Improbabil Dragoste

The week had passed and it was time to take the boy that we had saved when we went to get Hershel, Rick and Shane were getting ready to leave when Rick came up to me watching from the porch.
“Hey Cat, why don't you come alone? I could use your help.”
I was shocked but quickly stood, “Yeah, sure anyway I can.” I jumped up and walked over to the car where the boy was already loaded into the trunk.
“What are those for?” I asked watching Shane tape earphones to the boys ears.
“So he can't hear us or anything we pass.” Shane explained checking the ropes around the boys wrists and ankles before closing the back. “Okay, let's go.”
Rick got in the drivers seat with Shane next to him and I loaded in the back.
We drove for a while before Rick pulled the car to a stop putting it in park and looked back at me, “Stay here we'll be back.”
So, both Rick and Shane exited the car and walked out in front of the car. I could see them talking but since they were so far out front and the music coming from the earphones prevented their voices reaching me. I looked back over the seat checking on the boy, mainly just to do something, he had a black bag over his head that was sewn from what was left from my shirt. Good thing I kept what was left, I can't sew but it seemed the rest of the women knew how to so it didn't take long for the bag to be made. I looked back at Rick and Shane and their conversation did not appear to be a pleasant one seeing as Shane looked very exposed and sad. Since we were in the middle of an open area there wasn't much to look at so I got to memorize the back of the seat in front of me. Their conversation didn't last very long and I thought it was over when Rick started to walk back to the car but Shane started to talk to him. Rick never did turn around when Shane continued to speak to him and just waited until Shane said what he had to say and Rick returned into the drivers seat. I thought Shane wasn't going to come back to the car because he stood out there looking down at the shotgun he held a while before eventually walking back into the car. I made eye contact with Rick as we drove off and held his gaze before looking out the window at the trees passing by.
“We've gotta start using our knives more. If there's one walker, we use our knives. Keep things quiet. We save ammunition.” Rick started to explain.
“I agree,” I started leaning up, “That's why I only use knives and my pickaxe. When everyone is using their gun it creates such a commotion.”
“Yeah.” Was all Shane said and if I wasn't leaned forward I don't think I would've heard him.
“We need dry goods ahead of the winter—warm clothes. Fuel. Maybe we get a break. You gotta think the cold affects them. If it doesn't kill 'em, it's gotta slow 'em down. The second week of January last year we got all that snow and ice. My cousin got stuck on 85 for 24 hours. Sitting in his car with a birthday cake for his girlfriend at Georgia Tech. He just sat and ate birthday cake and listened to the Lord of the Rings book on tape. Twice. We get lucky, we get the same winter as last year. By December it's a different world. Safer. Maybe we find some snowmobiles to make runs.”
I listened to Rick and laughed when I heard what happened to his cousin having to eat his girlfriends birthday cake. It seemed Shane wasn't listening at all to Rick and I was glad I was there to show Rick his words weren't falling on deaf ears.
“Yeah, I am sure the cold weather will slow them down, hopefully kill a few of them off, if they even starve.” I added falling back into my seat.

“It's more than 18 miles out.” Shane pointing out.
“Yeah, I'm looking for a place. Give him a real shot.”
Shane didn't disagree out loud but I saw his hand move to his face a lot like he was wanting to protest but fought against it.
We drove further until we found a building with a sign out front saying “Mert County Department of Public Works.”
“There.” Rick said pulling up to the gates.
We loaded out of the car taking a look at the place, it seemed empty, minus the few school buses that were right passed the gate.
“This'll do. We'll leave the boy here and scavenge some supplies.” Then Rick whistled getting Shanes attention. “Over there.”
He nodded his head to the side at a walker coming around a school bus, Shane pulled out his pistol ready to shoot it but Rick held up his hand stopping him.
“Like I said.” Rick pulled out a knife and cut his finger waiting until blood flowed out and ran it against the fence.
The walker, seeing us, started running over and started to lick and bite where Rick put his blood on the fence. Then Rick just jabbed his knife through the fence into the walkers forehead then pulled it out letting the walker fall.
“Gun's quick easy but other ways to do this. One more. You turn.” Rick told Shane as another walker showed up.
