Glenn stood on a makeshift lookout point, the binoculars tightly gripped in his hands as he focused intently on Maggie in the distance. Natalie observed the scene, a chuckle escaping her lips as she ascended the challenging dirt path.
The weariness settled in her bones, making each step a laborious effort. The sun cast long shadows, and the air was thick with a mixture of tension and exhaustion. "It's rude to stare," Joking hitting his shoulder with her head tilted to the side a little bit crossing her arms together.
"I- I wa..." Trying to cover himself up, Natalie stared at him listening nodding her head as if she understood what he was trying to say stuttering over his words badly.
Crossing her arms as he continued to go finally stopping himself with a laugh. "Are you okay now," Not saying anything else Glenn had just nodded his head silently. "Can you grab something for me at the pharmacy?"
Not knowing what he was getting himself into just doing something for a friend. "Of course."
Pressing her and into itself trying to calm her nerves. "A pregnancy test..." Lowering her voice and just saying it instantly regretting saying it out loud. "And morning afters," This wasn't a decision she wanted to bring up with Shane if she was going to have the baby or not if she was pregnant.
"P-Pregn...Pregnancy test-" Glenn studdered lowering his voice shocked by the product she wanted from the store. "You're pregnant. Does Lori know...Rick- who?"
Trying to gain together his thoughts, Natalie had waited for him to calm down with the man no longer saying anything just staring at her. "Don't tell no one, not even Maggie..." Pressing her hands in a prayer action pleading for him. "I don't need Shane finding out...'kay..."
Still shocked by the information he continued to hear. "Shane..." Nodding her head Glenn blinked to the side trying to understand this one more time. "What's the second thing,"
Not eager to delve into the complexity of her emotions and decisions regarding the potential pregnancy, Natalie offered a simple directive to Glenn. "You'll find it inside the Feminine Hygiene section."
"I'll get it for you," Glenn responded, a compassionate smile playing on his lips.
She embraced Glenn, seeking solace in the comforting hug. His arms wrapped securely around her, offering a momentary respite from the weight of uncertainties. In the distance, Maggie observed the scene, shifting on her feet before redirecting her attention to the horses.
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Dale and T-Dog retraced their steps back to the house, their countenances marked by a gravity that foretold troubling news. As the group gathered, including Andrea, Natalie, Maggie, Glenn, Lori, and Shane, they embarked on a solemn trek up the hill, covering nearly a mile of the expansive Greene property.
The sprawling landscape, a testament to the family's extensive holdings, left Natalie in awe as they traversed its contours. Yet, despite the scenic surroundings, an atmosphere of foreboding clung to the air, intensifying with each step.
Dale had stopped in front of the well looking down to see that there was a Walker inside of it. Quickly everyone had surrounded looking down at this.
The smell felt like it hit Natalie from miles away causing her stomach to turn. Being right above the stench now had made her want to throw up but holding it back to not make everything obvious. The smell hit her like a bunch of tomatoes hitting her face over and over again.
Hissing and growling from under the water, it didn't look like a normal Walker; something about it changed. "Look like we've got us a swimmer." Dale joked shining a flashlight right inside of its face.
"Let's get this off," Shane pointed to the enclosure that was around the well which was already broken. "So we can deal with this thing."
Glenn and T-Dog had ducked down grabbing onto the wooden planks that were put together to hold the well in place. Both of them took a second breaking it off. Making it a clearer view of the Walker below that was trying to get through.
Ducking down with his hands touching his knees trying to see this thing more clearly. "How long has this thing been down there?"
"Long enough to grow gills."
Natalie cringed at the thing trying to hit the walls. "I didn't know these Geeks could get uglier." Stressing and rubbing her sides is uncomfortable.
"Can't leave it in there, God knows what it is doing to the water." Lori had commented her hands resting next to her also making a face at the different-looking Walker that was below them.
Placing a hand on his hip leaning on his good leg. "We got to get it out,"
"Easy. Put a bullet in its head." T-Dog demanded staring down at it and looking up at them. "I'll get a rope."
Natalie crossed her arms looking at Andrea. "No guns, Hershel's deal." Shane turned to Natalie still not understanding why her rule had winded up changing out of nowhere.
"No." Maggie also agreed with Natalie, "I agree" Pointing towards the young women.
"It is a stupid idea," Andrea finally took the side of Natalie, "If that thing hasn't contaminated the water yet, Blowing its brains out will finish the job."
"She's right" Shane sighed shifting on his feet and looking at this thing. "Can't risk it."
Natalie stood in the stillness, a heavy silence blanketing the group as they grappled with the challenge before them. "So it comes out here alive," she declared, her eyes scrutinizing the faces around her.
