The summer breeze was nice, it was warm as it washed over me. I had always loved the summer, it was a more freeing season, you weren't restricted to staying indoors playing board games, wrapped up in a large woollen blanket with a mug of hot coco. Although I'm ain't complaining about that. Ma momma's hot coco was mouthwatering, I craved it almost every day. We used to run out everyday -more often than not. But I wouldn't change it for anything. It was a nuisance having to travel into town every other day but they were memories I now treasured. The moments ma momma was still here.
She was as beautiful older woman and I could only hope I looked half as good as she did if I ever manage to make it to her age. With the new world around us, I'm not holdin' out for it, but one needs to hope for something and this is mine.
She was kind and thoughtful and never seemed to think any harsh thoughts about anyone -not even the rude old lady who constantly threw glares our way whenever we were in town. I could never figure out what her problem was with us, but I didn't really care. It might sound spiteful and ungodly but she's probably one of the infected if not dead.
If ma momma heard me say -or even knew I thought something that ghastly she'd have punished me instantly.
“Help!” A voice cried sharply. My head snapped up in the direction it came and my eyes widened. A man came running in our direction, his sheriff uniform blood soaked and he had a young boy cradled in his arms.
I was on my feet, instantly alert. “Daddy!” I shouted. My eyes never left the man struggling towards us across our lawn.
The door screen was pushed open behind me and I could feel the presence of my family crowding around outside. Elle quickly came to me, hiding behind my legs. It was the first time we'd seen someone who wasn't infected since the entire thing had started, and I wasn't quite sure what that meant. Has there finally been a cure created? Is the world finally going to fall back into it's rightful place?... Or is this proof that we can survive this vengeful apocalypse? We're not as alone as I originally thought, that has to mean something...Right?
The man stumbled to a stop just before the porch steps, his face was pale and his eyes with stricken with both pain and fear.
Daddy stepped forward. “Was he bit?” He demanded.
The man frantically shook his head. His grip on the boy tightening almost protectively as if the thought was preposterous. Instantly I could see the connection, it was his son. He was holding his injured son. I could see the familiar look in his eye, the same look Chase once held for Elle. “S-shot by your man.” He stammered. His eyes watered as he digested his own words. It was almost like everything had been moving slowly for him the last few moments and he was only just beginning to understand the severity of his given situation.
“Otis?” Patricia's voice spoke up from behind us all.
The man took no notice, his complete attention trained primarily on daddy. “He said to find Hershel -Is-is that you?” He voice broke and I felt my heart ache for him. I moved my hand behind me to grab a hold of Elle's to make sure she was still with me.
“Help me! Help my boy!” He cried and took another weak step forward. He was loosing it. Slowly but surely and I couldn't blame the man.
Then everyone began to move. Daddy gently pushed me to the side out off the way and I took Elle with me, she didn't need to be involved with this.
“Get him inside- Inside!” Daddy called out quickly, ushering them in. Everyone followed behind, ready to have instructions tossed their way, but I stayed behind outside on the porch with Elle. It was already crowded enough inside and I didn't want to add another two people who would just end up getting in the way. I wouldn't have been much help as it was -mass amounts of blood was not something I can endure for long periods of time. It made me sick to my stomach, and little Elle wasn't the best either but that was to expected from a four old girl. Plus I think the pure curiosity of the situation would fall down heavy on her. She'd want to know everything.
The door had been kept open, allowing their hurried voices calling out demands travelled out to us and I pulled Elle to take a seat down on the steps.
“Momma, who are 'dey?” Elle asked quietly. Her head was turned towards the house, watching the doorway hoping to catch sight of someone or something.
“I'm not sure, Baby, but they need our help.” I replied.
I moved to lean back against the banister and Elle crawled over to sit between my legs leaning back against my chest. I draped and arm over her shoulder and the other started playing with her long golden brown hair.
“Are we gonna help?” She tilted her head up to look at me and I nodded.
“Of course. That boy is going to be good as new when grandpa Hershel's through with him.” I informed and leant forward to place a delicate kiss to her forehead. I was thankful that Elle was still here with me, I don't know what I would ever do if I lost her. She was my world and there wasn't anything that I wouldn't do for my lil' girl.
Elle fell silent, she was no longer staring into the house but out across the fields. “Otis!” Elle suddenly exclaimed. The sudden loudness of her voice made me jump and she pulled out of my arms quickly, running over to Otis and another strange man making their way across the field.
“Elle!” I called after her. She didn't listen and just continued to run towards them.
I stood up and ran down the porch steps. “Janelle Greene! You stop this instant!” I shouted and she froze. It was very rare that I used her full name, it was specifically reserved for when she decided to misbehave... And not listening to me was doing just that. She had a tendency to ignore what I was saying whenever it included someone she liked and she really liked Otis. He was like her best friend. He adored her and I think she knows that she can get her way much easier with him than she can with me. He babies her too much, he was like her own personal slave. He did what she wanted, when she wanted. And she was smart because she had learnt to know that. She was always using to her advantage. I couldn't help but be impressed by her sometimes.
