alone
i sat in the passenger's seat next to rick, who would glance over at me every now and then. my eyes never left the window as i watched the blue sky, mixed with the white clouds.
my mind wondered about if my family was alive, and where i'd be able to find them if they were. the lonley thoughts were interrupted when morales started talking to me and rick.
"best not to dwell on it, nobodys gonna be sad he didn't come back...except maybe daryl." morales stated, talking about merle who had been left on the rooftop.
"daryl?" me and rick asked in unison, looking to morales for an answer, "his brother." morales mumbled, his voice sounding defeated.
"jesus, there's another dixon?" i groaned, rolling my eyes as i through my head back. my actions causing the both of them to chuckle. out of nowhere, the same alarm that went off from earlier, rang again, making us all turn our heads to look in the rearview mirror.
a smile appeared on my face, seeing glenn in a red sports car, speeding down the road. he was whooping and hollering, his face holding the biggest smile i've ever seen.
"at least somebody's having a good day." morales stated, causing me to nod, "mhm"
glenn had sped in front of us, making it to the camp before we could. when we did reach the camp, he was the first face i seen. he waved to me before turning around to talk to an unknown man.
i smiled watching as the other got out of the truck, reuniting with their families. my mouth naturally let out a sigh, turning to where rick sat, also watching. "are you gonna get out?" i questioned, turning my body to face him.
his head turned to look at me, almost letting out a chuckle, "are you?"
i looked down, fiddling with my fingers as i thought about meeting the group, and living at this camp. "i don't know if i'm ready to be apart of this group, especially since they're already so close knit."
i could see him nod from the corner of my eyes, turning his head to look at the red car in front of us, "yeah, me too. im glad we met, now i know im not alone." rick said, sending me a smile when i looked up.
"me too. and about what i said back at the rooftop, i was frustrated and i didn't mean it." i apologized, giving him a sorry look. he nodded, "i understand... come on. im sure they want to meet us."
"okay. lets do this." i smiled, swinging my door open, soon sliding off the seat. my dirty black doc martens hitting the ground. a sigh leaving my mouth as i walked around the truck, rejoining ricks side.
"so how'd yall get out of there anyway?" an unknown guy questioned glenn, not realizing me and rick walking up, a little farther behind him. "new guys, they got us out." glenn responded, turning back around to face the unknown dude.
"new guys?" he questioned, curiously looking towards glenn. morales pulled away from a short old guy, nodding his head, "yeah, crazy duo just got into town." he started, while pulling his family into a hug, "hey, troublemakers. come say hello." morales yelled to us, causing me to chuckle.
"troublemakers, huh?" i asked, now walking closer to glenn. i glanced around the group, noticing everyone smiling at us, but one person. the unknown guy who was talking to glenn, looked like he had just seen a ghost.
i stopped walking, realizing rick had stopped once he saw the man. "oh my god" rick breathed out, pointing towards a woman and a little boy. rick left my side, running to the little boy, who tackled him to the ground. "dad! dad!" the little boy screeched, causing my hand to fly up to my mouth, realizing it was ricks family.
once rick had his hands wrapped around both the boy and the woman, i noticed that the unknown man sent smiles toward the happy couple, but the woman sent suspicious glances. something had definitely happened while rick was away. i wasn't going to say anything, it simply wasn't my place.
_________________
the old guy, dale, had been nice enough to let me stay on his rv couch, until we found a tent or something for me to stay in. everyone thought i'd be uncomfortable sleeping in a tent with people i didn't know quite well.
so i began settling myself inside, watching as dale brought me out a blanket and pillow from the back. "thank you, i really appreciate it." i smiled, lightly taking the items from his hands. "you're welcome, make yourself at home." he stated, sending me a small smile.
he started walking towards the rv door, but before exiting he turned around to look at me, "we usually have bonfires at night, you know to talk and keep warm. would you like to join us?" he questioned, causing me pause.
i smiled, "no thanks, i should get some sleep." genuinely needing to catch some hours. he nodded, stepping out, leaving me to be alone. i sighed, pulling off my scrubs and changing into the clothes that, lori, lended to me.
a knock on the door startled me, making me jump a bit. "dale probably forgot something" i mumbled to myself, walking over to the door.
"glenn?" i questioned, seeing the brown haired boy with a ballcap on, standing in front of me. he smiled, "dale said you wanted to stay in tonight, mind if i keep you company?"
i hesitated before nodding, "i'd like that." i smiled, moving to the side to let him in. he took a seat at the table, grabbing a random book from dales shelf. i sat across from him, grabbing one myself.
"you're into books?" he questioned, looking up from his own to look at me. i shrugged my shoulders, placing it down on the table, "i use to read a lot before college, but my studies took a lot of my time." i responded, causing him to nod. "you?"
he shook his head, "i'm more into comics, i read these to pass time."
i gave him a small nod, "so how'd you end up with rick?" he asked as i placed the book back on the shelf, tracing my fingers over the rest. "he found me at the hospital i used to work at, all banged up and clueless to what happened. we were both unconscious at the start of the outbreak."
glenn shot me a curious look, "unconscious? how are you guys still alive?"
i shrugged my shoulders, "pure luck i guess, i should for sure be dead right now." i mumbled the last part, my mouth turning to a frown.