"How do we do that?" Glenn inquired, seeking guidance from Natalie.
"Meat and rope," she responded, the gears of a plan turning in her mind. With purpose, she started her way back to the farm, leaving the others behind. Dale, T-Dog, and Maggie remained at the well, vigilant, ensuring the Walker posed no immediate threat.
Shane approached Natalie, his curiosity was evident. "What changes your mind? Two days ago, you were all guns," he observed, a sly smirk playing on his lips, the sun casting a harsh glare between them.
Struggling to articulate her thoughts, Natalie began, "We already had a kid get hurt from it, my brother." She locked eyes with Shane, the weight of recent events etched in her gaze. "We don't need another accident." Lori walked past them, seemingly uninterested in the unfolding exchange. "Can you just listen to me this once?"
"Fine," Shane conceded, recognizing the urgency in her plea. "No guns, for now."
"Progress," Natalie muttered, a mixture of determination and relief in her voice. She turned away, heading toward the farm, the path ahead leading to a quest for rope.
Andrea watched Natalie's departure, observing a momentary conflict in Shane's expression, as if he begrudgingly accepted the necessity of the decision.
Time had passed by about ten minutes, and Natalie got and found the rope that was inside one of the sheds. Put the canned ham on a fishing rod string slowly lowering it inside the well. Shane held onto the rope trying to move it in the direction of the Walker.
It didn't seem to want to come in the direction of the meat taking a second to just stare at it. "He's not going for it." Shane moved the rope ever so slightly.
"Maybe 'cause a canned ham don't kick and scream when you try and eat it." T-Dog leaned on the well flashing the light towards whatever was inside of the well trying to get a better view inside of it.
Lori ducked down next to her daughter who was trying to see more into the well. Covering her nose because the smell was getting too aggressive against her nose seeming the only one who was bothered by this. "He's right." Lori looked up at Dale trying to explain it to them. "There's a reason the dead didn't come back to life, back at the nursing home."
"We need live bait." Andrea pointed out to them.
Quickly her eyes turned to Glenn, and so did everyone one by one. Natalie was late to this, looking up to see Glenn who was worried about everything. "If Glenn's going in there, we're all holding onto the rope." Sitting up worry flowed through her body.
She didn't want him to go in there counting that he was her only friend left. But she had also known Shane wasn't going to let him just die inside of the well.
Shane pulled the rope back in everyone, getting the ham out of the well. They quickly grabbed Glenn and put it around his waist making sure the knot was tight. "Have I mentioned that I like your new haircut?" Glenn tried to talk his way out of this situation. "You have a nice shaped head."
Lori handed the man a flashlight; Natalie had felt like she was going to be sick to her stomach because her nerves were so off-putting by this. "Don't worry about it bud." Shane tried to talk to him about going into the well. "We're gonna get you out of here in one piece."
"Living." Natalie corrected Shane as she stood next to Maggie shifting on her feet.
"Yes, that's the most important part" Glenn had added nodding repeatedly towards Shane.
Walking over to the group that was holding onto the rope again, with everyone ready to lower Glenn into the well. Shane had gotten to the front of the line since he was one of the strongest in the group right now. Natalie stood off not wanting to be a part of this if it winded up going right. "Nice and Slow, Please" Glenn turned to the group holding onto the sides of the well.
Andrea held it around her waist so that they had more people's power. "We got you."
"Oh, you people are crazy." Maggie had shaken her head crossing her arms uneased by this.
Shane had turned his head in the direction of Maggie getting ready to start letting Glenn into the well. "You want to get it out of your well or not?"
"Give us an eye here Maggie," Dale asked, with the women sighing and going towards the well looking down at it. Natalie grabbed onto the last piece of the rope helping along not wanting it to look off that she wasn't helping along with them.
Slowly Glenn started to move more down. "Little Lower." Maggie had instructed them. "Little more." Biting her lip she had heard the sounds of snarling coming from the bottom of the well meaning Glenn was getting closer and closer.
The water deposit had fallen out of the ground. The sounds of Glenn screaming filled her ears. Natalie looked away and inhaled trying not to think about it but not being able to help. "Get it! Get it!" Everyone shouted to Shane who started to run forward to grab onto the rope that was fully about to fall into the well leaving Glenn stranded.
"Grab it!" Natalie shouted at the top of her lungs, tears started to form at the anxiety that she was getting right away. The three main men in the front had fallen to the ground with the dust scattering around in the air.
"Get me out of here!" Glenn had shouted to the top of his lungs.
T-Dog was the last one holding onto the string, with everyone trying to help pull it up. From the bottom of the well, the sounds of Glenn's screaming were heard filling her ears. Slowly but surely one by one they started to pull it back to the mainland once more. "Guys get me out!" Glenn shouted at the top of his lungs causing chills to fly down Natalie's body and all the stress causing her stomach to bundle up.
