| hell's hot for good reason |
A lot had happened in the past 24 hours. Beth had finally come out of her shock, but in the process, she had tried to leave this world. Bea had heard Maggie and Andrea arguing because it seemed the blonde woman's previous intentions had been placed on Beth.
Bea was glad Beth didn't die. She was too sweet for this new world, yes, but they needed her.
"Hey, Bea," Beth smiled at the younger girl who entered her room.
"Hey Beth, think you could do my hair for me again?" Bea asked hopefully. Yes, Beth had done her hair for her 2 times already that day, but what was another one gonna hurt? As long as it distracted the both of them it was something. It also meant Bea got to listen to Beth's singing at the same time, and she couldn't deny she had a beautiful voice. It was soothing. The stresses of the world seemed to melt away around Bea when her hair would soon be perfect once again.
"You're doing that thing again," Beth noticed as she finished her singing.
"What's that?" Bea wondered as she turned to the girl weaving her hair.
"Floating away in your own world," Beth replied, tying the hair band round the second plait,
"There you go."
"It's peaceful there, I like it," Bea jokes,
"And thanks, I don't know what I'd do without you. Don't let Maggie know but you do a better job than her."
Both of the girls giggled.
"Is that my Bethy up and awake?" Hershel warmly smiled as he walked into the room. Bea noticed it was the same warm smile that Maggie had when she sat with her the other night.
"Only because of Bea, Daddy," Beth's eyes lit up as she gave her father a morning hug.
Bea looked down at her lap, feeling slightly guilty at the jealousy that bubbled within at the sight of the two Greenes. Oh how she missed her father too, and it was harder he had a lot of similarities to Hershel.
"Well she certainly didn't interrupt that beauty sleep, sweetheart. You feeling better?" Hershel asked softly, placing down a glass of water with some toast next to Beth.
"I am now," Beth nodded. Bea knew it wasn't completely true, they had told each other of their worries. At least things were looking up though.
"Well good. Bea, dear, there's some food for you downstairs, thank you for making my Bethy happy again," Hershel looked at the girl with respect in his eyes, making Bea happy too that she had helped.
"Thank you, Hershel. And it's no hassle at all," Bea smiled and nodded as she left the room, heading downstairs to get some food if there was any left over.
Across the kitchen, Maggie watched as the teen grabbed some food to eat, a small smile still decorated on her face.
"What's up?" Glenn said concerned to Maggie, noticing her thoughtful face staring at Bea.
"Just, that girl, she walks around like everythin' is peachy, but I've seen her some nights and she terrified, Glenn. I don't get how she does it..."
Glenn put a hand on Maggie's shoulder to comfort her.
"There must be a reason, she's just, maybe trying to survive, hell she's part of our group but she doesn't really know us too well," he reasoned.
"She doesn't want to look weak," Maggie nodded in realisation.
"You've seen her like that though, I think it means she trusts you, gotta take it as a good sign," Glenn confirmed to Maggie, reassuring her that she was doing all she can. Just being there for the girl was something.
"Hey senior citizen, wanna go for a walk?" Carl cheekily approached Bea.
"Carl, don't be rude," Lori scolded he son.
"It's fine Mrs Grimes, just an inside joke we have, let's go," Bea laughed at the younger boy.
"You're getting real creative with these nicknames," she commended as they left the house.
"Gotta do something with all this time," Carl shrugged.
"Still haven't thought of a good one for you yet," Bea theatrically tapped her chin in thought.
Carl laughed at her dramatics.
"Hmm, what about Carlton?"
"Carlton?" Carl threw his arms up in the air in disbelief, laughing out loud.
"Hey I tried!" Bea laughed.
"Bea, let's go this way," Carl pointed to the back of the barn, acting sneakily as Shane and Andrea seemed to be caught up in some intense conversation.
"I wanna know what's going on in there. They think just because we're kids we shouldn't know, but I'm tired of secrets," Carl shook his head in annoyance at the reminders of the adults not telling them much.
"I'm in, but when I say we go, we go, okay?" Bea looked at the boy, who eventually nodded in agreement, and so, they entered the barn from the upper level.
It wasn't long before the hostage, Randall, noticed them both. Oh yeah, he was still here. Bea tended to think about him a lot purely because the adults didn't tell her much, leaving her to fill the gaps. Although she was more concerned about Beth at the time, she couldn't help but think if he was dangerous enough to be killed, why keep him there on the farm?
