❛ So darken your clothes, or strike a violent pose. Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me. ❜
SEASON 1, EPISODE 3
tell it to the frogs
━━━━━━ July 29, 2010
MORNING CAME SOONER THAN Bianca had expected, yet she'd been up for hours. She laid in her makeshift tent of sheets Lori had loaned her with a stick holding it together. Dale offered her space in the RV, but it was too small, and she felt trapped inside. At least with her tent, she could break out in any direction.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca sighed, knowing she needed to start the day. She left her tent, and it collapsed immediately behind her. Bianca stared at it blankly and thought she needed to find a better stick, maybe after her chores. She could use it as an excuse to slip out when Daryl arrived.
⠀⠀⠀For now, Bianca made her way over to Carol. Only a few others were awake. Bianca offered to wake up early and help wash the clothes for those who had been out in Atlanta. Later, the rest of the women would join them to wash the rest.
⠀⠀⠀"How are you feelin' today?" Carol asked with a hesitant smile.
⠀⠀⠀They sat by the quarry as the sun peeked over the cliffs and scrubbed the grime from the damp shirts.
⠀⠀⠀"Better than yesterday, I suppose," Bianca said and shrugged. She tried to get one stain in particular out, but it didn't seem to budge. "Bit of a headache. That's all."
⠀⠀⠀"Migraine?" Carol asked.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca nodded.
⠀⠀⠀Carol hissed under her breath sympathetically. "I got those as a kid. So bad I'd have to go to the hospital."
⠀⠀⠀"Mine aren't that bad," Bianca assured her. "But if I go missin' early afternoon, you know why."
⠀⠀⠀"Of course," Carol chuckled. Her eyes focused on Bianca scrubbing at the same spot, and her forehead creased. The mom in her seemed to jump out because she couldn't help but ask, "You sure you're alright?"
⠀⠀⠀"Fine," Bianca muttered. She moved on from the stain to not look as out of it as she felt. "Just fine."
⠀⠀⠀"Oh, come on, now," Carol said softly. She bumped her shoulder against Bianca's like they were friends. Without Ed around, Carol was a little more open. Much to Bianca's dismay. "I can tell somethin's botherin' you."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca bristled. The shirt clenched between her hands, and then she slammed it into her lap. She turned to Carol with a fire in her eyes and her chest pumping like she'd run a marathon.
⠀⠀⠀"There's nothin' wrong with me, alright?" Bianca snapped. Her frown grew deeper as she rose to her feet. "I'll go see if anything else needs to be done."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca left. She felt her blood boil from only a second of Carol's prying. She noticed Sophia skip down to the quarry so at least Carol wouldn't come charging after her.
⠀⠀⠀The camp began to wake up when she returned. Bianca went around to everyone to retrieve clothes that needed to be washed. There were about three baskets full, which was more than only Lori could handle on her own.
⠀⠀⠀"Lori's gonna help me hang these," Carol explained as Bianca approached her by a tree. She looked a little wary, and Bianca felt a pang of remorse for snapping at her. "I saw you eyein' that car. Go check it out. I've got this."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca nodded carefully, thankful for the escape that was handed to her. She jogged over to Glenn and his red Mustang. He stood with a frown, his arms crossed as he stared at the car. The one thing that brought him joy was being scrapped for parts hardly a day later.
⠀⠀⠀"I can't believe they're ruining my new car," Glenn said.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca ate the bile of anger in her throat and focused on Glenn. She patted his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.
⠀⠀⠀"I know, man," Bianca sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. "They've got no empathy for what you're goin' through."
⠀⠀⠀Glenn nodded his head. She smiled softly at him, and he returned it.
⠀⠀⠀"Hey, Morales!" Bianca called, snapping them out of their mutual understanding. "Pop the trunk, would ya!"
⠀⠀⠀"Bianca!" Glenn exclaimed.
⠀⠀⠀"Sorry, man!" Bianca yelled back. "Spare parts are spare parts." And with that, she left him to mourn on his own.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca lifted the trunk and rifled through the things left inside by the previous owner. A locked briefcase, plastic grocery bags, a fancy pair of shoes. It all went over her shoulder without a second of consideration. She pried open the compartment for the spare tire. It was missing, but the tire iron was locked into place.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca took it out and grinned, giving it a couple of practice swings.
⠀⠀⠀"Look, Glenn!" Bianca yelled. She moved to the side of the car and whacked the iron through the glass. The alarm started to blare again, and she pressed her hands against her ears.
⠀⠀⠀"BIANCA!" Morales yelled at her. He ran to the front end of the Mustang, where Jim stood, and turned the alarm off manually. He started cursing under his breath in Spanish while Bianca ignored him.