"Pull, Pull!" Shane shouted to the group getting most of the rope out of out of the well right away. Natalie didn't waste a second grabbing onto the rope using all of her strength to pull Glenn out with the help of Lori and Shane.
"Glenn!" Natalie shouted for him, Shane pulling with all of his strength, Lori and everyone else just helping trying to get him up on land not caring about the Walker inside of the well anymore.
Dust was filling the air causing Natalie to cough almost choking on it. As she didn't care trying to get Glenn up with her heart racing the moment she saw the top of his head; Shane rushed over pulling the man out as he fell to the ground. Seconds later, she had grabbed onto Glenn holding onto him. "Are you okay!?" Natalie panicked holding onto him with tears on the verge of her eyes.
He panted looking down at the ground trying to get himself back. Holding onto Glenn everyone started panting catching their breaths. Glenn held onto Natalie too obviously that she had more anxiety than what was happening. "Back to the drawing board." Dale caught his breath joking and Natalie turned to him as if he had three heads.
"Says you" Glenn muttered.
Natalie had felt all of the nervous bundling up inside of her stomach as she rubbed the side of her mouth. "I need a second," The young woman had put out there walking away from the group and only going inches away not being able to hold it in until she got to the house.
Throwing up into the grass, She knew it wasn't because of any pregnancy but all of the stress that had come to her in the past two days not even. Needing a second to calm down.
Glenn stood next to her holding her hair and rubbing her back softly. "If you are pregnant you shouldn't be putting yourself through this." Glenn had whispered to her low.
Finishing up, Natalie had stood back up wiping the corners of her mouth and shaking her head. "I'm okay, It was just the stress of helping you" Shaking this off for Glenn not to worry about her.
𓇻
Not that long after, they had winded up getting one of the horses Maggie was bringing for her and Glenn's run. Even after everything that happened with Glenn, he had winded up putting the rope around the stomach of the Walker since there was so much panicking at that point.
Snarling the walker slowly started to get pulled up by the group; Glenn made Natalie go in the back so that she couldn't have the less amount of work to do.
Shane had winded up going to the front still. "Come on, guys, pull" T-Dog had stood on the side waiting for the Walker to come out of the well so that he could cut the head off of it before anything happened and it escaped.
"Come on, y'all" Shane shouted at everyone.
Even though she was in the back, Natalie had pulled trying to set her feet into the dirt not being able to hold it since she didn't have the muscles that everyone else did. "Almost there. Come on, pull, Guys!" T-Dog had continued to shout at them, and Natalie felt like she was about to pass out. But Maggie had helped her with the horse walking forward trying to pull the Walker out as well.
The sounds of the snarling were getting louder, with the Walker slowly being pulled out. Once it was fully halfway out it had gotten stuck around the ring of the well. It continued to scream louder and louder almost as if it was in pain.
Suddenly everyone was straining, but the Walker had quickly gotten split in half, the bottom half falling into the well splashing blood and guts everywhere.
The rope had gotten lighter because of this. But the smell had filled the air, causing Natalie to let go of the rope before everyone covered her nose about to be sick one more time. Even though it was ripped in half Walker continued to try and climb over to T-Dog since he was the closest person next to him.
Silently Natalie watched this covering her nose. "We should seal off this well." Dale finally said to them, Natalie knew all of that was for nothing now.
"Yeah, might be a good idea" Shane rubbed the top of his head.
Before Andrea got to finish her sentence, T-Dog started to slam the knife into the head of the Walker's bashing it in. Maggie cringed at this since it was the first time she had witnessed something like this.
The sounds of bone-crushing, and the blood splattering had made Natalie sick to her stomach one more time. Maggie had walked away from the group covering her mouth and nose at the sight of this. Her stomach had turned covering her nose one more time.
T-Dog had walked away. Natalie follows behind not wanting to see the Walker anymore. "We're going to drive up to find Sophia, ya' wanna join?" Shane had questioned her.
"I might go the the bed," Natalie informed Shane crossing her arms. "Maybe, talk to Carl-" Being the ones left back walking the slowest since Shane had a limp still knowing he shouldn't be walking on the leg the way he is now.
Shane kissed the top of her head and rubbed Natalie's back. "You did well today, I listened to you" He chuckled joking towards her.
She had rolled her eyes shaking her head. "Because ya' know what happens when you don't" Joking towards the man who laughed and shook his head turning to admire her from the side.
"Do I? Do I?" Shane mocked smiling towards Natalie With her head high she hummed walking forward feeling his hand slap her ass softly almost as a boost to keep walking.