Status: Am still trying to write, but school is keeping me really busy
Hopeless Wanderer
Fourteen
I guess they heard my sporadic crying because Carol appeared at my door. I miserably nodded when she gestured coming in. I couldn’t talk because I didn’t think anybody would believe me. Instead of talking she rubbed small circles on my back and softly recounted fairy tales. Oddly, it eased my troubled mind a bit, at least until Judith began to cry. Carol stood up and smiled down warmly on me before leaving me to tend to the baby. I grabbed my crowbar, surprised that Rick hadn’t taken it away, and a snack. I walked outside to the fence and they let me into the area between the inner and outer fence. Normally I didn’t try to clear the fences and only attacked when in real danger, but today, rekilling the dead seemed like a pretty good way to let off a little steam. The warm sun on my cheeks didn’t hurt, either. With each thrust through the links of the fence I looked for Peter’s face, hoping.
After probably an hour of almost robotically killing the dead, I noticed Will hiding behind a tree on the other side. I stared, unsure of what to do. Our eyes locked and his crinkled at the edges as he smiled to see me. He motioned for me to join him. Oblivious to the rotter threat I began climbing the fence. The slightly jagged edges of the metal dug tiny lacerations in my fingers as my weight sank into the unfiled links. Halfway up, somebody grabbed my legs, trying to yank me down to earth. My arms gave out against the surprise of the extra weight. Luckily the extra weight padded my fall a little bit, although I did get kneed in the side pretty hard. I groaned but scrambled to roll over to search the tree line. Will had disappeared back into the forest.
I turned to face my attacker, the heat of my rage etched into my face. I clenched my fists at the sight of Rick. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I screamed at the top of my lungs, attracting the attention of every undead being anywhere close us.
“What’s wrong with you? You know you can’t go out there.” I stared into his eyes, looking to find some of the pain I held or at least some of my anger. He displayed no emotion. No anger or concern or relief he’d succeeded in pulling me down. It only strengthened my resolve to purge my own emotions. To do that, I needed to get to Will. I reached as high as I could and started the climb again.
“He’s out there. He’ll know what to do.”
More gently than before he pulled me back off the fence. “No, Jennifer. He’s not out there.” I ignored him, attempting to get out again. Rick didn’t know what he was talking about. I saw Will with my own two eyes. I saw his dirty and long matted blonde hair and his filthy, torn clothing. A thick streak of blood ran down his cheek under a laceration across his cheekbone. This wasn’t the Will I’d only dreamed before.
Rick pulled me back into his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around me when I made another attempt to climb. I stayed focused on the treeline, struggling to get away. Rick proved to be stronger. “He’s not there, Jenn,” he softly told me. He has to be there, though. The only alternative is that I’m alone in this fucked up world. I stilled, but kept a watchful eye on the forest. Nothing there indicated I could find him.
Rick removed his arms from around me. I tried to storm off, and get further away from the gate and prying eyes. Rick wasn’t risking it, though, and grabbed my arm above the elbow. I resisted, but he was well practiced in detaining the unwilling and led me all the way back to my cell. He shut me in and slumped, wearily, against the door. One leg bent up near his chest, but the other lay splayed across the floor. All I could think to do was to stare in contempt at the back of the man I almost thought was my friend and plan a new escape attempt.
After probably an hour of almost robotically killing the dead, I noticed Will hiding behind a tree on the other side. I stared, unsure of what to do. Our eyes locked and his crinkled at the edges as he smiled to see me. He motioned for me to join him. Oblivious to the rotter threat I began climbing the fence. The slightly jagged edges of the metal dug tiny lacerations in my fingers as my weight sank into the unfiled links. Halfway up, somebody grabbed my legs, trying to yank me down to earth. My arms gave out against the surprise of the extra weight. Luckily the extra weight padded my fall a little bit, although I did get kneed in the side pretty hard. I groaned but scrambled to roll over to search the tree line. Will had disappeared back into the forest.
I turned to face my attacker, the heat of my rage etched into my face. I clenched my fists at the sight of Rick. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I screamed at the top of my lungs, attracting the attention of every undead being anywhere close us.
“What’s wrong with you? You know you can’t go out there.” I stared into his eyes, looking to find some of the pain I held or at least some of my anger. He displayed no emotion. No anger or concern or relief he’d succeeded in pulling me down. It only strengthened my resolve to purge my own emotions. To do that, I needed to get to Will. I reached as high as I could and started the climb again.
“He’s out there. He’ll know what to do.”
More gently than before he pulled me back off the fence. “No, Jennifer. He’s not out there.” I ignored him, attempting to get out again. Rick didn’t know what he was talking about. I saw Will with my own two eyes. I saw his dirty and long matted blonde hair and his filthy, torn clothing. A thick streak of blood ran down his cheek under a laceration across his cheekbone. This wasn’t the Will I’d only dreamed before.
Rick pulled me back into his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around me when I made another attempt to climb. I stayed focused on the treeline, struggling to get away. Rick proved to be stronger. “He’s not there, Jenn,” he softly told me. He has to be there, though. The only alternative is that I’m alone in this fucked up world. I stilled, but kept a watchful eye on the forest. Nothing there indicated I could find him.
Rick removed his arms from around me. I tried to storm off, and get further away from the gate and prying eyes. Rick wasn’t risking it, though, and grabbed my arm above the elbow. I resisted, but he was well practiced in detaining the unwilling and led me all the way back to my cell. He shut me in and slumped, wearily, against the door. One leg bent up near his chest, but the other lay splayed across the floor. All I could think to do was to stare in contempt at the back of the man I almost thought was my friend and plan a new escape attempt.