⠀⠀⠀"Much lighter than the sledgehammer," Bianca said to herself. "I bet I could really kill some geeks with this," she continued.
⠀⠀⠀Rick, who had appeared suddenly, shook his head and walked away. Glenn continued to glower at the group, taking apart his Mustang, mainly Bianca.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca ignored him and climbed into the front seat, dusting off the glass shards. She opened the glove box with only the manual inside. She touched the backside, but there was no gun hidden either.
⠀⠀⠀She checked the center console next and found a lot more of nothing. A couple of Willie Nelson CDs, a spare set of keys, and a pack of cigarettes. She stuffed the cigarettes in her pocket and left the CDs to rot. Bianca then turned to the radio. Maybe there was a better transmitter than the one in the CB radio.
⠀⠀⠀However, she couldn't think of the idea as long as a scream ripped through the camp.
⠀⠀⠀"Mom!" Carl shouted shortly after.
⠀⠀⠀There was a moment when the camp was frozen before it started moving again. Rick and Lori were already halfway across camp when the others started moving. Bianca grabbed the tire iron she'd left beside the car and ran alongside Glenn, Morales, Dale, and Shane. They all had their weapons ready. Shane grabbed one for Rick and tossed it to him when they met.
⠀⠀⠀Carl ran into camp, and Lori dropped to her knees to hold him close. She asked if anything bit or scratched him, but he assured her he was okay. Knowing he was safe, they continued forward.
⠀⠀⠀A deer laid at the edge of the woods surrounded by overgrown grass. The chest cavity was ripped open and mutilated by the walker kneeling over it. Its hands were bright red and thundercloud gray everywhere else.
⠀⠀⠀Rick held his hand out for Shane to wait. The walker barely noticed them as it stuffed the carcass into its rotting mouth. Then, it stopped and jerked its head to the side. A guttural growl erupted from its throat as it stood and faced Rick. There was a moment of hesitation before Rick whacked it across the face.
⠀⠀⠀With the walker on the ground, the group smashed the thing into bits and pieces. Bianca felt like she was making up for Atlanta when she was knocked out cold. They had made body paint for Rick and Glenn from the walker's blood.
⠀⠀⠀The walker tried to rise despite the blunt hits, and Dale quickly threw his hatchet down and sliced the head off.
⠀⠀⠀They took a moment to gather their bearings and stepped away. Dale stood across from Bianca, his expression different from the others. His eyes were blown out, and concern flooded him as he realized something they didn't.
⠀⠀⠀"It's the first one we've had up here," Dale said. He pointed toward the walker and then turned to Shane. "They never come this far up the mountain."
⠀⠀⠀"Well, they're runnin' out of food in the city, that's what," Jim said.
⠀⠀⠀Dale wanted to say something else but stopped himself. He stepped away and waved his hands as if to say never mind.
⠀⠀⠀Then, a tree branch snapped in the woods, and they tensed with weapons drawn into white-knuckle grips.
⠀⠀⠀Centuries passed as they waited for the creature to make its appearance. After a minute, they realized it was Daryl, not a walker friend. He popped his head out and quickly skirted back as he noticed the gun aimed at him. Shane dropped his rifle and muttered in annoyance under his breath.
⠀⠀⠀Daryl returned and didn't comment on their hostile welcome.
⠀⠀⠀"Son of a bitch!" Daryl exclaimed. He walked down the uneven terrain toward the dead deer. "That's my deer! Look at it! All gnawed on by this... filthy, disease-bearing, motherless, poxy bastard!"
⠀⠀⠀Daryl swung a frustrated kick into the walker's side with each insult. Bianca couldn't blame him. He'd been in the woods since before the group set out for Atlanta.
⠀⠀⠀"Calm down, son. That's not helping," Dale said sternly.
⠀⠀⠀Dale was like their collective grandpa. He constantly nagged them to do things a certain way, cared for them more than they deserved, and held sage wisdom for moments of thought or crisis.
⠀⠀⠀"What do you know about it, old man?" Daryl asked. He stepped away from the walker and towards Dale defensively. Shane blocked him off before he went toe-to-toe with Dale, but Daryl was still able to snap at him. "Why don't you take that stupid hat and go back to On Golden Pond?"
⠀⠀⠀Daryl stalked back to the deer and pulled his arrows out of its ass.
⠀⠀⠀"I've been trackin' this deer for miles. Gonna drag it back to camp, cook us up some venison," Daryl complained and walked over to the open chest cavity. "What do you think? Do you think we can cut around this chewed-up part right there?"
⠀⠀⠀"I would not risk that," Shane said bluntly. His gun sat over his shoulder, and he glared at Daryl under the brim of his cap.