Shane turned around looking at the walker then back at Rick and pulled out his knife copying what Rick did to the first walker. I didn't need to be told how to handle a walker with a melee since that's all I ever used. Rick went back to the car retrieving the bolt cutters and cut the chain open that was keeping the gate closed. We walked in to check the place further and we walked up to this building that had a lot of food scattered on the ground, I griped my knife. Ready to attack if need be. We walked passed some building and came across a field with more food littered on the ground and a black pile of burnt bodies. I pulled my knife up as I stepped up inside one of the school buses, one of the many that littered the area, when I walked inside there were quilts and blankets fallen from the sides where they had been pinned up. There were a lot blankets and pillows scattered on this bus but it didn't appear that anyone or any walkers were still inside. I laxed a tad as I walked further into the bus looking through the items left behind looking for țigări, since I lost my last pack, but I wasn't having any luck and walked off back over to Rick and Shane.
Rick was already starting to fill up our gas cans with fuel from a large truck when Shane was looking over the two walkers they killed earlier.
“Hey guys, I don't see any bites.” Shane admitted picking up one of the walkers and looked at his neck.
“Gotta be scratched then—this one's hand, other one's cheek. They had walkers here—burned bodies down the hill.”
“I guess it gotta be scratches then, huh?” Shane continued to look down at the bodies.
“Think it's time we go get the boy?” I suggested.
“Yeah, let's go get him.” Rick agreed.
Shane got in the car as I followed to open the gate further for him as Rick drained the last fuel out of the truck. I closed the gate and walked over to the car where Shane was already opening the trunk and the boy started to grunt as Rick pulled his feet off and they both grabbed him under his arms and carried him off. I followed after them as we walked a ways into the facility and we stopped inbetween a couple buses as Rick and Shane threw the boy to the ground removing the hood, gag and earphones off his face.
“The hell is this?” The boy asked looking around and when we didn't answer he started to look around panicky, “Oh, come on don't be stupid. I owe you guys. I can help protect what you've got. Why would you save my life just to kill me by leaving me here? One guy—one guy can't make it alone. That's why I was with those dudes—I was alone.”
We had walked a ways from him when Rick stopped and grabbed my arm, “Cat give me your knife.”
I looked at him confused but handed it over, he looked at it and dropped it to the ground.
“Don't be stupid! I'm not like them!” The boy dropped to the ground and started to crawl toward the knife, “I'm just some guy I used to watch football and screw around on the internet. I lived with my mom! I lost her like you lost people. I went to school with Maggie for God's sake!”
Rick stopped in front of me and looked back toward the boy who continued seeing he got Rick to stop, “I went to church. I rode the bench on varsity's baseball.”
I moved to the side when Rick started to walk back, “Rick, we can't--” I started but Rick didn't pay any mind.
“You went to school with Maggie?”
“You go to school with Maggie?” Shane copied Rick. “Answer the question! Did you go to school with Maggie?”
The boy stuttered scared of Shane yelling at him, “I—It—She didn't know me. Didn't even know I existed. I mean I knew her. I knew who her dad was.”
We stopped listening to him as I spoke up, “If he knows Maggie then he's gonna know his way back. He can find his old group.”
He continued to plead his case, “I'm not like the guys I was with!”
Shane pulled out his gun but Rick was quick to stop him but not before Shane got a road out, as it hit the ground next to the boy I saw Shane fall to the ground.
“Not now. Just not now.” Rick yelled walking over to Shane who moved to lean against a cop car.
“Well, when, Rick? When?”
Rick kicks Shane's pistol away, “When I've had a chance to think about it.”
“Don't let him kill me. Please don't.”
“Shut up!” Rick finally yelled at the boy. “We're going back it's a man's life. I need a night to think it through.”
“You're going to bring this piece of garage who shot at you, Rick? He ran with men who tried to kill you. You gonna bring him back to where Lori sleeps? To where Carl sleep?”
“He'll be locked up in the barn. Unless you bust it open.”
“Oh, don't start that shit.”
“I'm taking the night. It's my choice.”
“No man—I don't think it is. You can't keep them safe.”
I froze as I saw Ricks lip twitch in anger and he charged at Shane trying to hit him but Shane caught his arm head butting him in the forehead rocking Rick to the ground. Shane was quick to grab his pistol but Rick recovered pushing Shane up against the cop car making Shane throw the gun away, then Rick started to pelt Shane in the face with his fist. Shane wrapped his arms around Rick picking his up and throwing him on the trunk of the car.
“Guys! Now isn't--” I ran over recovering from the shock of seeing them fight but was pushed away by Shane before he pushed Rick to the ground and toppling over a motorcycle on top of Ricks legs.
“Damn! God!” Rick started to yell.
I ran over trying to pick the motorcycle up off of Rick looking back and seeing Shane fall against a firetruck to reach underneath reaching for his pistol. When I got Rick out from under the bike he quickly jumped up running over to Shane who was probably headed over to the boy.
