𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒.
chapter thirteen; A Basic Understanding
" That if anything happens to her, anything at all, while she is with you, I'll skin you alive."
ZEPPELIN FIGURED IF she and Carl had met earlier, they would've been best friends long before now. He listened to everything she said and matched it with equal excitement. He told the best jokes and liked every single game she showed him.
"Hey, do you know anything about that guy my dad brought back?"
Zeppelin collapsed in the grass beside Carl, catching her breath from their intense game of tag.
"Um," She hummed, "My mom says he's not safe. Told me to stay away from the barn until he's gone."
Carl twisted his lips, looking at the building.
"I wish we could see him," Carl admitted, "I'm tired of being left out just 'cause we're kids."
"My mom says she only keeps stuff from me to keep me safe," Zeppelin informed, "She says 'Rules are for a reason'."
Carl frowned, looking to the barn again.
"We could. . . just go peek."
"What?"
"Just to see."
"I don't know. . ." Zeppelin mumbled.
"Well, I'm going," Carl said, standing, "Are you coming?"
Zeppelin hesitated, but the second Carl started toward the barn, she scrambled to her feet and followed him quickly.
They snuck around the barn, climbing into the hayloft quietly.
Zeppelin's eyes widened at the sight of him-- he was covered in blood, a split lip, a swollen eye, and his hands cuffed behind his back.
She followed Carl's actions, taking a seat in the loft and watching. Unfortunately, the wood creaked under Zeppelin's boots, and the kids earned the attention of Randall.
"Hey," He whispered, attempting a smile, "That's a sweet hat."
Zeppelin looked to Rick's hat on Carl's head, though the boy was focused solely on Randall.
"I'm Randall," He said, "What's your name?"
Carl stayed silent.
"What about you?" Randall questioned.
Zeppelin felt a brief internal struggle, between the manners her mother had taught her, and the very strict rules of 'Stranger Danger'.
"The sheriff guy, that your dad?" Randall questioned Carl, "I like him. Yeah, he's a good guy. I can tell. Your mom out here too? What about your friend, are her parents here?"
"My mom is," Zeppelin said quietly.
"Yeah?" Randall said, his face lighting up, "You're-- you're lucky you still got your family. I lost mine. . . Hey, I-- I don't know what people been saying about me, but I didn't do nothing. I swear."
Carl started climbing down the hayloft, and Zeppelin decided if she followed him this far, she may as well keep going.
"Your dad was gonna let me go till his friend started fighting with him," Randall continued, "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. Your friend and her mom, too. We'll take good care of you."
Zeppelin and Carl stood feet from him now, the girl reaching out to grab Carl's hand in fear he'd go even closer to the man.
"Keep you safe," Randall said, "Just gotta-- just gotta help me get out of here, okay? Just help me pick these locks or find a key, okay?"
"We can't do that," Zeppelin denied, shaking her head, "We have to go--"
"Come on, please?" Randall said, yanking against his chains, "Please?"
Zeppelin attempted to pull Carl back the way they came, but the boy was unmoving, sending a tidal wave of panic through Zeppelin's body.
Until the door swung open and Shane barged in.
"What the hell are you two doing in here?" Shane questioned harshly, standing in front of the kids, "What did you say to them? What did you say to them, huh?!"
Shane grabbed the man by his throat, pinning him to the wall and pressing a gun to his face, attempting to force it into his mouth.
"Okay, Shane, not now," Andrea tried, "Shane. Shane!"
Zeppelin Williams had not let go of Carl's hand. She hadn't looked anywhere but at Randall and Shane, until Andrea blocked her view. And she hadn't even realized she was crying until she felt the wetness on her face.
"Back off!" Andrea said, finally earning Shane's compliance.
"Get your asses out this door, let's go."
Zeppelin felt a wave of panic as Shane pushed her and Carl out of the barn, her hand being forcefully separated from his.
"Please don't tell my parents," Carl said quickly, "Or Zep's--"
"Carl, that ain't cool, man. You could've gotten hurt in there."
"I can handle myself," Carl argued.
"Yeah, what about your girl there, huh?"
Carl looked to Zeppelin, whose eyes were still welling with tears, arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"I can guarantee this won't her idea, just lookin' at her face," Shane continued, "You put her, and yourself in danger."
