Living Like You're Dead

The cloud of smoke was tall. They didn’t know what it would attract. They needed to leave, and quick. The only problem was not everyone was out of the house.

Who was missing? A child.

Andrea had pulled Abha out of the house first thing, and when she helped Glenn with the supplies Abha found her way back in to get the most simplest of pleasures, her doll. Although it was Carol who rushed inside to save her. You could hear Abha's screams. Glenn and Rick had followed Carol into the house.

Another large burst occurred, the front windows shattering, the fire needed oxygen, and to was going to find it. The flames erupted even brighter now that there was oxygen feeding it. Lori gasped at the thought of Rick being lost in the flames.

Glenn came running out the front door, Rick followed, and on his shoulders was Carol, her arms were badly burnt. When they arrived at the bedroom the frame had collapsed and Carol had reached through the burning beams in attempt to grab the already dead girl, Rick had pulled her away with enough time to save her life.

Although badly burnt, Carol was alive. She had always had that maternal instinct to protect her child, and with her late husband she had been doing it ever since she was married. It was pure instinct what she did.
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The thoughts running through the minds of the survivors were hostile. How can this happen? was the basis on which they made all their accusations. Several people suspected Merle being the cause. They knew they had poked and prodded him upon his return, and not believing a single word he said. Maybe in a fit of rage he had tried to kill them.

Daryl took a moment to even suspect Rick, maybe he’d snapped from what he had hinted at with Lori. Maybe he knew and wanted to kill everyone.

Now, accusations were everywhere. But the didn’t do much but stare at the burning building. A few had pulled out some bandages for themselves after then carefully wrapped Carol in sterile gauze.

Daryl had Addie in his arms. She had refused to sit despite being dizzy. She was a little puzzled about how she felt about the house. Yes, they lost their save haven – but Addie didn’t deny that the feeling that enveloped her in that house made her uneasy. Bad memories seemed to plague her dreams when she wasn’t with Daryl, it bothered her not really knowing what had happened to her as a child. She didn’t really want to remember, and now there was no way she could.

She buried herself into Daryl's chest. His arms wrapped around her tightly. Merle wondered how a girl so far out of his league found Daryl to be the one. She didn't even think twice about it, and from what Daryl had told Merle it didn't take very long for her to love him. It seemed all rules were broken, and anything was possible.
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It wasn't long before an argument broke out.

“We need to do something.” Lori told Rick. “We can’t just stand here!”

“I know, we just don’t have many options Lori.”

“I don’t want to stay here – this fire could attract those things or whatever started this fire!”

Rick took her face into his hands and nodded his head.

“Lets load the supplies into the caravan, and lets get moving.”

Everyone was reluctant to move but knew it had to be done. Glenn was smart to save the fuel. The vehicles already had fuel. But now they had plenty to get them almost wherever they needed to go.

“What do we do?” Andrea asked, “find another house? Leave the state?”

“I don’t really know. I – it’s not easy.”

“Of course it’s not fucking easy!” Andrea screamed at him. “We’re barely surviving here!”

“We what do you suppose I do hm?”

“We find a house. Another, in this area, this is a good area.” Lori said.

“Well how am I supposed-“

“I know one,” Merle said. “I’ve seen it. I stayed there a few nights before I ran into this place.”
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But this chapter ended with a child; one that they hardly new, but a child nonetheless. Rick had placed a burnt sheet over the child's charcoal colored body when the flames finally died out. The fire had burned everything quickly and left little. The group distraught at losing such a young member of their group. Andrea took comfort in knowing that she was perhaps with her mother now, Even though Andrea had taken to her she smiled a little bit inside.

Everyone here hurt, and sometimes death didn’t seem to bad. Death was almost like permanent relaxation. But even despite that, this group pressed on and vowed to live.