I heard them wrestling on the ground and heard Shane, “Get off me, man.”
I knew I wasn't going to be able to stop them so I waited sitting on the ground by the bike where Rick was trapped under still listening to their grunts as they continued to fight. Things were always tense between them and I'm sure everyone knew this fight was coming but this wasn't exactly the good time to fight it out.
“You're not doing this.” I heard Rick yell. “You don't get to make these calls anymore. I won't let you.”
It was like in most stories where if someone wanted to be King they had to fight and defeat the present King and it appeared that Shane did not defeat the King, but then I heard a loud crash and glass break. I shot up running over seeing Rick fallen onto trash bags and a window busted open, I looked at Shane who just looked at the window. I looked back and my blood ran cold. I bloody hand was starting to reach up to the broken window and then growls started to come from the inside. A walker had started to climb out of the window and fell out rolling to the ground and was quickly grabbed by Rick who picked up the walker pushing him down, pulling out his knife, and stabbed the walker. Then all at once tons of walkers started to appear falling out the window trying to walk toward us. I looked at Rick who pulled his recently killed walker over his body, knowing he was fine, I booked it. Shane ran away as well with most of the walkers following after him but I turned and saw five had followed after me. I reached for my knife and clenched my fist remembering Rick dropped it for that boy and I had left my pickaxe in the car like an idiot. I ran back to where the boy was only to see he had gotten away and took my knife.
“Fute!” Fuck. I yelled not pausing to look for him or my knife.
The walkers were got closer me reaching their bony fingers at me I pulled out my pocketknife that I knew would not help me very well but turned around putting my arm out grabbing the closest walker stopping him and jamming my knife in his skull and quickly removing it throwing him back into the rest. A few fell but the rest moved around and came at me still I turned and ran and saw a school bus in front of me and I knew if I went inside I would get cornered so I threw myself to the ground going to crawl under to cut them off. I heard a thud behind me and I was stopped because a walker had got a hold of my holster. I tried to pull free but then the rest started to fall to the ground reaching for me so I dropped my knife and went to try and quickly undo my holster getting it off me despite my shaking fingers. The walkers were crawling under the bus and were grabbing at my leg I felt the panic rise in my body so I picked my knife cutting at my holster cutting it off my body and quickly jammed it into a walkers temple and kicked the rest off me and crawled under the bus out the other side. There were only still three after me and I had left my pocketknife in that walkers temple not having time from the pressure of the other walkers grabbing at me. I ran to the front of the building where the car, and made a break for the car and with the truck still open I jumped in grabbing at my pick and nearly had it when I was pulled down slammed my head on the car before I was pulled to the concrete. I turned as a walker moved on top of me, I pushed my hand up to its shoulder keeping it away from biting me, I looked passed it and saw the other walker closing its distance between me and tried pushing the other off and rolling away. I jumped up and fall against the car from losing balance and reached in the back seat pulling out my pick and swinging it as the second walker came up to it slamming my pick in its skull sending blood flying landing on the car. I quickly pulled it out going to the back of the car where the walker was just getting up, standing over it, then raising my pick and throwing it down through its head. Blood shot out of it's mouth where my pick had gone through, blood was all over legs, from the walker I killed under the bus, and now this one. I pulled out my pick and sighed a heavily sigh of relief, but my relief didn't last long because Rick and Shane were still over there. I had started making my way over but I saw Rick come around a corner pushing the boy along, “Stay there,” Rick said pushing the boy away to lean down and pulling the cops, who they killed earlier, pistols out of their belts.
“Where's Shane?” I asked running over.
Rick stood looking down at both the cops before answering me, “Trapped on a bus, we're gonna go get him. Cat get the car.”
I nodded running back to the car and getting in the drivers seat with Rick and the boy following behind.
“Shane's over there, drive through the gate.” Rick explained and rolled down the passengers window leaning out of it as I started it up and drove where he pointed.
I busted through the gate and saw walkers all clawing at a bus door and Rick started firing at them, not really aiming, and called out, “Shane! Get to the back door! Come on!”
I drove to the back of the bus where the back door bushed open and I stopped letting Shane jump on the car and go through the open back window.
“Go Cat go!” Rick yelled as Shane got in the car.
I quickly reversed and drove through the fence speeding away down the first road in front of the facility.
“Whoo! Hell yea!” The boy cheered in the back seat as I speed down the road.
“Shut up!” Rick yelled back at the boy who complied and shut up.
We were all breathing heavily as we all survived our close encounters to death but not without our will to live, not being eaten alive, pushing us to fight our way out of the mess Shane caused by breaking that window.