okay, until a Walker got to close. No one saw her run in the other direction. No one saw her leave.
In the distance, Mary could hear Shane's loud voice, shouting, "Get to the RV!Go! Stay behind me! Come on, to the RV!"
"Rick! Rick! RICK!" Mary howled, running in no particular direction.
"MARY!? IS THAT YOU?" A male voice screamed.
"RICK!" She screamed again, hearing a Walker behind her. Then she fell, and saw black.