Apple stopped sobbing after fifteen minutes and said that we should start moving. She didn’t want to stay in one spot.
Erica was still looking at the ground as she said, “We should drop the kids off somewhere and go get supplies.”
Apple didn’t say anything. She pretended to be preoccupied with her gun, so we shifted our gazes to Calvin instead.
“That sounds like a good idea,” he started to say slowly. “But, where exactly are we supposed to drop them off?”
Erica looked annoyed as she tried to look around for a safe area. I scratched my arm and said, “We could go to the old shelter.”
Erica and Calvin looked over at me before exchanging looks. “It sounds like a safe enough place,” Calvin said, still looking at Erica for her approval. “As long as it wasn’t taken over.” Calvin turned to look at Apple, who was still fiddling with her gun. “What do you think, Alex?”
Apple had a look on her face that was indescribable. It wasn’t happy, but it wasn’t sad, or angry. I really could not tell her mood…. She put her gun back in her belt and pushed her bangs out of her eyes as she began to walk ahead of the group. “Let’s go,” was all she said.
Calvin and Erica exchanged worried looks but followed Apple without anything to say. Carson and Brooklyn followed, and I walked behind them.
When we arrived at the old shelter Erica scoped everything out before saying it was okay to leave us here. We all climbed down into the shelter and Calvin lit the last of our candles so we could see.
“So what exactly is the plan?” Calvin asked. “Should I stay here with the kids in case anything happens or—”
“Can’t leave you here,” Erica cut him off as she shook her head. “No offense, but you aren’t going to really protect them from anything, mister, ‘he waited till I had my pants at my ankles,’” Erica finished with a smirk.
Calvin raised his eyebrow in disbelief before looking over to Apple for backup. “Tell her I can protect the kids!”
Apple raised her eyebrows as she thought. “You can hardly shoot, Calvin,” she said, shrugging.
Calvin’s eyes widened as Apple’s words sank in. “Are you kidding me?”
Erica had a look of amusement as she watched Calvin. Apple shook her head and looked like she was fighting off a smile. “I can promise you, I am not kidding, Calvin.”
Calvin’s mouth dropped and I failed to hide a giggle. Erica laughed as well and Apple turned away to hide her smile. “We’ll need more hands to grab stuff anyway,” Apple said.
“Wait, are you saying all of us are going?” Calvin asked.
Apple nodded. “Well, except Clem, Brooklyn, and Carson.”
Calvin opened his mouth to protest, but Erica cut in. “I agree with Alex. We need more supplies than normal, and with three people we can get a hold of more things.”
Calvin shut his mouth. Then opened it. “Okay… but what am I going to do about a weapon? I didn’t have my gun on me when Ryan ran off with the weapons, so he got mine.”
Apple bit her lip before replying with, “You’ll have to use a hammer and the pipe he left.”
Calvin looked seriously annoyed, but didn’t protest against Apple. He held out his hand as he sighed, “Give ‘em to me.”
Erica tossed him her hammer and Apple pulled the pipe out of the bag and handed it to him. He sighed again before saying, “This is bullshit, you know.” He was looking into Apple’s blue eyes.
Her eyes sparkled and she grinned. “Yeah, I know. But it’s your punishment for letting Ryan get away before I could kick his ass.”
They were gone for a few hours. Calvin told me to always have my gun ready in case somebody tried to get in, and that we had to open the door and go outside every hour or so so that we didn’t run out of air in the shelter. I tried to talk to Carson and Brooklyn, but they didn’t bother to keep the conversation going. I finally gave up and decided I’d catch up on sleep.
When I heard the door open I jumped up, almost having a heart attack as I grabbed my gun and aimed.
“It’s Calvin, it’s Calvin!” Calvin exclaimed. I let out a shaky breath and lowered my arm as I watched him and Apple and Erica climb into the shelter.
“Gosh, Clem,” Apple laughed when they were all inside. “I can tell you were ready to shoot! I’m glad Calvin found the courage to say something.”
Calvin looked kind of scared but smiled weakly. “Yeah, I’m glad too.”
“So,” Brooklyn said suddenly. We all turned to her, surprised to hear her voice. “What did you guys get?”
“Oh,” Apple said, seeming happy to finally talk to Brooklyn. “Well we got enough food to last us all for a week, but we didn’t get a hold of any weapons and we’re going to have to go back soon and find more food and medicine.”
Carson coughed and asked, “Well, uh, do you think, that maybe we could eat right now?”
Apple smiled. “Oh, yes, of course!”