Carl didn't have an argument for that one.
"Think you learned your lesson on your own," Shane said to Zeppelin, "Go."
Zeppelin looked to Carl, who gave her a single nod, and then she went.
🗡
Zeppelin Williams was, honest to God, on her way to her mother.
She made it to the farmhouse, only to be stopped by one Daryl Dixon.
"Goin' huntin'. You comin'?"
Daryl hiked his crossbow higher on his shoulder, faltering when Zeppelin sniffled, wiping her face with her sleeve.
"You. . . you alright, kid?"
Zeppelin only shook her head, attempting to catch her breath through her sobs.
"Okay, well, uh. . ."
"But--" She hiccuped, attempting to clean her face though the tears kept falling, "But I wanna go-- go hunting with you."
Daryl sighed but nodded, taking a seat on the steps.
"Go clean up. I'll wait for ya."
Zeppelin hurried inside, attempting to rush to the bathroom, but was halted by her mother's voice.
"That's a guilty walk if I ever saw one," Vex called, approaching her daughter, "What's up, Zep?"
The girl turned slowly, her mother quickly kneeling when she saw her daughter's red face.
"Hey," She said softly, brushing the girl's hair out of her tears, "What's going on, babydoll?"
"I-- I snuck into-- into the barn with Carl," Zeppelin admitted, "And-- and Randall, he-- he tried to get us to free him."
Vex attempted to hide her anger.
"But-- but then Shane," Zeppelin said, the tears starting all over again, "He-- he had a gun in Randall's face-- and-- and he scared me, Mom-- he's-- it was like-- he was like--"
"Okay, honey, I know," Vex said quietly, cradling her daughter's head to her chest. "Just come here."
Zeppelin cried into her mother's shirt, holding on tightly to the person who meant the most.
"Let's go get some cold water on your face, it'll feel nice," Vex suggested gently once the cries slowed, "Then we can eat some Twinkies I snuck back for you."
Zeppelin looked up through puffy eyes, sniffling.
"But I told Daryl I'd go hunting with him."
"You did what now?"
"It's okay, Mom, I went once with him already, the day you went home."
Vex blinked rapidly, attempting to grasp the situation rationally.
Why couldn't Zeppelin spend her free time with anyone else? Maggie, Dean, Glenn, Beth, Hershel, Carol, Lori, Dale-- so many options that Vex would've been fine with.
But the man who got knocked off a horse and stabbed with his own arrow wasn't at the top of the list of people Vex wanted watching over her daughter.
"Listen, Zep. . ."
"He's nice," Zeppelin defended, "Just a little scared."
Vex couldn't help but laugh, slapping a hand over her mouth quickly.
"Mom." Zeppelin frowned, "He is. For real. I think. . . I think he feels guilty. That Sophia wasn't. . ."
"Yeah," Vex blew out a breath, "I know."
Zeppelin wiped the rest of her tears, looking to her mother.
"How about you go splash some water on your face, I'm just gonna have a word with Daryl before y'all leave."
The girl nodded, rushing to the bathroom.
Vex sighed, walking to the front door.
She could see him through the screen, sitting on the steps like a kid waiting for their friend to come play.
Vex pushed the door open, earning his attention. She walked silently, taking a seat at his side.
"You really okay with taking a kid out hunting?"
Daryl grunted.
"I don't speak caveman," She said pointedly.
"She's a good kid," He responded, "Quiet. Listens. Don't mind taking a kid like that hunting."
Vex nodded, clasping her hands together.
"We got off on the wrong foot," Vex said, "But if my kid is gonna be this fond of you, we need to have at least a basic understanding."
"Of what?"
"That if anything happens to her, anything at all, while she is with you," Vex said, "I'll skin you alive."
Daryl got the sense she was not joking.
But before he could respond, the screen door swung open, Zeppelin Williams grinning wildly through puffy eyes.
"Are you ready?" She questioned.
Vex stood, pressing a kiss to the top of Zeppelin's head.
"We on the same page, Dixon?" Vex questioned, leaning against one of the pillars.
Zeppelin was already down the steps, tugging a baseball cap on her head.
Daryl turned to Vex, nodding to the woman without any argument.
Daryl wasn't sure when he became a babysitter, and yet here he was.
And he only had himself to blame.
WORD COUNT : 1598