⠀⠀⠀"That's a damn shame," Daryl sighed. He stood and pointed over his shoulder where a rope hung. "I got some squirrel. About a dozen or so. That'll have to do."
⠀⠀⠀Suddenly, the walker's decapitated head opened its eyes. The jaw worked as it waited for someone to make the wrong move and trip into its snarling mouth.
⠀⠀⠀"C'mon, people. What the hell?" Daryl scolded them in annoyance as he put a bow between its eyes. He leaned down and tore the arrow out. "It's gotta be the brain. Don't y'all know nothin'."
⠀⠀⠀Daryl headed for camp as he eyed them with a raised brow. Then, his gaze landed on Bianca near the back.
⠀⠀⠀"Hey, kid," he greeted, giving her a smile with as much as he could muster. "You guys back in town?"
⠀⠀⠀Bianca warily watched the back of his head as he continued without an answer. She turned back to the others. Dale still seemed convinced she should break the news by the look he gave her. She avoided him and caught Rick's eyes.
⠀⠀⠀"I'm not," she reiterated to him.
⠀⠀⠀"I got it," Shane said with a breath of annoyance.
⠀⠀⠀"Merle! Merle!" Daryl shouted ahead of them, setting his crossbow down. "Get your ugly ass out here! I got us some squirrel! Let's stew 'em up!"
⠀⠀⠀Merle didn't respond, as they knew he wouldn't, but Daryl hardly seemed bothered. Instead, the corners of his lips lifted, and he found Bianca again.
⠀⠀⠀"What? You finally put him in his place?" Daryl asked with an amused chuckle. "He hidin' with his tail between his legs?"
⠀⠀⠀Bianca awkwardly smiled.
⠀⠀⠀"Daryl," Shane called to him. He walked over to him while the others hung back. "Slow up a bit. I need to talk to you."
⠀⠀⠀Daryl looked at the RV and then back to Shane with his brows knitted together.
⠀⠀⠀"About what?" he asked.
⠀⠀⠀"About Merle," Shane said. He caught up with Daryl and then walked a few steps past him. "There was a... There was a problem in Atlanta," he explained, resting his hands on his hips.
⠀⠀⠀Daryl didn't respond right away. He looked to the group behind him. They were all anxious for his reaction. Especially Bianca, as he caught her eye, she couldn't help but look away.
⠀⠀⠀"He dead?" Daryl asked Shane. His eyes turned to the ground.
⠀⠀⠀"We're not sure."
⠀⠀⠀"He either is, or he ain't!" Daryl exploded.
⠀⠀⠀Rick stepped forward and said, "No easy way to say this, so I'll just say it."
⠀⠀⠀"Who are you?" Daryl snapped.
⠀⠀⠀"Rick Grimes."
⠀⠀⠀"Rick Grimes," Daryl repeated. He ran malice over the name, then spit it out. "You got somethin' you wanna tell me?!"
⠀⠀⠀"Your brother was a danger to us all," Rick began, undeterred by Daryl's aggressive attitude. Bianca figured he'd dealt with his kind of temper daily being a cop. "So, I handcuffed him on a roof and hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there."
⠀⠀⠀Daryl turned away from them and paced a couple steps to keep himself composed.
⠀⠀⠀"Hold on, let me process this," he muttered, wiping tears from his eyes.
⠀⠀⠀T-Dog arrived with an armful of firewood as he watched the scene unfold.
⠀⠀⠀"You're saying handcuffed my brother to a roof, AND YOU LEFT HIM THERE?!" Daryl screamed. His face turned bright red, and the vein in his neck popped out. Bianca thought they should've told him Merle died.
⠀⠀⠀"Yeah," Rick said.
⠀⠀⠀Daryl's mouth formed into a deep frown as he glared at the man. Then, a second later, he tossed the ring of squirrels at Rick. Rick dodged them, but Daryl was quick to rush him. However, Shane tackled him into the dirt and rolled off before he could.
⠀⠀⠀"Watch the knife!" T-Dog shouted.
⠀⠀⠀Daryl stood and swung at Rick, but he caught Daryl's wrist. Shane came behind and grabbed Daryl's free hand to pin against him and pushed him into a chokehold.
⠀⠀⠀"Okay, okay," Shane said softly as the two sank toward the ground.
⠀⠀⠀"You'd best let me go!" Daryl shouted, but he was already bent at the knees and falling back.
⠀⠀⠀"Nah, I think it's better if I don't," Shane retorted.
⠀⠀⠀"Chokehold's illegal," Daryl continued as his words came out as a grumble, and he fell into the dirt.
⠀⠀⠀"You can file a complaint. Come on, man. We can keep this up all day."