"im sorry, i didn't mean to be pushy." glenn apologized, avoiding my gaze. I quickly shook my head, "no, you weren't. I just believe i wasn't built for this world, other people who have died were." i infomed, his gaze returned to mine.
he shook his head at my words, causing my to raise my brows, "they way you handled merle showed leadership. from both you and rick."
a slight smiled appeared on my face, "you think?"
"hell yeah." he nodded, boosting my confidence. I smiled, looking down at my fingers, causing him to place his hands over mine. my head shot up, his eyes never leaving mine. i swear it felt like we had sat there for hours, just staring at each other.
a door creaked open, causing me and glenn to jump back away from each other. dale came in, acting clueless of what he just walked into. "son, im tired, and im sure melanie is too. you guys can talk tomorrow." dale stated, causing glenn and me to nod.
"good idea." we both mumbled in unison, only making our situation worse. "goodnight, glenn" i uttered, while me and dale saw him out. "goodnight"
________________
i groaned, pulling the covers over my face to block out the sun coming through the windows. i laid there for a few seconds before sitting up, knowing i wouldn't be able to come back to bed. i stood up, pulling the blanket with me so i could fold it.
i ran my fingers through my hair, exiting the rv only to see people staring as i walked out. a fake smile spread across my face, greeting the people. i slowly made my way up to where a woman named, carol, stood, ironing clothes.
"goodmorning." i greeted, shooting her a small smile in which she sent me one back, "morning, i washed your clothes, i wasn't sure if you'd wear them again." she informed me, patting to where my hospital scrubs were.
"thank you, i think it's time i put them away though. what do you think?" i questioned her, picking up my teal colored clothing. she nodded, "put them away for another time."
i nodded, stepping away from where she was only to take a place by rick and glenn who positioned himself with his arms crossed over his chest. "look at em, vultures." he pouted, watching the other guys take apart his car.
"yeah, go on strip it clean." he sneered, holding a depressed look on his face. i brought my hand to his back, patting it a little for comfort. "generators need every drop of fuel they can get. got no power without it. sorry, glenn" dale apologized, also patting glenn on his back when he passed.
i sent dale a small smile, before jumping back into rick and glenns conversation. "thought i'd get to drive it at least a few more days" glenn whispered to the both of us, trying not to be loud. i looked to rick, unsure what to say to a pouting man.
"maybe we'll get to steal another one someday." rick stated, moving to the other side of glenn where i stood. he shook his head at me, turning my body so he could check out my shoulder. "i thought we'd agreed you would get this checked out last night." rick huffed, getting irritated by my listening skills.
"sorry, i forgot. i had company last night, and dale made me go to bed early." i replied, earning a scoff from both guys.
"you'll listen to dale, but you won't listen to me? and what do you mean by company?" rick questioned, placing his hands on his hips. i could hear glenn chuckling from behind me. "i guess he's more convincing than you are, and glenn kept me company while you were at the bonfire." i replied, causing him to roll his eyes.
"okay then, since you love glenns company. take her to someone who can patch up her wound." rick ordered glenn, who nodded, ushering for me to follow him.
______________
"you did good." i complemented glenn, who was now wrapping my wound after he cleaned it thoroughly. we both looked for shane to patch my wound, but someone had told us he went to get water and that we were on our own.
"really?" he questioned, smiling at my comment, in which i nodded in response. our moment of happiness faded when a kids shout for help rang throughout the camp. my eyes widened, as we both jumped up from the picnic table, running to where the shrieks and cries were coming from.
"here!" glenn yelled to me, throwing a crowbar in my direction. rick, lori, and shane were now in front of us, also running towards the noise. little kids burst out of nowhere, running to their parents. i was surprised when i felt small hands wrap around my waist, holding onto me like their life depended on it.
"its gonna be okay" i started, assuring the small child, "what's your name?" i questioned, kneeling down to be on her level. she hesitated before smiling, "sophia"
i smiled, grabbing her hands into mine, "well sophia, im melanie. do you know where your mom or dad is?" i asked, causing her to nod her head and point behind me. carol smiled towards me, slowly making her way to where we were.
"go ahead, she's good now" carol smiled, ushering me to follow glenn who was waiting on me. "i'll talk to you later, okay?" i asked sophia, who was now griping onto her moms side. she looked up to carol before nodding.
i gave her one last smile before joining glenns side, walking to where the rest stood around a walker body. i gave a disgusted look towards rick, seeing the head no longer attached to it's body.
"they've been running out of food in the city." a guy named jim commented, holding a pitch fork in his hands. crackling of leaves caused our heads to snap towards the bushed, raising our weapons just incase.
"son of a bitch" an unknown guy sneered, appearing out of the words. a sigh left my mouth in relief as i lowered my weapon. rick shot me a look, making me come to a realization that this guy was the other dixon.
"that's my deer. look at it all gnawed on by this filthy, diseased bearing, motherless, poxy bastard!" daryl shouted, kicking the walker body as if he could feel it. "dumbass" i whispered to myself, causing rick to snap his head around to face me, giving me a glare. i guess it wasn't quite to myself.
my eyes shot to the detached head, watching as it eyes and mouth started to move. i rolled my eyes, stepping towards the head, pulling my knife from its holster. i seen daryl move at the same time, only i got there faster. "it has to be the brain." we said in unison as i stabbed my knife into its brain, watching its emotion turn lifeless.
i looked up to daryl, who nodded his head towards me in approval. i shook my head, standing back up. my eyes never left dixon, watching his every move, honestly scared of what was going to happen when he found his brother was missing.
________________________________
2/8/2021