"Hey. That's a sweet hat, cool hair too, I'm Randall. What's your name?" the boy a few years older than Bea asked. He seemed to be talking to her like she was a kid too, which kind of pissed her off, she knows she was on the shorter side but she didn't look the same age as Carl.
Surely?
"The sheriff guy, that your dad?" he continued, as the two of them came closer.
"I like him. Yeah, he's a good guy. I can tell. Your mom out here too? You're, you're lucky, you still got your family."
Bea slowly shook her head, thinking about she wasn't with hers, and Randall noticed this.
"I lost mine, so I get the feeling," he tried to empathise with the girl.
Bea chewed her lip awkwardly in response.
"Hey, I don't know what people been saying about me, but I didn't do nothing. I swear. Your dad was gonna let me go till his friend started fighting with him."
Didn't surprise Bea. She could see the tension between the two men clear as day. And Shane wasn't the least passive guy out there, he wouldn't go down without a fight.
"It got pretty bad. I, I was kinda worried."
"My camp, we got lots of supplies. You help me, I'll take you and your folks back to my people. We'll take good care of you. Keep you safe," Randall stared intensely at the two, Bea standing in front of Carl ever so slightly in defense.
"Our home is here now, we don't need your help," she said confidently, not breaking eye contact until he turned to Carl.
"Just gotta, just gotta help me get out of here, okay?" Randall looked desperate.
"Carl, let's go," Bea grabbed Carl's hand gently to tug him along but he wouldn't budge.
"Just help me pick these locks or find the key, okay?"
"Carl, come on."
"Come on, please? Please?" Randall moved about in his shackles, trying to move forward to the two as Bea grabbed Carl's arm for them to go.
But then the doors burst open.
"What the hell are you doing in here? What did you say to him? What did you say to them, huh?" Shane looked furious as he stormed into the Barn.
"I didn't say nothing," Randall looked scared.
"Let me tell you something, I will shoot you where you sit," Shane told the boy to his face, waving a gun around.
Bea let go of Carl but put an arm around him instead, seeing Shane in his angered stare.
"Okay Shane, not now," Andrea tried to calm him.
"You like talking, man? You like talking?!" Shane was grabbing Randall as he whimpered in terror.
"Back off!" Andrea managed to pull him away, diverting his attention to Bea and Carl who were still there.
"Get your ass out this door. Let's go. The hell you doing?" Shane yelled at them, dragging Carl by the neck of his t-shirt and Bea by her arm.
"Get off!" Bea shouted back at him, yanking her arm out of his grip.
"Please don't tell my parents," Carl seemed more upset than Bea.
"Carl, that ain't cool, man. You could've gotten hurt in there. And what were you thinking? Dragging him in there with you, it must have been your idea!" Shane turned to Bea who folded her arms in distaste at the man telling at her.
"We're tired of secrets around here. Our safety matters too, why can't we know what's going on?" Bea raised an eyebrow at the man who huffed out a sarcastic laugh.
"The only reason you're here, is because people feel sorry for you. You couldn't handle yourself out there, so why should you be involved in keeping this group alive, huh? Let me tell you something, Bea, you drag Carl into any of your stunts again and you'll be locked up in there too," Shane pulled Bea by the collar of her shirt and threatened her.
"I thought I told you to get off of me!" Bea pushed him away from her, hard, but he didn't budge.
"And if you wanna be a disrespectful brat all the time you certainly ain't hanging 'round him!" Shane yelled in her face, letting go off her harshly as she stumbled to the ground.
Bea huffed as she stood up, brushing off her trousers, walking across the farm and into the RV to find Carol. She was sure Carl could handle himself with Shane, he wouldn't do anything to hurt him.
"What you up to kid?" Carol asked as Bea walked in, dead silent.
"If Shane tries to tell me something one more time!" Bea says through gritted teeth, running some water over her hands to splash her face.
"Why what happened?" Carol stood up from where she was arranging some flowers to stand next to Bea, who was now scrubbing her hands.
"Just something at the barn, no one got hurt, don't see what the issue is," Bea mumbled to herself, scrubbing her hands more vigorously.
"Bea, stop, you'll hurt yourself," Carol tried to reassure her.
"He doesn't want me here," Bea shook her head, as Carol lightly grasped her shoulders.
"That's not his decision to make," Carol firmly said, pulling Bea along to sit with her as she grabbed a towel and gently patted her now red raw hands.