⠀⠀⠀Daryl seemed to relax, and Rick kneeled beside him so they were eye-to-eye.
⠀⠀⠀"I'd like to have a calm discussion on this topic. Do you think we can manage that? Do you think we can manage that?" Rick asked in that even-keeled tone of his.
⠀⠀⠀Daryl didn't respond, but his resolute nature reassured the two cops that he was willing to listen. Shane released his grip, and Daryl fell back. He stayed on the ground, resting his arms behind him to keep himself upright.
⠀⠀⠀"What I did was not on a whim," Rick explained calmly. "Your brother does not work and play well with others. Even your-your friend over there, Bianca... he knocked her out with his gun."
⠀⠀⠀Daryl noticed the stretch of red across her temple. She smiled awkwardly at him, which didn't convince Daryl of much. He nodded his head with a breathy laugh.
⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, what'd she do?" Daryl asked.
⠀⠀⠀"That's not the issue right now," Rick said quickly.
⠀⠀⠀Daryl smirked, knowing that his brother only reacted. Merle might be a loudmouth, but his best move was to get under people's skin. He could drive them crazy until they were the ones starting the fight. Then, he could claim self-defense if it led to the cops arriving. Even when the other guy was pummeled to shit.
⠀⠀⠀"The issue is—"
⠀⠀⠀"No," T-Dog interrupted Rick and stepped forward. "It's not Rick's fault. I had the key. I dropped it."
⠀⠀⠀"You couldn't pick it up?" Daryl asked as his voice rose.
⠀⠀⠀"Well," T-Dog said, sounding tired of himself. "I dropped it in a drain."
⠀⠀⠀Daryl let out a choked sob. His eyes pinched shut, and he bent forward between his knees. He stayed in that position until he could collect himself and re-route his anger.
⠀⠀⠀Daryl stood and glared at T-Dog.
⠀⠀⠀"If it's supposed to make me feel better, it don't," Daryl spat as he walked past him and threw a rock into the dirt.
⠀⠀⠀"Well, maybe this will," T-Dog claimed. "Look, I chained the door to the roof so the geeks couldn't get at him with a padlock."
⠀⠀⠀Daryl glared at T-Dog, unresponsive.
⠀⠀⠀"It's gotta count for somethin'," Rick said.
⠀⠀⠀Daryl wiped his eyes again, and it seemed like a series of firsts with him. He didn't seem like the type to care so much he was willing to cry.
⠀⠀⠀"Hell with all y'all!" Daryl shouted, throwing his hands out. "Just tell me where he is so's I can go get him."
⠀⠀⠀"He'll show you," Lori claimed. Her expression was unreadable as she nodded her head toward her husband. "Isn't that right?"
⠀⠀⠀Rick stared at her for a moment, then nodded.
⠀⠀⠀"I'm goin' back," Rick explained.
⠀⠀⠀Lori's face fell, and she walked into the RV.
⠀⠀⠀Daryl walked past them and picked up the string of squirrels he'd thrown. Then, stood beside Bianca. They stayed silent for a moment. Daryl glanced at her from the corner of his eye and sighed.
⠀⠀⠀"You alright?" he asked.
⠀⠀⠀"I've got a headache," she muttered.
⠀⠀⠀Daryl nodded.
⠀⠀⠀"You ain't goin'."
⠀⠀⠀"I don't have a headache," she corrected herself.
⠀⠀⠀Daryl let out a snort.
⠀⠀⠀"I know you can handle yourself," Daryl assured her. "But you were knocked out and got a headache. You ain't fit. Only gonna slow us down."
⠀⠀⠀"Or you could just say you're worried, for once," Bianca replied, rolling her eyes.
⠀⠀⠀He rolled his back.
⠀⠀⠀"You ain't my sister nor my kid," Daryl retorted.
⠀⠀⠀"You can care about other people, too."
⠀⠀⠀Daryl shrugged. "Ain't heard of such a thing."
━━━━━━ May 29, 2010
AFTER SPEEDING DOWN BACK roads and cutting through traffic, the Downs family arrived intact at Henrik's house. They boarded up the doors and windows, stock-piled food, set up rules, and settled into their new apocalyptic life by nightfall.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca couldn't sleep when it came time. Her mind reeled with thoughts of her friends and how they were doing on their own. Elena and Peter would be in New York by now, and it was probably worse for them with how dense the population was. It was more than likely they were dead. Cal was still in Fort Valley, but she didn't know where he could be or how he was doing.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca held the home phone in her hand. Her cell was left back at the house where it had Elena, Peter, and Cal's numbers. Thank God she had his memorized as she nervously punched his number in. She wondered if he had even heard the news or—like her—was utterly oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
⠀⠀⠀"Bianca? Bianca, is that you?" Cal frantically asked. Bianca's heart clenched in guilt that she hadn't called sooner.
⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, it's me," she said. His voice made her feel safe. Her hands gripped the phone like it was his hand in hers. "I'm alright. Are you alright?"
⠀⠀⠀"I'm-I'm okay. Where are you? I've called for hours. I was worried somethin'—" Cal began but couldn't finish because even the thought was too painful.
⠀⠀⠀"I'm at my dad's. He came to my mom's and told us everything. Scared the absolute shit out of us, but I forgot my phone there."
⠀⠀⠀"What happened? Did somethin' happen?"
⠀⠀⠀"No, not to me," Bianca assured him. "My dad had to kill some of the... the dead people to get there."
⠀⠀⠀"I'm so glad you're okay," Cal sighed. His voice finally dawned a more relaxed tone.
⠀⠀⠀"Where are you? Are you okay?" Bianca asked.
⠀⠀⠀"I'm good. I'm good. How's Eugene and your mom?"
⠀⠀⠀"They're fine. They're fine..." Bianca furrowed her brows. "Cal, where are you?"
⠀⠀⠀"I'm fine, don't worry—"
⠀⠀⠀Bianca could feel her blood boil in realization. Her lips screwed down into a scowl, and her eyes glared at the carpet.
⠀⠀⠀"You're at your mom's, aren't you?"
⠀⠀⠀Cal let out a sigh. "Yeah, but it's fine. If she does anything, I can—I can just toss her out... to the dead," Cal whispered with a nervous tremor through the words.
⠀⠀⠀"You wouldn't," Bianca muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I don't like you there."
⠀⠀⠀"I can't go anywhere else," Cal replied. "My apartment complex got overrun by those things. I barely made it out."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca felt sick to her stomach, knowing Cal already had a close run-in with death.
⠀⠀⠀"You can come here," Bianca said with ease. "I mean, what happens when the phone lines drop, or electricity just doesn't work anymore. We won't be able to talk."
⠀⠀⠀"She's my mom, Bianca."
⠀⠀⠀"The same mother who said she wished she aborted you," Bianca snapped.
⠀⠀⠀"Aren't you with your dad?" Cal retorted in the same tone. "The same guy that blamed a child for ruining his second marriage."
⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, he's a shitty father, but at least he doesn't beat the shit out of me, Caliburn!"
⠀⠀⠀Cal sighed and then moved into silence. They sat there with the weight of the words between them. Bianca worried she had stepped too far. They both had complicated relationships with their parents. They both loved and hated them. Wanted to be their child and never see them again. The reality of abandoning them like they abandoned their children was heavy and something no human took lightly.
⠀⠀⠀"Bianca. C'mon, I can't just leave her," Cal said heartbreakingly softly.
⠀⠀⠀"I'll come for you tomorrow. I'll drag you out kicking and screaming. I don't care."
⠀⠀⠀"No."
⠀⠀⠀"Cal, please, you can't—just... don't do it because of her. Do it for me. So we can see each other again."
⠀⠀⠀"Alright, but you're not comin' here. It's too risky driving here and back. I'll leave when the sun rises. She'll be dead asleep, and I won't have to drive around in the dark with those things."
⠀⠀⠀"I can come. I don't mind—"
⠀⠀⠀"Hey, it's alright. I got out of one place. I can handle another."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca smiled as tears fell into the receiver. She wiped her palm across her cheek and let out a shuddering breath.
⠀⠀⠀"I-I know it's hard, but this is the right thing," she said, her voice cracking. "The end of the world is coming. You gotta fulfill your promise."
⠀⠀⠀"What promise? Loving you until the world ends?" Cal asked, and she could hear the smile in his voice now. God, she was thankful to hear it. She didn't want him to resent her for asking him to abandon his mom.
⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, that one."
⠀⠀⠀"Well, hate to break it to you, but I think I'll love you even after that."
⠀⠀⠀"You are so corny!"
⠀⠀⠀"You know that's why you love me."
⠀⠀⠀"I do love you."
⠀⠀⠀"I love you, too. I'll be there before you wake up, hopefully. No later than mid-afternoon, okay?"
⠀⠀⠀Neither discussed the third option. The one where he never came.
⠀⠀⠀"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."
⠀⠀⠀"See you tomorrow."
━━━━━━ July 29, 2010
THE CHORES RESUMED MID-AFTERNOON after Daryl, Rick, and a few others headed back to Atlanta to rescue Merle.