“Good girl. Now come back here and wait patiently.” I instructed sternly. I left no room for arguments and Elle seemed to know that. Her shoulders sagged and she slowly -much slower than normal- walked over to me. Ever now-and-then glance back over her shoulder watching the two men advance closer every time she looked.
The screen door opened again behind me and I glanced over my own shoulder, my hazel eyes connecting with the stranger from before. He looked even worse now if that was possible, like he was trapped in his own world -and I suppose in a way he was.
His shirt was covered in blood as was his hands but I don't think he was completely conscious of that thought, instead he eyes were trained on the stranger making his way in a fast jog across with the field followed closely by Otis.
They came panting to a stop just as Elle reached me again. I draped my arms over Elle's shoulders holding her too me, stopping her from moving away. Now was not the time for her get to involved.
“He's alive? Is he alive?” Otis wheezed out, his grip tight on his hunting rifle.
The stranger beside me acted as if he couldn't hear a word that was being said. His hand clumsily wiped at it face, -ridding what? I'm not sure. But he only managed to smear blood across his face and he wasn't even conscious of his movement. He didn't know what he was doing, his mind was elsewhere.
The tall, dark haired, new arrival standing beside a out-of-breath Otis shrugged out of his backpack, dropping it to the ground and pulling a red handkerchief out of the front pocket. He climbed the three steps that separated the obvious friends.
“It's okay.” He whispered. His hand went to his friends face on one side and help him still, but it wasn't like he needed it, he was unresponsive as it was. His other hand moved to slowly dab the cloth at his forehead and nose, effectively wiping away most of the blood.
“Rick, is -is he alive?” The dark haired man asked almost hesitantly.
'Rick' eyes glazed over and his lips trembled but he nodded and turned around, opened the screen down and walked back inside the house, towing his friend behind him.
“Elle, I want you stay here for a moment, okay? I'll be back in two seconds.” I said. I looked down at her and she nodded moving away from me to take a seat on the top step.
I followed closely behind Otis into the house with one final glance back at Elle to ensure that she had in fact listened to me and stayed where I said for her too.
The room the small boy was being kept in smelt of nothing but blood and I had to physically hold back as disgusted cough. The smell evaded everything, you couldn't avoid it -although it seemed I was the only one bothered by the smell, everyone else was too busy working away to notice it.
Rick stood to the side, a hand covering his mouth as he looked down at his unconscious son, his friend's hand firmly gripping his shoulder for moral support.
I stood in the doorway watching as my daddy tended to the wound. He held a towel to the gunshot to limit the flow of blood but that was quickly turning a dark red and even I knew that wasn't a good sign.
“You know his blood type?” Daddy asked over his shoulder as he pealed back the towel to have a look.
Rick shifted from one foot to the other. “A positive, same as mine.”
“That's fortunate.” Daddy replied. “Don' stay too far, I'mma need you.” He twisted his head to find Otis. “What happened?”
Otis' mouth opened several times but he couldn't seem to be able to find his words. “I-I was tracking a buck -bullet went through it...Went clean through.”
Daddy moved his fingers to probe around the wound, feeling the stomach area. “That buck saved his life...But it did not go through clean. The bullet separated -I'm counting six fragments.”
I couldn't begin to imagine how much pain that little boy must be in, or the mental strain that his father was feeling right this moment and I desperately wished that there was something I could do.
“Momma?” A small hand slipped into my own and held it tightly. I glanced down and Elle stood there watching the scene with the utmost curiosity. I didn't understand it...When I was her age, apparently I cried and screamed at the sight of other peoples blood, but here she was -a small four year watching with nothing close to disgust.
“I told ya to wait outside for me, didn't I?” I questioned sternly.
“Yes, Momma.” She said with her gaze downcast.
I quickly crouched down so that I was her height. I knew people were listening and watching -especially the newcomers but I continued on. I felt guilty for having Elle standing here with me whilst Rick own child was possibly lying on his deathbed.
“How about you go up to my room and play with you dollies?” I suggested.
Elle definatly shook her head and looked over at the unconscious body. “No.”
“Elle,” I began. But she shook her head.
I didn't know what I could say to get her to do what I wanted until it hit me. I smile appeared on my lips and Elle frowned. I leant forward on my toes. “There's one more chocolate bar in my bedside table. If you go upstairs and stay there until I come for you, you can have it.”
Elle' eyes glowed and she nodded before taking off up the stairs without another word.
I nodded to myself, If the word hadn't ended and I had an unlimited supple of chocolate i'd definitely use that to bribe her more often -it was certainly effective. I used the door frame to push myself back up into a standing position and stretched.
I then gave my complete and undivided attention to daddy. “What can I do to help?”