"Better?" Carol asked Bea, who nodded silently, not letting her face give away how she was feeling.
"I'm gonna lay some flowers for Sophia, wanna join?"
At this question, Bea allowed herself to smile slightly at the suggestion, she was glad the older woman trusted her enough to do something like that.
"I'd like that," Bea nodded, and out they went to sit by the small grave for Sophia.
Carol shed a few tears but minus that she seemed to be in a more reflective mood today.
"Cherokee rose," Carol placed them down neatly.
"Sophia like them?" Bea asked curiously.
"No, no. She might have but, Daryl found these. Sign of hope he said. I hope she's at ease. Nothing can hurt her now," Carol explained.
She saw Bea looking at Ruth's grave which was next to them.
"Here, she deserves one too," Carol passed a rose from the bunch to Bea, who held Carol's hand gratefully.
"Ruth would have liked them too," Bea looked up to the sky.
Carl joined them where they were sat, stood looking at the graves.
Thinking he was sad still, Carol tried to comfort him,
"You know, we'll see Sophia again in heaven some day. She's in a better place."
"No, she's not. Heaven is just another lie, and if you believe it, you're an idiot," Carl rolled his eyes at what he saw was make belief. If heaven existed, he thought, why would he put them in a world like this?
"Carl, what the heck?" Bea looked at him shocked. She had only seen the sweet side of him, and was stunned by his outburst as he stormed away. She hoped his soul wasn't turning too cold that it would soon be frozen.
"I'll go after him."
"Carl what was that about?" Bea ran ahead to catch up with, putting a hand on his shoulder but he shoved her away.
"Leave me alone."
"You know I'm not going to do that. Look, if you miss her that's fine, but that's Carol's way of grieving and you can't say things like that, okay?" Bea walked round to his side to see tears in his eyes.
"I wish I could have found her, done more. I want to be able to protect everyone, like Dad," Carl wiped his tears away quickly.
"And you will be able to, and it's fine you're feeling that way, but Carol is too okay, so, just say sorry when you're ready," Bea gave him a light hug, turning when she heard Carol shouting.
"I don't need you to patronize me. Everyone either avoids me, apart from that girl over there. It's that or they treat me like I'm crazy. I lost my daughter. I didn't lose my mind!" Carol stood up frustrated, pointing in Rick's face.
They seemed to talk it out as Rick approached the two of them.
"I'll take it from here, thanks Bea," he nodded at the girl, who in turn patted Carl on the head with the hat on and walked off.
Could they have one day without anything happening? She was tired of all the judgement floating about the farm, and she could tell it was getting to Carol too. That woman didn't deserve it.
🐝🐝🐝
Bea was sat around the fire outside with the others, sharing stories with T-dog.
"So what were you doing before all this?" Bea asked, she hadn't really gotten to know the guy yet and wondered about his life before.
"Used to drive the elderly to church. Then when this whole thing started kicking off I was trying to save them. Wasn't easy I'll tell you that," T-dog shared.
"What about you, kid like you probably enjoying their summer-"
Bea went to reply when there were terrified screams heard in the distance.
"What was that?" Carl ran out of the tent.
"What happened?"
"T-dog get the shotgun, go!"
"I don't know, go!"
Everyone started running towards were the screaming was coming from, Bea frozen until she joined the rest of them, quickly grabbing her crowbar that she fortunately kept with her.
By the time they found where the screaming came from, they found Daryl hovering over Dale, torso torn wide open with his guts practically spilling out. His eyes were wide as if he knew what was happening, small pants coming out of his mouth.
Bea remembered the small conversations she shared with the older man and frowned. He was a good man, how could something like this happen to good people?
"Oh my god," Bea walked back into someone and quickly turned round and saw it was Daryl.
"Stay back kid," he pulled her back by the shoulder and so she joined Glenn who was watching on in shock too.
"Hershel! We need Hershel!"
The oldest Greene finally arrived but there was no chance.
"Can we move him?"
"He won't make the trip."
Glenn cried and so Bea lay her arm across his back in support, to show she was there for him just like he was for her before in that same very field.
"He's suffering," Andrea sobbed next to him.
Rick seemed to be having an internal battle as he held his gun up to Dale, but he couldn't pull the trigger. It was Daryl who bravely took it from him.
"I'm sorry, brother."
And as the sounds of pain echoed through the wind, Dale's soul was finally set free from his own.