⠀⠀⠀Ed, Carol's husband, put the laundry baskets in his truck and drove the women down to the quarry. That was about all he was good for. He sat on the hatchback and smoked a cigarette while the women carried the loads to the water.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca sat on one side of Amy and Carol on her other. They each had a backset of clothes to clean, along with Jacqui and Andrea. They were silent. None of them talked much to one another. Amy and Andrea typically carried conversations between themselves that the others listened to. Carol was timid, especially with her husband looming behind them, and Jacqui seemed content either way.
⠀⠀⠀Around the bend were Shane and Carl. Shane was waist-deep in the murk as he splashed around and screamed about catching frogs. Carl stayed by the edge of the water. He had a net in his hand and a big grin across his face.
⠀⠀⠀"Can someone explain to me how the women wound up doing all the Hattie McDaniel work?" Jacqui asked the women, her voice laced with annoyance as she glared at Shane.
⠀⠀⠀"The world ended," Amy said off-handedly with a slight joke edging her tone. "Didn't you get the memo?"
⠀⠀⠀Carol turned back to her husband, who did nothing but watch and smoke.
⠀⠀⠀"It's just the way it is," Carol claimed, handing some of her laundry to Jacqui.
⠀⠀⠀"Want me to ask Shane to join us?" Bianca asked with a hint of a devilish smile creeping up her lips.
⠀⠀⠀Jacqui stood behind her, resting a hand on Bianca's shoulder to keep her seated.
⠀⠀⠀"No, I don't wanna see any screamin' matches today, baby," Jacqui said with an uneasy smile, then continued with her work.
⠀⠀⠀"I'm just messin'," Bianca waved her off. "The day's still young, though."
⠀⠀⠀It had been about two to three weeks since Bianca first made it to camp with Daryl and Merle. Nearly two months since, the world had turned to dust and rubble. Yet, spending day in and day out with these people, Bianca felt more alone than ever. She'd hardly built a relationship with anyone, primarily by her own doing.
⠀⠀⠀The closest Bianca had gotten to know someone was Daryl, and even he was a mystery unknown to her. They barely knew each other, strangers at the end of the world, yet he was her closest companion.
⠀⠀⠀So, sitting next to the quarry, washing clothes for people she didn't care about, and talking about nothing wasn't her favorite pastime.
⠀⠀⠀It had been a few minutes, and the silence had yet to break. Typically, it wouldn't be. They would work until it was done and return to their quiet lives.
⠀⠀⠀Surprisingly, Carol was the one to break the silence. She was staring at the shirt she washed and sighed heavily.
⠀⠀⠀"I do miss my Maytag," Carol said.
⠀⠀⠀"I miss my Benz. My sat-nav," Andrea followed, brushing the stains out of a shirt.
⠀⠀⠀"I miss my coffee maker with that..." Jacqui began as she twisted the water out of her shirt and held a nostalgic expression for bitter morning coffee. "...dual-drip filter and built-in grinder, honey."
⠀⠀⠀"My computer," Amy added, pausing in her work. "And texting."
⠀⠀⠀"I miss school," Bianca muttered, frowning.
⠀⠀⠀"Not me," Amy claimed, shaking her head. "I felt like it would never stop. Forever stuck at school."
⠀⠀⠀"Well, I was about to graduate," Bianca explained with a shrug.
⠀⠀⠀"Really?" Andrea asked. Her tone grated Bianca's ears, but she didn't let it get to her. She had to remind herself that Andrea always sounded like that. Andrea believed she was smarter than everyone else, being a lawyer before. Now, she just sounded condescending when they proved to be more than just hicks.
⠀⠀⠀"Yeah," Bianca replied with a giant smile.
⠀⠀⠀"What were you studying?" Amy asked curiously. Bianca wondered how she and Andrea were related. Amy was the kindest person in camp, whereas Andrea was one step from getting thrown over the edge.
⠀⠀⠀"Mechanical engineering," Bianca said.
⠀⠀⠀Andrea laughed, thinking Bianca had been joking, then stopped once she realized no one else joined her.
⠀⠀⠀"You're kidding, right?"
⠀⠀⠀"No."
⠀⠀⠀"How old are you?" Carol asked curiously.
⠀⠀⠀"Twenty-two... why?" Bianca replied, looking back at Carol in confusion. Carol and the other women gave her astounded expression. Finally, Bianca broke, smiling to show she'd been joking, and waved her hand at them. "Yeah, yeah, I know."
⠀⠀⠀"Sounds like you came out of the womb doin' calculus," Jacqui said with a breath of disbelief.
⠀⠀⠀"Nah, I just knew what I wanted to do with my life." Bianca shrugged. "Not that it matters now."
⠀⠀⠀The group got quiet again, not sure what else to say.
⠀⠀⠀Then, Andrea said, "I miss my vibrator."