Apple dug into the bag and pulled out food and handed it to Carson and Brooklyn. Next she handed some to me, then Calvin, then Erica, and then she got some for herself.
“So,” Calvin said, biting into some jerky and cheese. “Does that mean we are staying here for the night?”
Apple sighed and looked around. We were all crammed in here and there was no wiggle room at all, but she shrugged and said, “It’ll be a tight fit, but what’s our other option?”
Calvin nodded. “Cool. Who’s taking first watch?”
Apple raised her hand just as I did. Erica and Calvin chuckled when they saw my raised hand, but Apple smiled and said, “Okay. Clementine and I have the first watch.”
Calvin raised an eyebrow. “You sure? What if—”
“Please,” Apple said, raising her hand to stop him. “Clem is a better shot than you.”
Calvin tried to look offended but failed and began to laugh with Erica and Apple.
I smiled as I watched them laugh at the joke, feeling happy.
It’s been a while since I’ve felt happy. It’s been a while since anybody has felt happy. I mean, with the walking dead everywhere, it’s kind of hard to carve out time to just sit down and joke around with friends and have a good time, but Apple, Calvin, and Erica seemed to do it with no struggle. Still, they had their moments when they couldn’t get along at all, but then they had these moments. I liked it.
Calvin and Erica settled down and began to get ready for bed. Because we left our sleeping bags and stuff at the store, everyone had to make do with the little we had. That little was nothing.
Apple climbed up the latter and opened the door. She gestured for me to follow as she climbed out of the shelter. I followed her.
When we got outside she sat Indian style and smiled at me. She had her gun ready in her lap but her hands weren’t on it, so she looked relaxed. I sat down next to her and laid my gun out, but it was on the ground and I had one hand on it.
“So,” Apple said in a soft voice. “Did you talk with Brooklyn and Carson while we were out?”
I sighed as I looked up at the stars. “They didn’t want to talk much.”
Apple brushed her bangs out of her eyes and looked up at the stars as well. “They must just be shy. They will come around.”
I nodded.
It was silent for a little bit as we just looked around and watched for any movement.
I decided to break the silence. “I talked to Calvin the other day. About you, I mean.”
Apple’s eyes got really wide and she sat up straight to look at me. “What? What do you mean?”
“Well, I remembered that you had said that you liked him—”
“Shhh!” Apple cut me off and then jerked her thumb to the shelter. I understood what she was saying and said softer, “And so I asked him what he thought about you.”
Apple paused to think. She turned her head toward the shelter, listening for any noise or movement before she turned back to me. She scooted a little closer and whispered, “What did he say?”
“He said you were resourceful and quick on your feet, and kind of hot headed,” I told her.
Apple frowned. “Is that it?”
“Well,” I hesitated, wondering if I should tell her the rest. I decided it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t tell her, so I said, “he also said you are kind of young.”
Apple blinked a few times. “Wait. You mean like, too young to date?”
I nodded.
Apple moved her mouth like she wanted to say something, but stopped herself. She looked away and let out a breath.
“Are you okay, Apple?” I asked softly.
She nodded as she said, “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine, Clem. I’m just a little angry.”
I frowned. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to upset you.”
She looked over at me. “It’s not your fault, Clem. I’m glad you told me.” Apple paused and looked around. She looked back to me and whispered, “Could you do me a favor, though?”
“Yeah,” I answered.
“Can you talk to Calvin more? Not about me, all the time. I just want you to find out what he likes. Do you understand?” She asked, pulling her eyebrows together.
I nodded but then said, “But don’t you think he’ll get suspicious?”
Apple shook her head. “Calvin is a really smart guy, I’ll give him that, but he won’t see that you’re working at an angle. You’re a kid, an innocent looking secret agent,” Apple said with a smile. “He wouldn’t know the difference.”
I smiled with her, because I felt like I was actually helping Apple. “Okay.”
After a few hours—four or five—Erica came up and said that she’ll take next watch. Apple and I went into the shelter and tried to go to sleep, and I began to think about what I was going to say to Calvin.
--
Hey guys! :)
I've been getting inspired and I'm excited to get this book going and finished and stuff. I'm not sure how many chapters there will be (fifteen? twenty? Idk.) but I planned everything out (for once).
This chapter actually has some pretty heavy foreshadowing, so I hope you paid attention. I don't know if anybody will actually pick up on the foreshadowing, but it's going to be big in a few chapters.
BUT. You'll have to wait to find out what the foreshadowing was. ;)
You know what will make me write faster? You voting. And fanning. And commenting.
That will make me work MUCH faster.
Also, I didn't bother to edit this chapter. I'm sorry.
-Ashi