"Here's your coffee Mr. Grimes, are you two ready to order yet, or do you need a minute?" I smoothed down my apron that I had already managed to spill ketchup on.
"I'll take the ham sandwich and Shane will take the bacon burger- "
"-with extra bacon. Yeah, I remember." I finished for him.
Officer Rick Grimes and Shane Walsh work with my dad. I grew up with them. Sometimes I babysit Carl when Lori needs to run some errands, or when her and Rick decide to have a date night, but those seem to be happening less and less.
"I'll have that right up for you two," I say with a smile.
"Thanks Sweetheart," Shane replies. Rick just turns back to his newspaper while he sips from his coffee.
I take their ticket up to the window, taking a moment to fix my ponytail that never manages to stay in place. I use the metal cup from the milkshake machine to see my reflection. I need to redye my hair; my roots are starting to show. Dad says my green hair makes me look like, and I quote, "A queer hoodlum." Whatever that means. He's just being ignorant.
Shane and Rick's sandwiches come up in the window, I turn to see Rick talking into his radio, and I know they need to leave. I pop both of their sandwiches and fries into a to go box and hand them off. Shane smiles and Rick squeezes my soldier before they both rush out the door.
"We left your tip on the table, Charlie!" Rick yells back at me.
The satisfying crack of my lower back is a nice reminder that my shift has ended. I wave goodbye to my boss, Katherine, as I exit the Diner. Luckily, the school is just a block away.
I kick a smooth rock through the alley way, bobbing my head to the music blasting out my headphones. I make it to the school, waiting outside with the parents to pick up their kids. I see Shane and Lori talking, they each toss me a warm smile.
"Sissy!" I here, I don't have enough time to turn around, suddenly two toddler arms are tightly wrapped around my legs, just about knocking me to the ground. I scoop Nik up into my arms and give him the tightest hug I can, refraining from crushing him...mostly.
Between work and school, I haven't been able to give Nik much of my attention, but I have a clear schedule for the weekend.
I look over to Lori and see her crying and holding Carl in her arms. I rush over, crouching next to them.
"Hey, is everything alright?" I look back to Shane, he just shakes his head at me. Rick. Why would Shane be here without Rick? Nik is crouching next to Carl, resting his head on his shoulder, and rubbing his arm. Lori gently covers Carl's ears, and I cover Nik's.
"Rick's been shot."
I rest myself against the door frame, rubbing my temples. Rick's been shot? I always saw Rick as indestructible, but I guess no one is. Not really. I hang my bag up and head into the kitchen to fix dinner.
Dad walks in. He looks even worse than I do. I decide not to say anything. Nik is in his room, the only one in the house with a lock.
"Rick Grimes has been shot" dad sits down at the dining table to take off his boots.
"I heard, from Lori" I turn on the burner to start some water boiling. Dad lets out a scoff.
"Yeah, I'm sure she's just loving the attention from this!"
"You shouldn't say that. She was a wreck when I saw her." Dad looks up at me. It's that look. Why can't I learn to just keep my mouth shut? He pulls a cigarette out of his shirt pocket and lights it, taking a long drag.
"Come here" He demands.
"I'm sorry Daddy, I shouldn't have said anything. You're right."
"I know I'm right, but that's not what I said, is it?"
My eyes fill with tears, with that familiar sting. I walk over to him; I try to stop my hands from shaking.
"Take off your shirt."
"Daddy please..."
"Do I need to repeat myself!?" I quickly shake my head, removing my green knitted sweater, revealing my black tank top. Dad brushes his thumb over an old scar, then pushes his cigarette into the skin right next to it. I bite into my cheek to muffle my scream of pain.
"Get back into that kitchen and make me Dinner, and keep your mouth shut while doing it!"
Diary Entry
Day 1 Dad was hesitant to evacuate, said this would all blow over soon, but once he saw those things, he told Nik and I to pack our bags.
Day 2 They bombed the city; they were shooting people in the streets. There is nowhere to go.
Week 2 We have made a camp not too far away from the city. Been sleeping in somebody's house. They were dead when we got here. Dad pulled them out back and burned the bodies. There's a horse. Nik named him Blade.
Week 3 I found a bow and some arrows. I would like to say I've gotten rather good. Dad doesn't come out of the house anymore. I think seeing the dead ones is too much for him. Were running out of food. There is a gas station not too far from here that might have some supplies.
Week 4 Dad refuses to get out of bed, he has been getting high, but I haven't been able to find his stash. Not that I would stop him from using... Heroin keeps him from touching Nik or me.
I have decided to make a run to the gas station. I should have gone last week, but those things scare the living shit out of me. And the smell...God, I fucking hate that smell. I have dads' gun, and I have gotten good with the bow.
"Nik, I need you to listen to me, okay? I need to go find us some food. You need to stay inside! Okay? I won't be long. Dad is asleep, he shouldn't be waking up any time soon. You'll be safe in here."
"No, Sissy, please don't go! What if those things come?"
"They won't! But even if they do, they can't get in the house. I'll be right back! I swear to you."
I saddled up Blade and was on my way. I want to get there as fast as I can, I hate leaving Nik, but the dead seem to be attracted to noise, and Blade's feet make too much sound on the asphalt.
The gas station, thankfully, didn't have any of the dead wondering around. It was a quick trip, in and out. They had food, canned food, and dehydrated fruit. Enough to last us a couple more weeks. I don't know what I'm going to do then, but I can't think about that now. I just need to get this food back to Nik.
I can't help but smile as Blade and I walk up to the house. I let him return to his field when I hear a low growl coming from the back of the house. I take my bow from my back, nocking my arrow. I bend my knees and walk heel to toe to quite my steps. As I round the corner I stop, dropping my bow, sighing in relief.
It's just Nik, crouched over some flowers.
"Jesus Nik! You almost gave me a heart attack, I thought you were one of those things! I could have shot you! I told you to wait in- "
Nik turns around, a low growl emitting from his blood-stained mouth. He's holding a dead rat; his face has turned grey. His arm is doused in blood from a bite.
There is a sudden pain in my chest. I try to scream but no sound comes out. Nik lunges at me, I try to push him away, but my vision is blurred with tears. He falls onto me, trying to bite and scratch. I pull my gun from my waist and stick into Nik's temple.
My ears are ringing from the sound. I snap my neck side to side to get them to pop. Nik's lifeless body lays on top of me, my shirt soaking up his blood. I wrap my arms around him, cradling his head.
"No, no, no, no, no! Baby boy please! Please! I'm so sorry! Please come back to me!"
"What the hell is going on out here!?" My jaw clenches. I lay Nik to the side, brushing his red curls out of his face. Dad rounds the corner; he stops dead in his tracks.
"Where were you!?" I ask through gritted teeth, tears dropping onto Nik's face.
"I was asleep...."
"You were high!" I stand up, turning to face him. "You let him get bit!"
"You shouldn't have left!"
"You're right. I should have known better then to leave him with you." I raise my gun and shoot again. Dad's body hits the ground. I release a breath I didn't even know I was holding in, but it comes out as more of a sob. What have I done? I pull Nik back into my lap. Getting a final good look at him. I pull the magazine from the gun. One more bullet. I click it back into place, cock the gun and hold it to my head.
"Hello? Police officer out here; can I borrow some gas? Hello!"
"Hello?"
"Anybody home?"
A/N: This chapter took me so long to write😭 There's this like, stereotype that endings are the hardest thing for writers to do, but for me it's beginnings. It's so hard to write an attention grabbing start to a story. Especially one that's not cheesy and filled with unoriginal garbage. Lmao. Anyways. Please enjoy!