⠀⠀⠀"Ohhhhh," Jacqui sang, turning to Andrea with a raised brow.
⠀⠀⠀"Oh, my God!" Amy exclaimed with an uncomfortable laugh.
⠀⠀⠀Carol turned to look over her shoulder and then back to them with a smile as she said, "Me, too."
⠀⠀⠀They were in hysterics after that. Something about those two words coming from Carol, the shyest out of all of them, lit a spark under them they hadn't felt in a while. However, it flickered out when Ed came stomping down the hill.
⠀⠀⠀"What's so funny?" he asked, voice hoarse from the cigarette drags. The smoke from his last pull curled around his face.
⠀⠀⠀"Just swappin' war stories, Ed," Andrea said dismissively.
⠀⠀⠀The laughter was gone, and a tense silence undertook. They awkwardly looked at one another, then Carol.
⠀⠀⠀Ed didn't leave them. Instead, he walked down the slope and stood behind them. Bianca could smell the cigarette and cheap cologne on him. She nearly choked on the pungent smell.
⠀⠀⠀"Problem, Ed?" Andrea asked with the same stuck-up tone from earlier. While Bianca hated it, she appreciated the attitude now.
⠀⠀⠀"Nothin' that concerns you," Ed told her snidely. Andrea gave him an annoyed expression but turned away, trying not to pick a fight. "And you ought to focus on your work. This ain't no comedy club."
⠀⠀⠀"Not since you walked over," Bianca snapped, her eyes on her washing. "Rotten tomatoes have been flyin' since you took center stage."
⠀⠀⠀"What'd you say to me, girl?" Ed asked, repositioning his stance to tower over her with narrowed eyes.
⠀⠀⠀"I said—"
⠀⠀⠀"Nothin'!" Carol interrupted quickly, pleading blue eyes locked onto Bianca's, asking her to not make things worse. "She said nothin'."
⠀⠀⠀Ed glanced at his wife and then back to Bianca. He waited for her to crack, but Bianca held it behind gritted teeth and clenched fingers. Even during the apocalypse, it seemed like she couldn't do a damned thing about anything.
⠀⠀⠀"That's what I thought," Ed muttered, putting his cigarette back between his lips.
⠀⠀⠀Ed stood behind them. They'd gone quiet, working faster, so maybe they could leave within the hour and not deal with him much longer. Bianca noticed Lori and Shane having it out on the other side of the quarry. It'd been the most interesting thing since Ed decided to be their manager. She watched while scrubbing, but their argument ended as quickly as it had begun, and they were gone.
⠀⠀⠀"Ed, tell you what," Andrea said, standing to her feet with a wet shirt in hand.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca glanced over. She could feel the tension like a lightning strike. Her hair stood up straight, and her nerves were on one end.
⠀⠀⠀"You don't like how your laundry's done, you are welcome to pitch in and do it yourself. Here," Andrea said, tossing the shirt into his chest. Ed was quick and annoyed, snapping the wet shirt from his chest and threw it in Andrea's face.
⠀⠀⠀Amy stood immediately. She could feel the tension and knew her sister well.
⠀⠀⠀"Ain't my job, missy," Ed said.
⠀⠀⠀"Andrea, don't," Amy called to her sister.
⠀⠀⠀"What is your job, Ed?" Andrea prodded, ignoring Amy. "Sitting on your ass smoking cigarettes?"
⠀⠀⠀"Well, it sure as hell ain't listening to some uppity smart-mouthed bitch," Ed retorted, letting the smoke swirl between them.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca always had trouble with self-control. She was better at it before with the Ritalin she took. Now, her unstimulated mind was a mess of emotional instability and impulsivity she used to control (to an extent).
⠀⠀⠀"Ain't mine either," Bianca bit back at him. Her mouth (meds or not) was always a mile ahead of her thoughts. "But I'm still sitting down here cleaning your cologne-reeked clothes."
⠀⠀⠀Ed had nothing else to say to them. He had called Andrea 'a smart-mouthed bitch,' but Bianca believed that was just him saying he was too stupid to think much further than the end of his dick. He wanted a fight, but it was better to say nothing when it came to words.
⠀⠀⠀When Ed said, "Tell you what," Bianca thought he might try to one-up them. He'd tell them that smoking and staring was him supervising or some shit people said when they weren't willing to do an actual job. But he didn't even say that much. Instead, he turned to his wife and commanded her to follow after him like a dog.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca stood, Andrea beside her, as they formed a wall between him and Carol.
⠀⠀⠀"I don't think she needs to go anywhere with you, Ed," Andrea told him sternly. Her glare was a severe warning for him not to try anything.
⠀⠀⠀"And I say it's none of your business," Ed snapped back. He looked at Carol and said, "C'mon now. You heard me."
⠀⠀⠀Andrea held Carol from going with him.
⠀⠀⠀"Andrea, please," Carol whispered, her nose was red, and fear rattled her words. "It doesn't matter."
⠀⠀⠀"Hey, don't think I won't knock you on your ass just 'cause you're some college-educated cooze, alright?" Ed threatened, growing impatient. "Now you c'mon now, or you're gonna regret it later."
⠀⠀⠀"So she can show up with fresh bruises later, Ed?" Jacqui asked, having stuck to the sidelines so far, but even she had come to her limit. Ed only chuckled like her words were meaningless. "Yeah, we've seen them."
⠀⠀⠀Ed didn't deny Jacqui's claim.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca's blood boiled as she stared at Ed, unaffected by how they viewed him. He saw them as files, buzzing around until he crushed them beneath his palm. Somewhere deep, Bianca had felt this before. The feeling was overwhelming. Her mind was like static on an untuned TV. She didn't even realize it when she threw the first punch until the pain zapped up her arm.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca caught Ed off guard and knocked him to the ground. He sat in the gravel for a second before he realized what happened. He stood and threw a punch back. Unlike with Merle, Bianca was ready. She ducked under the fist and threw her boot into his ankle.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca could feel the women yelling and screaming, but she didn't hear it. The blood pumping through her ears turned her deaf, and her sight was red, with Ed as her target.
⠀⠀⠀Ed stood and threw all his weight forward. He was big and heavy. His attack was apparent if she'd paid attention to what he planned, but she was expecting a fight, not an easy exit. Ed tackled her into the rocks and fell back at the water's edge. He straddled her stomach, hands pinned her shoulder and forced her to stay underwater.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca lifted her feet to his stomach and thought she had forced him off with the kick. When she sat up, she realized Carol had dragged him back. Ed stood in front of his wife and then struck her across the face.
⠀⠀⠀"You think you can—!"
⠀⠀⠀Shane sprinted down to the quarry and grabbed Ed by the back of his shirt. The veins in Shane's arm popped wildly as he threw Ed into the rocks.
⠀⠀⠀If Bianca had thought she'd seen Shane angry before, she was wrong. It was nothing compared to this. It was like he had become nothing but crimson fury. His muscles were taut, eyebrows were drawn together, lips formed a straight line, and his eyes... were near-black.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca wondered if that was how she looked.
⠀⠀⠀Shane did what he needed to, then went too far.
⠀⠀⠀He hit Ed until his face was puffy and blood flowed from every orifice, so Ed looked nothing like he was. Carol sobbed while Andrea and Jacqui held her close for comfort and to stop her from running to Ed.
⠀⠀⠀Shane didn't kill the man however much he wanted to. He stopped before it was too late and spoke lowly to Ed. Bianca didn't hear their exchange, but Shane demanded loudly, so it echoed through the valley, "Do you hear me?!"
⠀⠀⠀"Yes," Ed croaked.
⠀⠀⠀Shane punched Ed a few more times before he finally stopped.
⠀⠀⠀Carol slipped from Andrea's grip and ran to her husband with snotty tears and a million apologies.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca wanted to look down on Carol for being weak. She crawled back to him immediately after he treated her like trash. But Bianca couldn't. The rage exchanged for weariness, one that she held for a long time as she looked upon the scene with clear eyes. The manipulation, the guilt, the love... it was like a drug. And the drug was greater than the pain.
⠀⠀⠀...Maybe one day, Carol could escape it.
⠀⠀⠀"Hey," Amy said, bringing Bianca back from her thoughts. She smiled, but her hands were shaking from the anxiety of the situation. "You've had a rough couple of days. Why don't we get you cleaned up, then hang out in the RV for a while?"
⠀⠀⠀Bianca frowned but took Amy's offered hand. She helped her up and slung Bianca's arm over her shoulder. The two-tailed it out of the quarry and into the RV before anyone could get a word in about what just happened.
AUTHOR'S NOTE —
If everyone doesn't hate Bianca at some point in this fic, then she isn't Bianca. That's all I'm saying. (Well, maybe not Daryl but they get each other and their anger issues. And, I'm only talking about the camp, not Cal. He would never.)
So, Daryl comes then Daryl goes. I didn't want Daryl and Bianca to rely too much on each other only because they aren't friends when coming in so they aren't necessarily close. Their relationship will really grow in season 2 though.
SONG: Teenagers by My Chemical Romance
Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you'd like, they keep me motivated! However, this is an all kind of reader safe space. So even if you ghost read or comment every chapter, I hope you know it means the world to me that you've come into this fic ♡ I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and until the next one.
(EDITED! 9/3/2023)